Imperial Hotel (Tokyo, 1923) designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Now at Meiji Mura, Aichi Prefecture. (© JAPAN Forward by Earl Kinmonth)
According to the Japanese government, the number of foreign visitors to Japan from January to November 2025 reached 39 million. That was a 17% increase year-on-year. This momentum suggests the annual total could surpass 40 million for the first time in 2026.
In recent years, foreign tourists have significantly diversified their chosen destinations. Moving beyond the traditional pattern of visiting only famous tourist spots like Kyoto and Nara, visitors have expanded their range based on unique themes. The breadth of their travel destinations has surprised many Japanese people, who remark, "I didn't realize foreign tourists visited places like this."
Visiting architectural works in Japan by world-renowned foreign architects is a theme that is likely to become an intriguing tourist attraction. This, though, is not only for foreign visitors, but also for Japanese people. Many architectural works by famous foreign architects, however, are located in places known only to those in the know.
Among them, works by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) are particularly famous. Nearly as well known are Le Corbusier, Josiah Conder, Robert Venturi, and Antonin Raymond. Their works are stunning, and here's where to find them in Japan.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Imperial Hotel
The Imperial Hotel's second Wright Wing stands as a representative building among Wright's works left in Japan. It is now located in Meiji-mura, Inuyama City, in Aichi Prefecture.
Joining the Wright Wing are Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, the former Yamamura Family Villa, now Yodoko Guest House in Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, and the former Hayashi Aisaku Residence in Tokyo's Setagaya district. These are considered Wright's four major masterpieces left in Japan.
The Imperial Hotel Wright Wing, completed in 1923, is globally considered one of Wright's masterpieces and is often called the "jewel of the Orient." Its symmetrical exterior, believed to be inspired by the Phoenix Hall at Byodoin Temple, showcases refined design and an open feel. Wright's captivating worldview is evident in the interior and throughout the building.
In 1967, it was announced that the structure would be demolished and rebuilt. However, the original central entrance section was relocated to Meiji-mura in Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture.
More Works by Frank Lloyd Wright
Jiyu Gakuen is a private school founded in 1921. Wright's educational philosophy resonated with its founders, Motoko and Yoshikazu Hani. They had Wright design the school's Asuka Hall for the school's founding. It is a beautiful architectural style that fuses with nature, where the building integrates and blends seamlessly with the surrounding outdoor space.
The Yodoko Guest House, a villa, was completed in 1924. Wright designed it at the request of Taizaemon Yamamura, the eighth-generation head of Yamamura Sake Brewery (founded in 1625, now Sakura Masamune).
After the war, Yodogawa Steel Works (now Yodoko) purchased the villa. It is now open to the public as a guest house. The Yodoko Guest House is the only residential building designed by Wright in Japan that survives in nearly its original form.
Wright also designed the former Aisaku Hayashi Residence as a home for Mr Hayashi, the Imperial Hotel's first Japanese general manager. All of the above works are currently open to the public, except for the former Aisaku Hayashi residence, which is currently under discussion regarding its preservation.
'Master of Modern Architecture' Le Corbusier
Alongside Wright, Le Corbusier (1887–1965), the Swiss-French architect, was considered a master of modern architecture. Born Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, Le Corbusier's only surviving building in Japan is the National Museum of Western Art. (Taito-ku, Tokyo, opened in 1959.) Registered as a World Heritage Site in 2016, it is a must-see building in Tokyo.
This museum, comprising three above-ground floors and one basement level, features a pilotis, rooftop garden, free plan, free facade, and horizontal windows — exemplifying the 'Five Principles of Modern Architecture.' It also features a structural design known as the 'Domino System.' This uses reinforced concrete as an alternative to traditional Western brick and stone construction.
The building is also known for incorporating the concept of an 'infinitely expandable museum,' allowing additional floors to be added as the collection grows.
Josiah Condor's Famous Architecture
Josiah Conder, who taught at Tokyo Imperial University, designed several famous buildings in Tokyo. Among them are Rokumeikan, Holy Resurrection Cathedral, and the Tokyo National Museum (old main building). Unfortunately, the Rokumeikan — a name every Japanese person has heard at least once — was dismantled in 1940 and no longer exists.
Robert Venturi's Work in Nikko
The other day, I visited the tourist destination of Nikko for the first time in a long while. Nikko is famous for Nikko Toshogu Shrine and Kegon Falls, making it a must-visit spot for tourists.
However, this visit wasn't solely for sightseeing or viewing autumn foliage. I ventured further north into the foothills of Nikko City, to Nikko Kirifuri Highland, specifically to see the only remaining building in Japan designed by Robert Venturi (1925-2018). Venturi, an American architect, is regarded as a proponent of anti-modernism and postmodernism. He stands as one of the defining architects of the 20th century.
When it comes to Venturi, he is a world-renowned architect who designed numerous buildings, including the Sainsbury Wing at the National Gallery in London, England, and the Seattle Art Museum in the United States. In 1991, he received the Pritzker Architecture Prize, often called the Nobel Prize of architecture.
Surviving Venturi Design
Few people know that the only work Venturi left in Japan is located in Nikko Kirifuri Highland. The resort complex there was originally developed by Japan's former Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications with a massive investment of ¥21 billion JPY ($134 million USD).
It opened for business in 1997 as Mermonte Nikko Kirifuri Resort, with Venturi commissioned for its design. However, battered by the bursting of the bubble economy, the chaotic management of the former Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, and the turbulent waves of postal privatization, it faced closure. Japan stood on the brink of losing its sole Venturi creation. Ultimately, it sold for ¥630 million (about $4 million) in 2007, and today, it is owned by GENSEN HOLDINGS (formerly Oedo Onsen Monogatari Co, Ltd).
Meanwhile, parts of the interior appear to have been altered by the acquiring company from Venturi's original design. However, one could still sense Venturi's originality — a postmodern design distinct from other hotels, and a fusion with nature achieved through large windows and skylights that draw in natural light. It remains a rare place in Japan where one can experience Venturi's world.
Wooden Structures of Antonin Raymond
Nikko also boasts the former Italian Embassy Villa, designed by Antonin Raymond, who once served as an assistant to Frank Lloyd Wright. This wooden structure blends seamlessly with Japan's natural environment. It is now owned and managed by Tochigi Prefecture and designated as a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
Western Architects in the Japanese Landscape
Japan's tourist destinations are being flooded with foreign visitors. Their primary destinations are so-called quintessentially Japanese spots, like Kyoto and Mount Fuji. These, however, are also experiencing overtourism.
Visiting works by world-renowned foreign architects still standing in Japan, meanwhile, allows the traveler to contemplate how these Western luminaries integrated their philosophies into the Japanese landscape. Such works also shed light on Japanese sensibilities of the time and offer a new option for tourism.
Currently, throughout Japan, new structures are being built everywhere under the guise of urban development and tourism. Meanwhile, old buildings and natural landscapes are being destroyed. To prevent such developments from quietly erasing these sites, we must preserve the buildings etched into history, including the works introduced here.
To that end, the voices of support from foreign tourists who visit these sites, along with the Japanese people, will provide powerful backing.
