Akasaka Detached Palace
- Completed: 1909/6
- Other Names: 東宮御所 (touguu gosho), 迎賓館 (geihinkan)
- Japanese: 赤坂離宮 (akasaka rikyuu)
The Akasaka Detached Palace is an Imperial Palace in Tokyo, originally built as an official residence for the Crown Prince. It is often cited as one of the great examples of Western-style Meiji period architecture.
The idea of building a palace for the Crown Prince originally came together in 1893, as the 30th year of the reign of the Meiji Emperor approached; it was felt that building a new palace would be a good way to place the Crown Prince - who might soon be ascending the throne as emperor - more prominently in the public spotlight.The palace was originally to be called Tôgû Gosho, or "Eastern Imperial Palace." A committee was formed three years later, including architectural specialists, and officials from the Imperial Household Ministry (Kunaishô) and other government ministries.They began work on the design of the building in 1898, and construction was completed in June 1909.
The Palace is located on a four square-kilometer plot that once was previously the site of the Edo period mansion of the 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 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
- Coaldrake, William. Architecture and Authority in Japan. Routledge, 1996. pp212-222.
