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Josiah Conder was one of the most influential architects of the [[Meiji architecture|Meiji period]], though fairly unknown in Britain,<ref>Watanabe, 241.</ref> designing the [[Rokumeikan]] ([[1883]]) and the original main hall of the [[Tokyo National Museum]], as well as instructing or training many of the most prominent Japanese architects of the period.

Josiah Conder was one of the most influential architects of the [[Meiji architecture|Meiji period]], though fairly unknown in Britain,<ref>Watanabe, 241.</ref> designing the [[Rokumeikan]] ([[1883]]) and the original main hall of the [[Tokyo National Museum]], as well as instructing or training many of the most prominent Japanese architects of the period.

Conder was trained at the South Kensington School of Art, and worked or studied under architects T. Roger Smith (a distant uncle of his) and William Burges, before joining the Royal Institute of British Architecture.

Conder was trained at the South Kensington School of Art, and worked or studied under architects Thomas Roger Smith (a distant uncle of his) and William Burges, before joining the Royal Institute of British Architecture.

He was invited by the [[Meiji government]] to come to Japan to teach architecture, and did so, arriving in [[1877]] at the age of 24. From that time until his contract ran out in [[1884]], he taught architectural theory, history, and practice at the newly-founded architecture division of the Imperial College of Engineering (''[[Kobu gakko|Kôbu gakkô]]''). His approach, teaching that architecture was not just a set of technical skills, but also a creative art, had a particular influence, with some of his students, including [[Katayama Tokuma|Katayama Tôkuma]], [[Tatsuno Kingo]], and [[Tsumaki Yorinaka]], going on to design some of Tokyo's most famous buildings, and to become some of the most famous architects in Japanese history, in their own rights. Conder returned to the college as a lecturer in [[1886]]-[[1888]], where Tatsuno had succeeded him as chair of architecture, but for the most part, from [[1887]] onwards, Conder focused on private commissions.

He was invited by the [[Meiji government]] to come to Japan to teach architecture, and did so, arriving in [[1877]] at the age of 24. From that time until his contract ran out in [[1884]], he taught architectural theory, history, and practice at the newly-founded architecture division of the Imperial College of Engineering (''[[Kobu gakko|Kôbu gakkô]]''). His approach, teaching that architecture was not just a set of technical skills, but also a creative art, had a particular influence, with some of his students, including [[Katayama Tokuma|Katayama Tôkuma]], [[Tatsuno Kingo]], and [[Tsumaki Yorinaka]], going on to design some of Tokyo's most famous buildings, and to become some of the most famous architects in Japanese history, in their own rights. Conder returned to the college as a lecturer in [[1886]]-[[1888]], where Tatsuno had succeeded him as chair of architecture, but for the most part, from [[1887]] onwards, Conder focused on private commissions.