Changes

The Palace is located on a four square-kilometer plot that once was previously the site of the [[Edo period]] [[daimyo yashiki|mansion]] of the [[Kii Tokugawa clan|Kishû Tokugawa]]. The Neo-Baroque structure draws upon German and Austrian palaces, among other influences, in its architectural style, and is surrounded by well-manicured hedges and gardens in the mode of the famous gardens at Versailles. The structure itself is two stories tall, roofed in copper tiles, and incorporates Neo-Classical elements, including pillars and pediments, as well as a considerable degree of left-right symmetry, very common elements in Imperial Meiji architecture conveying impressions of stability, order, and authority.

The Palace is located on a four square-kilometer plot that once was previously the site of the [[Edo period]] [[daimyo yashiki|mansion]] of the [[Kii Tokugawa clan|Kishû Tokugawa]]. The Neo-Baroque structure draws upon German and Austrian palaces, among other influences, in its architectural style, and is surrounded by well-manicured hedges and gardens in the mode of the famous gardens at Versailles. The structure itself is two stories tall, roofed in copper tiles, and incorporates Neo-Classical elements, including pillars and pediments, as well as a considerable degree of left-right symmetry, very common elements in Imperial Meiji architecture conveying impressions of stability, order, and authority.

The interiors are lavishly decorated in a Rococo-style.

The interiors, covering a total of roughly 15,000 square meters, are lavishly decorated in a Rococo-style, with ornate arabesque wall-carvings, gilded highlights on marble columns with Corinthian capitals, and plaster moldings in the ceilings. Initially, the palace had only one full bathroom, though this is believed to have been an oversight in the design, rather than an indication of intentional design philosophy or Japanese cultural desires. Flooring in different sections of the palace includes marble, parquet (wood mosaic) floors, and lush burgundy carpet.

 

The Akasaka Palace also incorporated many modern conveniences from the very beginning, including electricity, hot and cold running water, and central heating. It was among the first buildings in Japan (and perhaps one of the first major buildings in the world) to incorporate electromechanical air conditioning, which was first invented in [[1902]], only seven years before the palace was completed.

The palace was refurbished in 1968-1974 and renamed the Geihinkan, or "State Guesthouse." It has since then served as the site of summits and conferences between heads of state, and other similar high-profile events.

The palace was refurbished in 1968-1974 and renamed the Geihinkan, or "State Guesthouse." It has since then served as the site of summits and conferences between heads of state, and other similar high-profile events.

==References==

==References==

*Coaldrake, William. ''Architecture and Authority in Japan''. Routledge, 1996. pp212-222.

*Coaldrake, William. ''Architecture and Authority in Japan''. Routledge, 1996. pp212-222.

[[Category:Meiji Period]]

[[Category:Meiji Period]]

[[Category:Art and Architecture]]

[[Category:Art and Architecture]]