National Diet Building of Japan
- Interspace & Power
- Jul 7, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 11, 2024
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Architect (Original design): Watanabe Fukuzo, Imperial Household Ministry
Architect (Modified final design): Yoshikumi Ohkuma, Ministry of Finance
Style: Neo-classical
Completed in: 1936
The National Diet Building is the Japan's legislative building where the two houses of the National Diet of Japan meet.
The House of Representatives is located in the south wing and the House of Councillors is located in the north wing.
The current building is the 3rd building for the National Diet of Japan, where the 1st and 2nd buildings were both wooded structures and destroyed by fire. The construction of the current building was completed in 1936, with entirely of domestic materials, except door knobs, stained glass and mailbox.
"Central Hall"
The walls and columns in the Central Hall are made of coral reef limestone from Okinawa and the floor contains mosaic made of more than a dozen of domestic marbles.
"Central Hall facing south"
Facing south of the Central Hall, there are two statues, Taisuke Itagaki and Shigenobu Okuma, key figures who contributed on establishing constitutional government in Japan. Facing north (not shown in the photo), there is another statue, Hirobumi Ito, the first prime minister of Japan, and an empty pedestal without a statue on top. The reason why the 4th statue was never created reminds unknown today.
"Central Hall"
The Central Hall is located right below the Central Tower. The ceiling is made of stained glass and its height is 36.32 m, high enough for the Pagoda of Horyu-ji to fit right in.
"Corridor"
"Stairs"
The corridor and the stairs are equipped with a red carpet and the total length within the building is approximately 4 km.
"Elevator"
"Central Staircase looking up from the Central Hall"
The Central Staircase leads from the Central Hall on the 1st floor to the "Emperor's Room" on the 3rd floor, which presents the ascending feel from the utilitarian spaces to the noble ones. The entrance ornament to the Emperor's Room can be seen at the top of the Central Staircase.
"The Central Staircase from 3rd Floor"
"Ceiling of the Central Staircase (looking towards the Central Hall)"
"Entrance Ornament to the Emperor's Room"
"Emperor's Room"
The Emperor's Room is where the Emperor uses when he visits the Diet. Upon his arrival, the Emperor receives visits from chairmen and vice chairmen of both Houses. The fact that his table is set up in the shape of "L" is a remaining tradition from the pre-war era when the Emperor wore the uniform as the supreme commander of the Japan Army and needed a place for his military hat. The cost of building the Emperor's Room was 10% of the total cost of the entire building of the National Diet.
"Chamber of the House of Councillors"
The House of Councillors is one of the two houses of the National Diet of Japan, the other one being "the House of Representatives."
"Ceiling of the House of Councillors"
The House of Councillors has a skylight ceiling with a stained glass in the scroll design. Underneath the stained glass, there is a fine protection net so that the broken glass would not fall during an earthquake.
"The Imperial Throne in the House of Councillors"
The Imperial Throne in the House of Councillors is used when the Emperor attends the opening ceremony of the Diet. This is another remaining tradition from the pre-war era where the Emperor was invited to the opening ceremony of the Imperial Diet in the House of Peers, a predecessor of the House of Councillors.
"Imperial Seal of Japan"
The "Imperial Seal of Japan" consists of yellow chrysanthemum surrounded by a total of 32 petals (a combination of a front set of 16 petals and a staggered rear set of 16 petal). The Imperial Seal of Japan can be seen on the Imperial throne as well.
"Royal Box at the back of the House"
"Imperial Thrones for Emperor and Empress in the Royal Box"
When the Emperor and Empress visit the House of the Councillors other than the opening ceremony, they use the royal box located at the back of the House of the Councillors".
"Royal Box for other Imperial Family Members"
The Royal Box for other Imperial family members is located on the left side of the House.
"Chamber of the House of Representatives"
The House of Representatives is the other House of the National Diet. Its chamber has a royal balcony located right above the chair of the Speaker of the House.
References:
House of Councillors, The National Diet of Japan. Retrieved October 28, 2023, from
https://www.sangiin.go.jp/eng/index.htm
National Diet Building. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 28, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Diet_Building
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