Church of the Wind, Orthodox chapel in Rokkōsanchō, Japan
The Church of the Wind is a reinforced-concrete chapel designed by Tadao Ando and completed in 1986 on Mount Rokko. A glazed colonnade leads to the small chapel, where the cross is formed by the concrete frame and a small organ stands at the rear. The exposed concrete surfaces produce strong sound reverberation.
Architect Tadao Ando completed the structure in 1986, introducing a new approach to religious architecture in Japan. The building emerged as a significant example of how contemporary design could serve faith-based spaces.
The chapel was built in 1986 in the garden of the Rokko Oriental Hotel, which closed on 15 June 2007. After the hotel was demolished in 2017, the chapel survived and was renovated in 2018; it now operates as a standalone rental hall for weddings, parties, meetings and exhibitions. During the Rokko Meets Art festival, works are displayed inside and visitors can enter.
The chapel stands on Mount Rokko at Rokkōsanchō Nishitaniyama 1878 in Nada Ward, Kobe; from Rokko Cable Sanjo Station it is about a 20-minute walk. The entrance is reached from the old bus road, a little past the site of Tengu-iwa Station. Visitors can enter during the Rokko Meets Art event; at other times viewing is by inquiry, and users of the rented hall can book a shuttle bus from the station.
The chapel's cross is formed by a reinforced-concrete frame rather than applied decoration, and a small organ stands at the very back of the hall. Because the interior is a small box of exposed concrete, sound reverberates very strongly inside. The building won the 1987 Mainichi Art Award.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,668 contributors worldwide.