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The list of reasons to visit Japan is pretty much endless - the unique Japanese culture, centuries-old Japanese traditions, and arts, just to name a few. But one of the best excuses to pack your bags and jump on the next plane to Tokyo is the country's incredibly diverse and innovative array of modern architecture.

The Japanese have their modern design ideas deeply connected to the traditional architecture, where wood, big screens and decorative but minimal designs where the most prominent. The contemporary take on Japanese architecture favorites such characteristics as multipurpose use, minimalism, and the relationship with nature which is very clear even the big city dwellings.

As you can see from this list compiled by Bored Panda, there seems to be no limit to the unique design ideas and imagination that goes into designing buildings and structures in Japan. And whether you're into secluded wooden forest hideaways, totally transparent modern design houses, stunning capsule towers or beautiful ribbon-shaped chapels, you're sure to find something in this Japanese architecture list to amaze you.

#1

Japanese Kindergarten Built Around A Tree

Japanese Kindergarten Built Around A Tree

tezuka architects Report

Yvonne Bernal
Community Member
10 years ago

Maybe this can teach the children to appreciate nature more... instead of the traditional concrete playground.

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    #2

    Japanese Architect Created An Unique Forest House For 2 Retired Ladies

    Japanese Architect Created An Unique Forest House For 2 Retired Ladies

    Issei Suma Report

    Gabriela Fiscu
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    superb idea for the pool! i will steal it :)

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    #3

    Preschool In Japan Collects Rainwater Into Puddles For Kids To Play In

    Preschool In Japan Collects Rainwater Into Puddles For Kids To Play In

    Youji No Shiro Report

    Terrel Bush
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    These ideas are why I want to be an architect!

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    #4

    Ebisu East Gallery In Shibuya, Tokyo

    Ebisu East Gallery In Shibuya, Tokyo

    ykanazawa1999 Report

    Notchimine Mette
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    This is how to fix a building after the Avengers were in town...

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    #5

    Tiny House In Tokyo

    Tiny House In Tokyo

    Yasuhiro Yamashita Report

    Emily Rose
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    If they sell it, the new owner better not have a bigger car...

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    #6

    Namba Parks In Osaka

    Namba Parks In Osaka

    osaka-info.jp Report

    Cassie
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Wow.

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    #7

    Sugamo Shinkin Bank In Kawaguchi

    Sugamo Shinkin Bank In Kawaguchi

    emmanuellemoureaux Report

    Yvonne Bernal
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    I bet this place rocks with color at night!

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    #8

    House & Garden, Tokyo

    House & Garden, Tokyo

    Ryue Nishizawa Report

    Wombat34
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Building regulations must be very different in Japan.

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    #9

    Acros Building In Fukuoka, Japan

    Acros Building In Fukuoka, Japan

    kbob.org Report

    Kjorn
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    this is where Jumaji 2 will be filmed

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    #10

    Ribbon Chapel In Hiroshima

    Ribbon Chapel In Hiroshima

    Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP Report

    Bun Bunny!
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    This is my favorite! Simply gorgeous!

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    #11

    Unusual Slide House In Japan

    Unusual Slide House In Japan

    Studio LEVEL Architects Report

    Nicholas Larsen
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    I'm just gonna move to Japan after high school

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    #12

    Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo, Japan

    Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo, Japan

    interiorator.com , wikipedia.org Report

    Dega Aditramulyadi
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    it`s like stack washing macine...

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    #13

    Sugamo Shinkin Bank / Shimura Branch Azusawa, Itabashi-ku, Japan

    Sugamo Shinkin Bank / Shimura Branch Azusawa, Itabashi-ku, Japan

    architizer.com Report

    Cassie
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Apparently, Sugamo Shinkin Bank likes to stand out in every location.

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    #14

    Tokyo Apartments

    Tokyo Apartments

    Sou Fujimoto Architects Report

    Sheryl
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Yes really interesting idea to stack houses

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    #15

    Nasu Teepee House In Nasu, Japan

    Nasu Teepee House In Nasu, Japan

    Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP Co. Report

    Syed Ali Sabzwary
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    I BET HE MAKE A LOT, RENT OUT BEST...

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    #16

    Omotesando Branches In Tokyo

    Omotesando Branches In Tokyo

    Sou Fujimoto Report

    Misty Pal
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Hey great way to add greenery..should be the future of all houses in cities

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    #17

    Transparent House In Japan

    Transparent House In Japan

    Sou Fujimoto Architects Report

    Notchimine Mette
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Please tell me they have blinds...

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    #18

    Small House Project In Tokyo

    Small House Project In Tokyo

    Unemori Architects Report

    #19

    Sayama Forest Chapel

    Sayama Forest Chapel

    Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP Report

    Ann Ros'a
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Just breath taking!! Beautiful.

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    #20

    Dear Ginza Building By Amano Design Office, Tokyo, Japan

    Dear Ginza Building By Amano Design Office, Tokyo, Japan

    archdaily.com Report

    Cassie
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    The architect drew the building, wasn't happy with the drawing, crumpled it, and tossed it aside. Then somebody opened the crumpled paper and saw awesomeness.

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    #21

    A Large Shell Shaped Structure In The Middle Of The Woods In Kitasaku District

    A Large Shell Shaped Structure In The Middle Of The Woods In Kitasaku District

    ARTechnic architects Report

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    #22

    Reversible Destiny Lofts In Tokyo

    Reversible Destiny Lofts In Tokyo

    Shusaku Arakawa Report

    Kjorn
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    wow! seem like a kids house

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    #23

    Miyahata Jōmon Museum In Fukushima, Japan

    Miyahata Jōmon Museum In Fukushima, Japan

    Furuichi and Associates Report

    Owen Lutwyche
    Community Member
    5 years ago

    The brutalist concrete contrasts very nicely with the sterile, modern wooden ceiling

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    #24

    Tsuzumimon Gate, Kanazawa Station, Kanazawa

    Tsuzumimon Gate, Kanazawa Station, Kanazawa

    muza-chan.net Report

    Sheryl
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    THAT is a gate indeed

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    #25

    Sunny Hills Japan Dessert Shop In Omotesando, Tokyo

    Sunny Hills Japan Dessert Shop In Omotesando, Tokyo

    Kengo Kuma and associates Report

    Fluttergirl
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    It kind of looks like a bunch of baby gates stacked on top of one another.

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    #26

    Apartment – House In Chiba, Japan

    Apartment – House In Chiba, Japan

    Kochi Architect's Studio Report

    Kjorn
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    wow. more than meet the eyes

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    #27

    Mikimoto Ginza 2 Building In Tokyo

    Mikimoto Ginza 2 Building In Tokyo

    openbuildings.com , Ito Toyo Report

    Ann Ros'a
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Looks like it should be in Swisterland with all those oddly shaped holes!

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    #28

    Sunwell Muse By Takato Tamagami And Be-fun Design, Tokyo, Japan

    Sunwell Muse By Takato Tamagami And Be-fun Design, Tokyo, Japan

    archello.com , Masaya Yoshimura Report

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    #29

    Ghost House, Tokyo, Japan

    Ghost House, Tokyo, Japan

    Takeshi Yamagishi Report

    Autumn Walton
    Community Member
    7 years ago (edited)

    oh i hate that too white

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    #30

    Grin Grin Building At Island City In Fukuoka City

    Grin Grin Building At Island City In Fukuoka City

    Toyo Ito Report

    Kjorn
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    i want to see more of those kind of building

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    #31

    N Village In Iwate Prefecture, Japan

    N Village In Iwate Prefecture, Japan

    Zai Shirakawa Architects Report

    Robert Herczeg
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    interesting, this is something that I'd expect in a nordic country rather than Japan.

    #32

    O House In Kyoto, Japan

    O House In Kyoto, Japan

    Hideyuki Nakayama Architecture Report

    Jenica Thomas
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    That curtain is BEAUTIFUL!

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    #33

    Mirrored Entrance To 'Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku' Shopping Complex In Tokyo, Japan

    Mirrored Entrance To 'Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku' Shopping Complex In Tokyo, Japan

    Report

    Sheryl
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    A little irritating somehow...

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    #34

    Yakisugi House (charcoal House) In Nagano, Japan

    Yakisugi House (charcoal House) In Nagano, Japan

    Terunobu Fujimori Report

    Cassie
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Looks like something you might spot in a Studio Ghibli film.

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    #35

    S-House In Oomiya, Saitama, Japan

    S-House In Oomiya, Saitama, Japan

    Yuusuke Karasawa Architects Report

    Robert Morson
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    One wonders where the toilet is located.

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    #36

    Hoki Museum In Midori Ward, Chiba, Japan

    Hoki Museum In Midori Ward, Chiba, Japan

    Nikken Sekkei Report

    JustRoz
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    WOW ! Where do you begin?

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    #37

    House In Muko

    House In Muko

    FujiwaraMuro Architects Report

    Cassie
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Shame this was taken on a cloudy day. I'm curious as to the relationship of the path of the sun to those slat windows.

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    #38

    House In Saijo, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

    House In Saijo, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

    Suppose Design Office Report

    Brit Sehnsucht
    Community Member
    6 years ago

    Beautiful 🖤

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    #39

    GC Prostho Museum Research Center In Japan

    GC Prostho Museum Research Center In Japan

    archdaily.com Report

    #40

    Half And Half House

    Half And Half House

    Akio NAKASA and Teppei AMANO Report

    Snarkygal
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    I'd love to see how the inside is laid out in this one.

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    #41

    Cocoon Tower, Shinjuku, Tokyo

    Cocoon Tower, Shinjuku, Tokyo

    Tange Associates Report

    JustRoz
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Amazing architecture !!

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    #42

    Za-Koenji Public Theatre In Suginami-Ku, Tokyo

    Za-Koenji Public Theatre In Suginami-Ku, Tokyo

    Toyo Ito Report

    JustRoz
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    Nope. Looks like it just landed.

    #43

    A House Awaiting Death In Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan

    A House Awaiting Death In Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan

    EASTERN Design Office Report

    Misty Pal
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    awaiting death...???

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    #44

    Part Of The University Of Tokyo‘s Campus Building With Layered Timber Slats

    Part Of The University Of Tokyo‘s Campus Building With Layered Timber Slats

    Kengo Kuma and associates Report

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    #45

    House In Kawasaki

    House In Kawasaki

    mtytic Report

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    #46

    Flagpole House In Tokyo

    Flagpole House In Tokyo

    milligram Report

    #47

    Urbanprem Minami Aoyama Commercial Building In Tokyo, Japan

    Urbanprem Minami Aoyama Commercial Building In Tokyo, Japan

    Yuko Nagayama & Associates Report

    Nikita Jagora
    Community Member
    9 years ago

    If you don't like your neighbors, you can just roll your house somewhere else.

    #48

    House In Abiko, Japan

    House In Abiko, Japan

    fuse-atelier Report

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    #49

    Exquisite Tunnel House In Japan

    Exquisite Tunnel House In Japan

    Makiko Tsukada Architects Report

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    #50

    K-Museum In Ariake, Tokyo

    K-Museum In Ariake, Tokyo

    Makoto Watanabe Report

    Kjorn
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    looks like they messed up the assembly. damn ikea

    #51

    Nanohana-Kan Communication And Recreation Plaza, Ibusuki, Japan

    Nanohana-Kan Communication And Recreation Plaza, Ibusuki, Japan

    Takasaki Masaharu Report

    Shoeb Ahmad
    Community Member
    10 years ago

    Airship ready to leave from underground bunker.

    #52

    House In Tsurumaki, Tokyo

    House In Tsurumaki, Tokyo

    Case-real Report

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