In the 16th Century, during the Age of Exploration, a Jesuit who had been engaged in missionary work in India (where the Portuguese expanded their power) arrived in Japan via Malacca in Malaysia. In 1603 the Tokugawa family took on an important role at the helm of the country and decided to abolish any Western religion and to close Japan to trade relations with the West. Only with the Meiji period, from 1867, Japan again opens its doors to foreign countries. On this occasion, we are witnessing the return of religious communities but above all the arrival of many foreigners who have distinguished themselves in different areas of culture and economy. Since the end of the 19th century, many Western communities, notably the British, Germans, and French, have settled in the main port cities of Japan. This dialogue between East and West favors the settlement of Christian churches, especially Protestants, and public and private buildings in Western styles. Surely the architectural style that was most popular was the Revival Gothic used a lot for the construction of churches and public buildings. From north to south, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, many architectures built at the beginning of the 20th century are in Gothic Revival. This chapter will aim to analyze the most significant examples of Gothic Revival in Japan and it will illustrate the methods and criteria of the construction and programs of occidental heritagization.
Gothic Revival in Japan in the Early Period of the Occidentalising: Experiences between Religious and Civil Architecture
OLIMPIA NIGLIO
2022-01-01
Abstract
In the 16th Century, during the Age of Exploration, a Jesuit who had been engaged in missionary work in India (where the Portuguese expanded their power) arrived in Japan via Malacca in Malaysia. In 1603 the Tokugawa family took on an important role at the helm of the country and decided to abolish any Western religion and to close Japan to trade relations with the West. Only with the Meiji period, from 1867, Japan again opens its doors to foreign countries. On this occasion, we are witnessing the return of religious communities but above all the arrival of many foreigners who have distinguished themselves in different areas of culture and economy. Since the end of the 19th century, many Western communities, notably the British, Germans, and French, have settled in the main port cities of Japan. This dialogue between East and West favors the settlement of Christian churches, especially Protestants, and public and private buildings in Western styles. Surely the architectural style that was most popular was the Revival Gothic used a lot for the construction of churches and public buildings. From north to south, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, many architectures built at the beginning of the 20th century are in Gothic Revival. This chapter will aim to analyze the most significant examples of Gothic Revival in Japan and it will illustrate the methods and criteria of the construction and programs of occidental heritagization.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
