Beyond the neon mega-cities, the skyscraper clusters and the oh-my-god civil works landmarks, what most amazes me of Japan is the fact that you come across with samples of fine architecture in nearly every neighbourhood. Below is a sample of works by nearly unknown Japanese architects (some of them have been granted international awards though) Enjoy.

Manabu Chiba Architects (Tokyo)

House in Black (Tokyo) 2001
Private House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-HinBlack01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-HinBlack02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-HinBlack03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-HinBlack04.jpg

Katsuura Villa (Katsuura, Chiba) 2003
Private House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-Katsuura01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-Katsuura02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-Katsuura03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-Katsuura04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-Katsuura05.jpg

S House (Tokyo) 2003
Private House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-SHouse01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-SHouse02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-SHouse03.jpg

Surf Villa (Kashima, Ibaraki) 2003
Private House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-SurfVilla01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-SurfVilla02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-SurfVilla03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-SurfVilla04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-SurfVilla05.jpg

White Cube (Tokyo) 2001
Private House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-WhiteCube01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/ChibaManabu-WhiteCube02.jpg

Design Office (Tokyo)

Wall (Miyagi prefecture)
Private House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWall01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWall02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWall03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWall04.jpg

Warabi (Nagano prefecture)
Private House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWarabi01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWarabi02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWarabi03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWarabi04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWarabi05.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/DesignWarabi06.jpg

Shuhei Endo Architect Institute (Osaka)

Bubblestructure M (Maihara, Shiga) 2003.
This is a kindergarten.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-BubbletectureM01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-BubbletectureM02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-BubbletectureM03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-BubbletectureM04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-BubbletectureM05.jpg

Growtecture S (Osaka) 2002
Office Building.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-GrowtectureS01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-GrowtectureS02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-GrowtectureS03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-GrowtectureS04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-GrowtectureS05.jpg

Rooftecture C (Hyogo prefecture, Taishi) 2002
It's a Crematorium.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureC01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureC02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureC03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureC04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureC05.jpg

Rooftecture M (Fukui prefecture, Maruoka) 2001
Private house.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureM01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureM02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureM03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureM04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-RooftectureM05.jpg

Springtecture H (Hyogo prefecture, Shingu) 1998
Public toilets.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-SpringtectureH01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-SpringtectureH02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-SpringtectureH03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-SpringtectureH04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/nihonkenchiku/juutaku/EndoShuhei-SpringtectureH05.jpg

That's all folks :P

I like Rooftecture M

A lot of the latter half are really damn cool! Warabi in particular struck me as pure talent and gorgeous with its lighting and natural materials exploitation. Springtecture was absolutely astounding and breathtaking.
However, much of the first half I have distaste for. While I do respect what is done with the interior space, which is well done, and more done out of need than want (except surf villa, that's just a disgrace), the exterior is... well... ass. It's a box! A totally flat-faced BOX - except Wall, Wall is a little more interesting, I kinda like Wall.

Architectural forms that have no character on their facade is bland, dull, asking-for-some-good-graffiti-so-that-I-can-stand-to-look-at-it. There is no character with a flat face. How would you look at a human with a flat face? Probably like they were a freak (well, you'd at least think it). This is the same thing.

There's something in common with architecture I like and women I like: both have curves.