Sōgetsu Hall, Art and culture venue in Akasaka, Japan.
Sōgetsu Hall is a 530-seat auditorium in the basement of the Sōgetsu Kaikan in Akasaka, Tokyo. Its vaulted ceiling forms the stepped floor of the hall above, and Isamu Noguchi decorated it with granite forms through which water flows. The front five rows and parts of the second and third tiers are movable seating.
The hall opened in 1977 as part of the rebuilt Sōgetsu Kaikan, which was constructed to mark fifty years since the founding of the Sōgetsu School of Ikebana. The building was designed by architect Kenzo Tange, one of the leading figures of Japanese modernist architecture.
The hall's vaulted ceiling forms the stepped "floor" of the space above, decorated by Isamu Noguchi with granite forms through which water flows. The hall hosts ikebana exhibitions, and its size and shape suit the often metre-high arrangements. The building also holds classrooms, the school's administration and a restaurant called Bara ("Rose").
The building sits in Akasaka, a central Tokyo neighborhood with several nearby metro stations, making it easy to reach on foot from public transit. It is worth checking what events are on before visiting, as the program changes regularly.
The Sōgetsu School was founded in 1927 by Sofu Teshigahara, who believed that ikebana should move away from strict rules and be practiced by anyone, anywhere, with any material. His son Hiroshi Teshigahara, known internationally as a film director, later became the head of the school.
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