[Public Lecture] May Lecture: "Decoding 'Japaneseness' in Modern Architecture"

The 2026 public lecture series will be held throughout the year with the main theme of "Recommendations for Appreciating Architecture and Urban Planning."

The second session of the first semester, held on Saturday, May 9th, featured a lecture by Professor Hiroyuki Tamada Part-time Lecturer Otemae University, on the theme of "Decoding 'Japanese-ness' in Modern Architecture." Over 110 people attended.

In the first half of the lecture, the speaker described the state of Japanese Architecture from the Meiji to the early Showa period, explaining how "Japaneseness" was re-evaluated and incorporated amidst the influence of Western Architecture and modernism (internationalism), using examples of buildings designed by renowned Architecture (such as the Nara Prefectural Government Building, the former Nippon Kangyo Bank Headquarters, and the Aichi Prefectural Government Building). In the latter half, the speaker explained the "tradition debate" of postwar modernism (the problem of how to connect popular tradition with modern Architecture) through the lens of the contrasting axes of refined Yayoi and powerful Jomon (such as the Katsura Imperial Villa and Ise Grand Shrine). It made me realize once again that even in Architecture Architecture casually see every day, there is a great deal of dedication to "Japaneseness" from the people who designed them.

The next session will be held on Saturday, June 13th, with the theme "Understanding 'Architecture and Cities' from a Maritime Perspective."

(Source: Regional and Social Cooperation Office)