Akagi Shrine

The glass-walled office building attached to the side of Akagi Shrine distinguishes it from every other neighborhood sanctuary in Tokyo. Kengo Kuma designed this structure to house a cafe and community space, integrating contemporary transparency with the centuries-old tradition of the shrine. Back in the eighteenth century, the shrine served as a center for local scholarship and arts under the patronage of the Tokugawa shogunate. Today, it operates as a modern hub where residents gather among the quiet, shaded trees.