About Mayekawa Kunio
May 14, 1905 to June 26, 1986. Born in Niigata City, JAPAN.
In 1928, graduated from the Department of Engineering, School of Architecture, Tokyo Imperial University and, in the same year, moved to France, where he studied under the great architect, Le Corbusier.
On returning to Japan, Mayekawa entered Antonin Raymond’s design office and in 1935 established his own office.
He thereafter undertook many of Japan’s foremost architectural works and profoundly affected the course of Japanese modern architecture.
The Amazing Life of Mayekawa Kunio
1905
Mayekawa was born in Niigata, and grew up in Tokyo around Hongo.
His father Mayekawa Kanichi worked as a civil engineer for the Home Ministry.
His youngest brother Haruo, Kunio’s junior by six years, was the later governor of the Bank of Japan.
1928
Graduated from Tokyo Imperial University, majoring in architecture.
He left for Paris on the Trans-Siberian Railway on the day of graduation, to apprentice at Le Corbusier’s office.
1975
Completion of Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum (Taito Ward), a work filled with the appeal of Mayekawa’s architecture.
The Tobira Team Investigates! The Real Mayekawa Kunio
Be a foster parent!
“You can’t just make a building and abandon it.
Architects have to be both birth parent and foster parent.”
A big eater
When it came to food, Mayekawa’s rule was “quantity first, quality second.” He often treated his staff to expensive sushi in Ginza.
Humming arias
He could sometimes be found merrily drawing away in his office, with a pencil in his hand and an opera tune on his lips.
A wealthy upbringing
“He was a Meiji-era man a well-bred boy from a good family.”
His favorite white Jaguar
He fell in love with the car in Europe,drove it over the Alps, then had it shipped to Japan afterwards.
Passion for colors
“If I wasn’t an architect, I probably would have wanted to paint walls for a living.”
They called him Captain
His staff nicknamed him Taisho – “Captain” – out of respect for his warm, generous nature.
Mayekawa architecture you can visit right away!
There are many buildings other than Tobikan that Mayekawa designed. People still use and treasure his buildings today, with some having been partially renovated.
Here are his surviving works near Tobikan. (★ indicates works that have been partially renovated.)
1. 1942 Mayekawa’s own house (reconstructed in Koganei City)
2. 1954 Kanagawa Prefectural Library and Music Hall (Nishi Ward, Yokohama)
3. 1955 International House of Japan (Minato Ward)
Co-designed with Junzo Sakakura and Junzo Yoshimura
4. 1959 Setagaya Community Centre and Town Hall (Setagaya Ward)
5. 1961 Tokyo Bunka Kaikan (Taito Ward)
6. 1964 Kinokuniya Shinjuku Main Store (Shinjuku Ward)
7. 1974 Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Head Office (Chiyoda Ward)
8. 1975 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum (Taito Ward)
Renewed in 2012!
9. 1979 The National Museum of Western Art, New Wing
(Taito Ward; Main Building was designed by Le Corbusier, Mayekawa’s teacher.Registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016)
10. 1986 Passed away on June 26 at the age of 81.
Laid to rest in a grave of his own design in Senjuin Temple (Sendagaya, Shibuya Ward)