Mark Brown's Photography

Journalist A. A. Gill once wrote that Tokyo does not have a single building worth putting on a postcard. While it is true that little of pre-war historical or cultural significance remains, this is hardly surprising given that Tokyo has twice been almost completely destroyed during the 20th century.

At first glance many Japanese cities, while clean and modern, are somewhat devoid of charm, contradicting the image of exquisite design typically associated with Japan. Part of the reason may be that given that prior to the second world war most structures were wooden, and since Japan is seismically active, few buildings stood the passage of time and so the Japanese do not attach a great sense of permanence to buildings; as they age they are torn down and replaced, rather than renovated. There is also famously scant regard for compatibility with other buildings or conservation.

The result is a constant flux that affords a canvas for architects to experiment in ways that would be difficult elsewhere. As a result, Tokyo boasts an impressive, diverse range of recent architecture.