The hypermodern architecture of churches in Japan

While in Europe, we have a fairly precise idea of what a church looks like, Christianity being much less of a thing in Japan and also being allowed only in 1871 (although a village claims to possess the true grave of Jesus Christ ... ), the construction of churches became somehow the playground of architectural crazy projects, that does not necessarily follow the well-established rules that we know. Indeed, although only 1% of Japanese people consider themselves to be Christian, the Western-style church wedding, called white wedding, has become extremely popular and has led to an increase in the construction of these places of worship.

So here is a top 5 of churches with the most amazing architectures :

• Shonan Christ Church (2014) : Built by architect Takeshi Hosaka, the church is made of concrete and metal. The churches being supposed to be the image of a perfect but invisible being, large round structures form the ceiling that lets beam of lights into the main hall, the circle being considered the perfect form in geometry. It is located in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

• The Church of the light (1989) : created by the famous architect Tadao Ando, the church is located in the small town of Ibaraki in Osaka Prefecture. Its peculiarity comes from the fact that the light enters through a cross-cut in the wall itself, all themselves made of concrete. The benches are made of planks usually used for scaffolding.

• St. Mary's Cathedral (1961) : the building is shaped like a cross, like churches in the classical style, which contrasts with its resolutely modern appearance.. Les matériaux utilisés se réfèrent aux textes bibliques. The materials used refer to biblical texts. So "God is my rock" justifies the concrete, and the light brought by Jesus Christ is translated by the brilliance of the stainless steel that covers the cathedral. Built by the great Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, it replaced an eponymous cathedral destroyed during the Second World War, located at the same place in the Bunkyo district of Tokyo.

• Uchimura Kanzo Memorial Stone Church (1988) : Built by Frank Lloyd Wright's disciple, American architect Kendrick Kellog, the church is located in the charming city of Karuizawa. Built as a sort of tunnel or cave of stone and glass, the light that enters it completes the enchanting atmosphere of the place that has since specialized in weddings.

• Harajuku Church / Ciel Rouge (2006) : Built in the fashionable district of Harajuku in Tokyo by the architect firm Ciel Rouge, this Protestant church is also a real concert hall. Its seven vaults, with a highly symbolic number recalling the seven musical notes, the seven days of creation, the seven Eastern churches, are especially calculated to offer the best possible acoustics, so that the temple is even equipped with lodges.