{ GINZA TERA }

TYPOLOGY: Buddhist Temple

LOCATION: Chuo Dori, Ginza, Tokyo

SYNOPSIS:

Set in the heart of Ginza along Chuo Avenue and surrounded by luxury brands featuring Western ideals of shininess, perfection, symmetry and proportion, Ginza Tera attempts to remind people of traditional Japanese philosophies - the notion of transience and imperfection - that are under enormous threat from the consumerist values of the West. A shift in belief and expensive burial sites due to the lack of space in Tokyo are making Buddhist temples obsolete, but Ginza Tera provides an alternative that connects people with Buddhism.

Ginza Tera consists of a bar and restaurant run by Zen monks, at the same time provides a place of worship as well as a columbarium. It is an architecture of thresholds, between Perfection and Imperfection, Permanence and Impermanence, Contemporary and Traditional, Secular and Religious, and Life and Death.

FEATURED IN:

CityX Venice Virtual Pavilion 2023

Venice Art Biennale Virtual Pavilion 2022 kennethcai.com/ ginza-tera

The three-dimensional glitch developed as an architectural language after exploring material decay in the digital world.

q Vowz Bar

A bar run by monks serves Buddhism-inspired drinks to teach younger generations Buddhist values and philosophy. The playful and secular space with a spiritual twist aims to attract customers from the main street. Open in the evening.

A restaurant run by monks serves vegetarian temple food in a closed-off space. The restaurant’s three-dimensional design, with uneven steps, low ceilings, and vertical climbs, encourages customers to be mindful of their bodies. Open in the evening.

The head monk’s home blends perfect and imperfect spaces and objects, requiring adjustment. For a monk, every task, from sitting to climbing a ladder to caring for plants, is a ritual that demands mental focus.

The temple staff office features multiple platforms to encourage a physical and playful approach to work, with a link to the internal courtyard for a calming environment.

This is a mindful space for worship and meditation. When the shoji screens are closed, the space feels complete and full, but when opened up, the exterior walkway’s language and Ginza’s busy atmosphere invade the space.

closed off from the outside world. The interior is dimly lit by artificial lights that shine on the urns, and a Japanese Red Maple offers a glimpse, reminding visitors that nothing lasts forever.