Tokagakudo, Tokyo

The Tokagakudo is an octagonal concert hall located within the imperial gardens of Tokyo. In Japanese, “Tokagakudo” means “peach blossom” and the structure is designed to resemble a flower.

The Tokagakudo was built as a concert hall in 1966 in honor of Empress Kojun. She was the consort of Emperor Hirohito, the longest serving Japanese emperor who became the symbol of modern Japan after World War II. She was a well known patron and lover of classical music. The hall was opened to commemorate the 60th birthday of the empress who died in the year 2000.

The Tokagakudo has eight walls and a circular roof in the shape of clematis petals. Each wall is covered with a mosaic portraying large flying birds and patterns of the sun, moon and stars, depicting different seasons of the year. The mosaic consists of fragments of Arita and Shigaraki pottery. The roof of the main entrance is adorned by two dolls that are the Japanese version of Gargoyles. Many well known Japanese and international musicians and orchestras have performed at the venue in the presence of the imperial family. The Tokagakudo is a modern structure amidst the traditional historic buildings of the East Gardens of the Edo Castle.