Church of Light, Japan – Fine Example of Minimal Architecture and How to Get There [Architecture Travel]
Have you ever thought of visiting one of your favourite architectural buildings and found out that its remote location will make it very difficult to include in your itinerary? With Japan’s amazing public travel system, you would not have to leave out Church of Light, a famous building designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, during your next visit to the country.
With a combined experience of 30+ years in the architecture industry, we at Ready Images know that Church of light is on the travel wish list of most architectural professionals. (If not, we highly recommend it. Read on to see why). Built in 1989, it is a fine example of minimalist architecture in reinforced concrete.
TIMELINE
ARCHITECTURE STYLE: MINIMAL
Located in the town of Ibaraki of Osaka Prefecture in Japan, it takes around 30mins to 45mins to reach the Church from Kyoto/ Osaka.
A train ride of around 20 mins from Kyoto (or Osaka) to Ibaraki Station, and then a 10mins bus ride from outside of Ibaraki Station in No.2 bus will take you to the stop that is just 1min away by walk from the Church. The bus driver can let you know when to get down. The bus is on a loop out to the church and back, so you can catch the same bus from the same stop to get back to the station after your visit.
Images –
- The waiting area outside the Sunday School
- Details of concern junctions at the Church of light
- Church of light from Entry
- Church of light Main Prayer Hall
There are no entry fees to the Church.
However, the visit requires a bit of pre-planning.
Head to the Church of Light Website to see which days are nominated for welcoming visitors. Fill a short form to book your time slot. We can assure you from our experience that you will be greeted with smiles when you reach. The very friendly people at the Church will explain a bit more about the Church and you are free to spend time in and around the prayer hall. It is really calm, quiet and magical, especially within the prayer hall. The cross formed by daylight entering the slits between the concrete panel has a very positive vibe. It is an experience worth your time. Ando has succeeded in creating a unique place of worship for the people of Ibaraki.
Architect:
TADAO ANDO
Tadao Ando was born in 1941. Originally started his career as a boxer, before starting his architecture practice in 1968 in Osaka. Apart from Church of Light, his significant contribution to architecture includes Row House in Sumiyoshi, Water Temple in Awaji, and Rokko Housing in Kobe.
You can plan your day along with some other places to visit around such as Fushimi Inari or Gion in Kyoto. Dotobori in Osaka, a bustling commercial street with large billboards is another option. We also recommend visiting Hyogo Prefecture Museum and Naoshima Island if you love Art and Ando’s minimalist concrete architecture as we do.
References and Further Reading:
Official Website – http://ibaraki-kasugaoka-church.jp/e-top.html
Book timings for visit – http://ibaraki-kasugaoka-church.jp/e-forvisitors.html
Tadao Ando – http://www.tadao-ando.com/ | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadao_Ando
Awaji Island – https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/kansai/hyogo/awaji-island/
Naoshima Island – https://benesse-artsite.jp/en/
Hyogo Prefecture Museum – https://www.artm.pref.hyogo.jp/eng/
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Hope the information helped you in planning your trip to visit Church of Light and other architectural buildings mentioned above. Let us know in the comments below.