Yoshirō and Yoshio Taniguchi Museum of Architecture, Kanazawa

Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture is a rich repository of architecture stretching across the ages from historic to modern times. In July 2019, a new museum commemorating the internationally renowned architect and urban designer Taniguchi Yoshirō (1904–1979) and his son, the architect Taniguchi Yoshio (1937–), opened in the city.

Yoshirō, a native of Kanazawa, was a leading figure in the Japanese architecture world, earning acclaim for such monumental structures as the Tōgū Palace and the Tōyōkan (Asian Gallery) of the Tokyo National Museum. His son Yoshio is a celebrated architect in his own right, and is known for his design of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Ginza Six shopping complex in Tokyo, among other works.

The new facility, the Yoshirō and Yoshio Taniguchi Museum of Architecture, Kanazawa, was designed by Yoshio and stands on the site of Yoshirō’s former residence in the Teramachi area, one of three major clusters of Buddhist temples in the city dating back to the Edo period (1603–1868).

The museum is dedicated to architecture and urban design and aims to educate visitors about architectural culture and the Kanazawa region. Among the different items on permanent exhibit is a reproduction of the tea room of the Yūshintei, the Japanese-style annex of the Akasaka Palace, the state guest house designed by Yoshirō.

(Originally published in Japanese. Created in cooperation with Kanazawa Cable Television.)