Japan in Architecture: Genealogies of Its Transformation

Japanese architecture has proven to be quite the hit, with architects from Kenzo Tange to Kengo Kuma and Tadao Ando getting much national and international acclaim. High time for a full-scale exhibition, the people at the Mori Art Museum must have thought. Structured as a veritable time travel through Japan’s history of architecture, the exhibition is divided into nine sections explaining architecture with keywords such as ‘the possibility of wooden architecture’ or ‘coexistence with nature,’ supported by architectural documents, models, and hands-on installations. The highlight is a full-scale reproduction of the 'Tai-an', a tea ceremony house connected to Sen no Rikyu, a tea master from the 16th century. If your knowledge is a bit rusty, you can also read up in the book lounge, full of famous modernist furniture pieces.