Frank Lloyd Wright’s lone surviving Tokyo building: The Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan

The American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) designed 14 buildings in Japan, 11 of those in Tokyo. However, only one of Wright’s Tokyo structures remains fully intact in its original location: the Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan (自由学園明日館). (A portion of Wright’s Imperial Hotel was moved to Inuyama in the Aichi prefecture, more specifically the Meiji Mura, an open air museum that houses decommissioned historical buildings reconstructed in their original designs and materials. Only the main lobby and entrance were saved.)

Completed in 1921, the Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan was a school for girls that emphasized a Christian education. This is reflected in the architectural style of the four buildings that comprise the complex. There are some similarities between some of the interior design of the school and that of the Imperial Hotel constructed in the Mayan Revival architectural style; in fact, several bricks from the hotel are on display inside. The auditorium across the street from the main building was designed by Wright’s assistant, Arata Endo.

Admission fees to The Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan depend on the day you visit. It is highly recommended to do so when all facilities are open to the public: the café (repurposed from the former dining hall), the auditorium and the main buildings. Check the calendar at https://jiyu.jp/tour/ before going, as opening hours tend to vary.

Link to Google Map location: Jiyū Gakuen Myōnichikan 2 Chome-31-3 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo 171-0021, Japan.