Where It's Located
The Tokyo Japan Temple is located at:
5-8-10 Minami Azabu
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047
Japan
The temple is in Minami Azabu, one of Tokyo's attractive residential neighborhoods. It sits directly across from Arisugawa Memorial Park, providing the temple with an unusual amount of greenery in one of the world's largest cities.
Getting There
One of the best things about the Tokyo Temple is how accessible it is by public transportation.
The temple is approximately a five-minute walk from Hiroo subway station.
For international travelers, Tokyo's extensive rail and subway system makes it possible to visit the temple without renting a car.
The temple complex includes:
- A visitors' center
- An arrival center
- Patron housing
- A distribution center
- A family history center
- Underground parking
The First Temple in Asia
The Tokyo Japan Temple holds several major historical distinctions.
It was:
- The first temple in Japan
- The first temple on the continent of Asia
- The first temple built in a non-Christian nation
Those distinctions make Tokyo one of the most historically significant temples in the worldwide temple system.
Temple Announcement
President Spencer W. Kimball announced the Tokyo Temple on August 9, 1975, during an area conference held at the Nippon Budokan Arena in Tokyo.
The announcement produced an extraordinary reaction.
Before President Kimball and his translator had even finished announcing the temple, the congregation erupted in spontaneous applause. Members raised their hands in support and some wiped away tears of gratitude.
For Japanese Latter-day Saints, the announcement represented a historic moment.
A Prophecy About a Temple
The Tokyo Temple's story actually stretches back decades before its announcement.
On July 17, 1949, Elder Matthew Cowley spoke at the dedication of the old Tokyo mission home—the same property where the temple would eventually be constructed.
During the dedicatory prayer, he prophesied that there would someday be many Church buildings and temples in the land.
More than 25 years later, the Tokyo Temple was announced on that very property.
The Temple Site
When President Kimball announced that the temple would be built on the former mission home property, Church leaders initially considered finding a larger site.
The existing property was relatively small for a temple project.
However, the Church was eventually able to acquire land on both sides of the mission home.
One neighboring property was purchased from the Nomura Investment Company for $2.6 million, even though another buyer had reportedly offered more than $3 million.
The additional land allowed architect Emil B. Fetzer to create a more functional temple complex with room for annexes and patron accommodations.
Construction
Construction began on April 10, 1978.
Interestingly, the temple did not have a traditional groundbreaking ceremony.
The old mission headquarters were demolished to make way for the temple.
One contractor was surprised to learn that the building was actually a temple. He was familiar with Buddhist and Shinto temples and Christian churches, but had never encountered a Christian denomination constructing a temple.
Public Open House
The original public open house was held from September 15 through October 18, 1980.
Approximately 48,000 people toured the temple during the open house.
A special media day was held beforehand on September 13, when approximately 650 businessmen, politicians, university professors, ambassadors, and media representatives toured the building.
Some visitors even attended wearing their own religious robes as a sign of respect for the temple.
Original Dedication
President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated the Tokyo Japan Temple from October 27–29, 1980.
It became the 18th dedicated temple in operation.
In his dedicatory prayer, President Kimball prayed that the temple would develop a holy atmosphere that would inspire members to desire to return again and again.
Architecture
The Tokyo Japan Temple contains approximately 53,997 square feet of floor space.
The temple rises approximately 178 feet 4 inches, or 54.4 meters.
Its relatively compact 1.22-acre site makes the building's size even more impressive.
The exterior consists of structural steel and reinforced concrete faced with 289 panels of precast stone designed to resemble light gray granite.
The Spire and Angel Moroni
The temple features a single attached end spire topped by an Angel Moroni statue.
Interestingly, the temple did not originally have an Angel Moroni statue.
A gilded statue was added to the previously unadorned spire on December 10, 2004.
Hundreds of people gathered to watch the installation.
An Earthquake and Angel Moroni
Tokyo is famously earthquake-prone, and the temple has experienced that reality firsthand.
On July 23, 2005, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Tokyo.
The temple suffered no major damage, but the trumpet from the Angel Moroni statue was knocked to the ground.
It's an unusual piece of temple history—and a reminder of the engineering challenges involved in building in Tokyo.
The Tokyo Temple Annex
An adjoining multipurpose building was completed in July 1986.
Over the years, the facility served numerous purposes, including:
- Temple missionary apartments
- Missionary Training Center facilities
- Meeting facilities
- Dormitories
- Classrooms
- Patron accommodations
- Parking
The complex eventually evolved substantially during the temple's later renovation.
Major Renovation
The Tokyo Japan Temple closed on September 29, 2017, beginning a nearly five-year renovation.
The renovation included:
- Mechanical upgrades
- Seismic upgrades
- Improvements to the floor plan
- Baptistry improvements
- New furniture
- New furnishings
- New landscaping
- Replacement of the adjoining annex
The renovation gave the historic temple modern functionality while preserving its important architectural identity.
Japanese-Inspired Interior Design
One of the coolest aspects of the renovation was its emphasis on traditional Japanese aesthetics.
The updated interior incorporated design elements inspired by:
- Kimono patterns
- Shoji screens
- Japanese lanterns
- Traditional Japanese artwork
- Japanese woodworking
The goal was not simply to make the temple look "Japanese," but to incorporate recognizable Japanese design principles into the building.
Shibui Design
The renovated temple's furnishings and decoration were designed to reflect the Japanese aesthetic of Shibui.
The concept emphasizes understated beauty, simplicity, subtlety, and refinement.
That approach works particularly well with the temple's relatively restrained exterior.
Japanese Lantern-Inspired Lighting
The decorative lighting throughout the temple draws inspiration from traditional Japanese lanterns.
The glass is designed to resemble rice paper, while more significant rooms gradually incorporate more elaborate designs and crystals.
This creates a progression in which the lighting becomes increasingly ornate as visitors move through the temple.
Kimono-Inspired Carpets
The carpets and fabrics also incorporate traditional Japanese patterns.
Several designs were inspired by kimono fabrics, including carpets in the bride's room.
The result is a temple interior that feels distinctly connected to Japan rather than simply being a standard temple design transplanted into another country.
Cherry Blossoms, Chrysanthemums, and Pine
Six customized consoles in the temple corridors feature hand-painted doors inspired by historic Japanese screens.
The artwork depicts three traditional subjects:
- Cherry blossoms
- Chrysanthemums
- Pine trees
These details give the interior a strong connection to Japanese art traditions.
The Grounds
The landscaping was significantly improved during the renovation.
Instead of limiting landscaping to the front of the building, the grounds were landscaped around the entire temple.
Plantings include:
- Japanese maples
- Bamboo
- Other plants important in Japanese landscape design
Water Features
The temple grounds include a waterfall and two shallow Japanese-style ponds.
These features provide both visual interest and the gentle sound of moving water.
It's an especially fitting design choice given the temple's setting across from the lush Arisugawa Memorial Park.
Art Glass
The renovated temple also received extensive new art glass.
The windows incorporate earth-toned borders with carved and frosted glass, replacing the more limited art glass treatment used before the renovation.
The patterns throughout the art glass are designed to complement the Japanese-inspired carpets, fabrics, and architectural details.
A New Four-Story Facility
The former annex was replaced during the renovation with a new four-story facility.
The building now houses:
- Meetinghouse
- Patron housing
- Arrival center
- Visitors' center
- Family history center
- Area and mission offices
- Underground parking
- Technology facilities for broadcasting
This makes the Tokyo temple complex much more than a standalone temple building.
2022 Open House
After the renovation, a new public open house was held from June 3 through June 18, 2022.
Approximately 19,000 people toured the renovated temple.
The visitors included influential people from Japanese government, business, education, and religious communities.
Rededication
President Henry B. Eyring rededicated the Tokyo Japan Temple on July 3, 2022, in three sessions.
He was joined by Elder Gary E. Stevenson, who has strong ties to Japan.
President Eyring described the rededicated temple as a great thing for Japan and for the world.
A Temple for Asia
The Tokyo Temple's importance extends well beyond Japan.
When it was completed in 1980, it was the first temple anywhere in Asia.
That made Tokyo a major milestone in the global expansion of Latter-day Saint temple worship.
Today, numerous temples operate throughout Asia, but Tokyo remains the historic starting point.
Exploring Tokyo
A temple trip to Tokyo could easily become one of the most memorable temple trips imaginable.
Tokyo offers:
- Historic temples and shrines
- World-class museums
- Japanese gardens
- Shopping
- Anime and manga culture
- Incredible food
- Modern architecture
- Traditional neighborhoods
- Mount Fuji excursions
And because the Tokyo Temple is centrally located, it is relatively easy to incorporate into a larger Tokyo itinerary.
Arisugawa Memorial Park
Directly across from the temple is Arisugawa Memorial Park.
The park is known for its lush greenery, ponds, walking paths, waterfalls, and Japanese landscaping.
Having such a large green space directly across from the temple is remarkable considering the density of Tokyo.
Minato Ward
The temple is located in Minato Ward, one of Tokyo's most prominent areas.
The neighborhood contains embassies, schools, businesses, upscale residential areas, and numerous international institutions.
The temple's original site was specifically attractive because of its proximity to schools and embassies.
Japanese Food
Obviously, a Tokyo temple trip should involve an unreasonable amount of Japanese food.
Some things to try include:
- Sushi
- Ramen
- Tempura
- Yakitori
- Udon
- Soba
- Okonomiyaki
- Tonkatsu
- Wagashi
Tokyo is one of the world's great food cities, so this is one temple trip where the "travel guide" portion could get dangerous.
Why the Tokyo Temple Matters
The Tokyo Japan Temple isn't simply another temple in a large international city.
It represents a major turning point in the worldwide history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It was the first temple in Asia and the first temple in a non-Christian nation.
Its announcement in 1975 was met with an emotional response from Japanese Saints, and its completion demonstrated that temples could be successfully established in cultures and countries far beyond the traditional centers of the Church.
A Temple With 45 Years of History
From its dedication in 1980 until its rededication in 2022, the Tokyo Temple accumulated more than four decades of history before undergoing its major renovation.
The renovation preserved the building while giving it modern seismic and mechanical systems and a substantially updated interior.
Current Status
The Tokyo Japan Temple is currently operating and is the 18th dedicated temple in operation.
Key milestones include:
- Prophecy: July 17, 1949
- Announcement: August 9, 1975
- Construction began: April 10, 1978
- Original open house: September 15–October 18, 1980
- Original dedication: October 27–29, 1980
- Angel Moroni added: December 10, 2004
- Renovation: 2017–2022
- Renovated open house: June 3–18, 2022
- Rededication: July 3, 2022
- Current status: Operating
Planning a Temple Visit
The Tokyo Temple is unusually convenient for international travelers.
It is just a five-minute walk from Hiroo subway station, and the surrounding neighborhood provides plenty of hotels, restaurants, parks, and attractions.
The temple complex also provides patron housing, an arrival center, visitors' center, family history center, and distribution center.
That makes it possible to build an entire Tokyo itinerary around the temple while still experiencing the city.
Final Thoughts
The Tokyo Japan Temple has a claim to being one of the most historically important temples in the entire world.
President Spencer W. Kimball announced the temple on August 9, 1975, at an area conference in Tokyo. The announcement produced an emotional response from the congregation, with spontaneous applause and tears of gratitude.
But the temple's story actually began decades earlier. In 1949, Elder Matthew Cowley prophesied that temples would someday be built in Japan on the very property where the Tokyo Temple now stands.
Construction began in 1978, and the completed temple opened to the public in 1980. Approximately 48,000 people toured the temple before President Kimball dedicated it from October 27–29, 1980.
The building itself is impressive. It contains nearly 54,000 square feet, rises more than 178 feet, and is faced with 289 precast stone panels designed to resemble light gray granite.
Then came a remarkable transformation.
The temple closed in 2017 for a nearly five-year renovation, receiving seismic and mechanical upgrades, redesigned spaces, new landscaping, and a completely new four-story annex. The interior was redesigned around Japanese aesthetics, incorporating kimono patterns, shoji screens, Japanese lanterns, cherry blossoms, chrysanthemums, pine trees, and other traditional design elements.
The renovated temple reopened for public tours in June 2022, when approximately 19,000 people visited. President Henry B. Eyring rededicated the temple on July 3, 2022.
Today, the Tokyo Japan Temple remains a landmark of both Japanese Latter-day Saint history and the worldwide expansion of temples.
For Latter-day Saint travelers, a trip to the Tokyo Japan Temple offers an incredible combination of temple worship, Japanese architecture and design, traditional gardens, modern Tokyo, incredible food, and the history of the very first temple built anywhere in Asia.
Scott & Riah
Brough Made
broughmade.com
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