Commemorating the Selection of the DOCOMOMO Japan 300: “The Modern Movement and Architecture Now”

Part 1: “Value and Allure” 2026.8.29 Sat. －11.23 Mon. Part 2: “Legacy and Use” 2026.12.3 Thu. －2027.2.23 Tue. Closed on Mondays (Open on holidays that fall on a Monday. In which case the following weekday will be closed: Open on Sep.21, Oct.12, Nov.23, Jan.11, Closed on Oct.13, Dec.28～Jan.4, Jan.12.) Open hours: 10:00－16:30 (last entries: 16:15) Entry： ・To view the exhibition only (open on weekdays only). Please enter from the main gate of the Yushima Local Common Government Offices. Admission is free. ・To visit our museum on weekends, public holidays or view both the exhibition and Kyu-Iwasaki-tei-Gardens. Please enter via the Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens. Admission to the garden (¥400 for adults) is also required. Commemorating the Selection of the DOCOMOMO Japan 300: “The Modern Movement and Architecture Now”

 

Leaflet（PDF）

Press release（PDF）

DOCOMOMO (Documentation and Conservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the Modern Movement) is an international organization dedicated to the documentation, study, and conservation of architecture and cityscapes associated with the Modern Movement. The Modern Movement refers to an artistic movement that adopted new technologies and rational thinking, unconstrained by traditional values or styles, with the aim of implementing a better society, culture, and environment for everyone.

DOCOMOMO Japan, the organization’s Japanese chapter, has been actively documenting and conserving selected buildings from Japan’s diverse architectural culture from 1920 onward. Co-organized by DOCOMOMO Japan, this exhibition commemorates the 2025 milestone of having exceeded 300 selected works, and presents approximately 100 of the selected buildings through drawings, models, and related materials.

Part 1, “Value and Allure” traces the selection process, which began in 2000, while introducing the value and allure of each work of architecture, together with related anecdotes. Though more than 40 of the buildings have been demolished, Part 2, “Legacy and Use” presents ways of inheriting architecture that has been reused, architecture that has been altered over time, and even architecture that has been lost.

As this year marks the centenary of the Showa era, this exhibition aims to convey the allure of architectural culture, looking back on the century-long path of the Modern Movement and the societal changes that influenced it, while looking toward the future of architecture and cities for people through architectural conservation and use.

 

Basic Information

[Organization] Agency for Cultural Affairs
[Co-organization] DOCOMOMO Japan
[Planning] National Archives of Modern Architecture, DOCOMOMO Japan
[Cooperation] Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association
[Venue] National Archives of Modern Architecture, Agency for Cultural Affairs
（4-6-15 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo）

Part 1: “Value and Allure”2026.8.29 Sat. －11.23 Mon.
Part 2: “Legacy and Use” 2026.12.3 Thu. －2027.2.23 Tue
Closed on Mondays (Open on holidays that fall on a Monday. In which case the
following weekday will be closed: Open on Sep.21, Oct.12, Nov.23, Jan.11, Closed on Oct.13, Dec.28～Jan.4, Jan.12.)
[Open hours] 10:00－16:30 (last entries: 16:15)

Entry：
・To view the exhibition only (open on weekdays only).
Please enter from the main gate of the Yushima Local Common Government Offices. Admission is free.
・To visit our museum on weekends, public holidays or view both the exhibition and Kyu-Iwasaki-tei-Gardens.
Please enter via the Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens. Admission to the garden (¥400 for adults) is also required.

※NOTE
We do not have a parking lot. If you use a wheelchair or other wheelchair accessible facilities, please contact us in advance.
As our building was renovated from a building constructed to older standards. If you have any trouble, please feel free to contact reception.

 

Contents of Part 1：
"Value and Allure" – August 29 (Sat) – November 23 (Mon/Hol), 2026

Tracing the history of the selection process that began in 2000, the first part conveys the value and appeal of each architectural work, accompanied by stories and episodes surrounding the buildings.

Main Exhibits：
・YOSIZAKA Takamasa + Atelier U｜Inter-University Seminar House【1965/no.019】
・Le Corbusier｜The National Museum of Western Art【1959/no.059】
・KIKUTAKE Kiyonori｜Hotel Tokoen【1964/no.078】
・KIKUTAKE Kiyonori｜Hagi Civic Center【1968/no.161】
・OTAKA Masato｜Motomachi Apartments, Chojuen Apartments【1969-78/no.174】
・KIKUTAKE Kiyonori｜Tatebayashi Civic Center【1963/no.272】
・HARA Hiroshi + Atelier Phi｜Yamato International【1987/no.290】

 

Contents of Part 2:
"Legacy and Use" – December 3 (Thu), 2026 – February 23 (Tue/Hol), 2027

While acknowledging the loss of over 40 architectural works, the second part explores how repurposed buildings and structures that have evolved over time have been preserved and passed down to the present.

Main Exhibits：
・SAKAKURA Junzo｜The Museum of Modern Arts, Kamakura【1951/no.010】
・MAYEKAWA Kunio｜Nippon Sogo Bank【1952/no.044】
・SAKAKURA Junzo｜Hashima City Hall【1959/no.058】
・HORIGUCHI Sutemi｜Meiji University Izumi Campus No.2 Classroom Building【1960/no.068】
・KIKUTAKE Kiyonori｜Miyakonojo Civic Center【1966/no.120】
・SAKAKURA Junzo｜Ueno City Culture Center【1964/no.183】
・OTAKA Masato｜Office and Hall of ALL Japan Seamen's Union【1964/no.205】

 

Events Information

Opening Symposium
Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026
For details, please see here.
*Advance registration is required.

 

Features and highlights of the Exhibition

１）A Milestone Exhibition Commemorating Over 300 DOCOMOMO Japan Selections
Based on the results of over 25 years of selection activities by DOCOMOMO Japan, this exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of Japan's Modern Movement architecture. By introducing approximately 100 featured works across the first and second periods, visitors can systematically trace the evolution of modern and contemporary Japanese architecture.

２）Exploring Architectural Appeal and Context Through Original Drawings, Models, and Archival Materials
Through a diverse array of exhibits—including original drawings, architectural models, photographs, video footage, and related historical documents—the selected buildings are presented from multiple perspectives, layering "materials," "history," and "stories" to make architecture more accessible and engaging.

３）Contemplating the Future of Architecture Through Preservation, Inheritance, and Reuse
While more than 60 of the selected buildings have been designated as cultural properties and preserved, over 40 have already been lost. At the same time, many buildings continue to be used and appreciated today through adaptive reuse. Through these diverse historical trajectories, the exhibition poses the question of how we should preserve and pass on our architectural heritage to the future.

４）Related Events Including Symposiums and Guided Tours
Symposiums and guided tours are scheduled during the exhibition period. Details will be announced on the official website as soon as they are finalized. Together with the exhibition, these events offer visitors an opportunity to experience the appeal of architecture even more deeply.

 

Inquiry

National Archives of Modern Architecture, Agency for Cultural Affairs
TEL：03-3812-3401
Email：nama@mext.go.jp