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Josiah Conder was a Tokyo builder
Tokyo is a city of sleek skyscrapers and bustling neon streets. But it was built on the dreams of visionaries from around the world. One of the most influential was Josiah Conder. He was an Englishman whose designs and teachings paved the way. Buried under the shade of a tree in Gokokuji Cemetery, his legacy lives on. Let’s take a closer look at his life.
Conder taught design theory, architectural history, drawing, and technical draftsmanship at the college. His students included Sone Tatsuzo, Shimoda Kikutaro, Tatsuno Kingo, and Katayama Tōkuma. These men went on to become very important architects in their own right.
It was this tutoring that proved most influential. Conder’s students gained the knowledge and ideas to create modern buildings. They pushed Tokyo into a new era of construction, design, modernity, and new ideas.
Conder devoted a large part of his life to Japan. He died in 1920 and now lies in the cemetery at Gokokuji, a temple near Ikebukuro. The grave is relatively small, typically Japanese, and under a shady tree. His wife, who died ten days before he passed away, was buried next to him.
In front of the grave is a plaque. It gives a brief commentary on his life in Japan. Unfortunately, it is in Japanese only.
Some of the buildings Josiah Conder designed
- mansions at Kyu-Iwasaki and Kyu-Furukawa Gardens
- Holy Resurrection Cathedral
- Ministry of the Navy in Kasumigaseki (no longer standing)
- Rokumeikan (no longer standing)
- Christ Church in Yokohama
A Brief Timeline of Josiah Conder’s Life
1852 – Born in London, England
1873 – Joins architecturally firm of William Burges
1876 – Wins the Soane Medallion
1877 – Arrives in Tokyo at the invitation of the Japanese government
1881 – He becomes a student of the Japanese painter Kawanabe Kyosai
1883 – Designs Rokumeikan in Tokyo
1888 – He starts an architectural design office
1890 – Conder becomes an advisor to Mitsubishi. He oversees the building of a modern business district in the Marunouchi
1893 – He marries Maenami Kume
1894 – Awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasures
1915 – Tokyo Imperial University awards Conder an honorary doctorate
1920 – Dies in Tokyo
Conclusion
I’ve photographed many of Josiah Conder’s buildings. But it was only in the summer of 2018 I finally visited his grave at Gokokuji Temple. That was a great thrill. It was my chance to meet someone who played a role in developing my favorite city, Tokyo.
The cemetery of Gokokuji is beautiful. Azaleas and cherry blossoms make the grounds come alive in spring. He has a great resting place.
To read about places in this article, look at:
External links about Josiah Conder