Nagoya City Office Main Building

The current Nagoya City Office’s main building is the 3rd one, built as a project to commemorate the Showa Emperor’s coronation and completed in 1933. The design concept was “a modern style based on Japanese essence” with a modern building topped with the Japanese-style tile roof, which was chosen in a public contest.

At the center, a clock tower stands 53.5 meters tall. At its top, a carp-shaped gargoyle is watching every direction, which goes along with the design of Nagoya Castle.

The common areas such as hallways or stairs are open to the public. The entrance hall’s columns and stair handrails are made of high-quality marble, Kozakura, from Yamaguchi Prefecture. This marble was a leftover from the construction of Parliament in Tokyo. It is said that only the Parliament and this City Office have Kozakura marble.

On the north side of the City Office, there is a 100-meter-long hallway, which is often used in movies and TV shows.

The deft combination of western architecture and Japanese elements represents the characteristics of Showa-era architecture, and it was designated as a national important cultural property along with the neighboring Aichi Prefectural Office Building in 2014.

Since this is a functioning office building, visitors need to remember their manners. Pay attention to the posted notes as you appreciate the historical values of the masterful architecture.