Protestant church
Ibaraki Kasugaoka Church (Church of the Light)
In a quiet residential street of Ibaraki, this small Protestant church by Tadao Ando, known as the Church of the Light, draws architecture pilgrims for its restrained form and the way it handles light.
The story
The building is home to the Ibaraki Kasugaoka congregation of the United Church of Christ in Japan, and it remains first of all a place of worship for a small, well-attended local community. Ando's care with angles, light and materials shapes the compact chapel, where daylight is drawn in from all around. The church sits among cozy two-storey houses and fits its surroundings rather than standing apart as a monument, so walking the neighbourhood helps make sense of it. It lies a short walk from the Kasugaokakouen bus stop, about ten minutes by Kintetsu Bus from JR Ibaraki station. Interior tours have been suspended at times and the courtyard can be closed off, but for admirers of Ando's work, seeing the building in person from outside is still worth the journey.
Good to know
TAGGG AI- ✦Visits inside require arranging in advance, and tours have been suspended at times, so check the church website before travelling.
- ✦The chapel is very small and still used for prayer, so photograph quietly and respect anyone there to worship.
- ✦Even when the interior is closed, the exterior can be viewed from the street and is worth seeing.