Church of the Light

光の教会

Architecture fansDesign lovers

The Church of the Light (Ibaraki Kasugaoka Church) is a small Protestant chapel in a quiet suburb north of Osaka, designed by Tadao Ando and finished in 1989. It is one of the most famous buildings of modern Japanese architecture.

Inside it is just a plain concrete box with dark wooden benches. Behind the altar, a cross is cut clean through the wall, and daylight pours in through it. It is a working church run by a small congregation, so a visit is quiet and short, and depends on their goodwill.

What to see and do

1The cross of light

The slit cross in the east wall glows as light passes through. It is the whole point of the building.

2Bare concrete

Ando's smooth, form-tied concrete walls, with nothing hung on them.

3The Sunday School hall

A second Ando building next to the chapel, added later.

Good to know

Visits are possible only after contacting the church through the inquiry form on its official site. Tours have been suspended or limited for long periods, so never turn up without a confirmed reply.
It is a place of worship run by volunteers. Keep quiet, and follow any rules on photos and group size.