A Paper Model of the Tokyo Government Building

From the observatories of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the city is spread out in every direction. The one thing you cannot see is the building itself, because you are inside it.

To take in that shape — a tower that rises from the ground and then splits in two, its facade a grid of stone and glass — you have to come back down and look up from the plaza. It was designed by Kenzo Tange.

There is a kit that lets you build that shape out of paper.

What It Is

The product is sold as “Paper Model Art: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.” The Amazon listing also carries the name Kenzo Tange and Urtec.

Now the honest part. We looked for an official manufacturer or publisher page for this kit and could not find one. The page count, the scale, the finished size and the time it takes are not confirmed by any official source.

So they are not stated here. Please check the product page yourself before buying. That will serve you better than numbers we guessed at.

What is known:

• It is a paper kit of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
• The listing describes it as suitable for older primary-school children through to adults
• The instructions are in Japanese only. The diagrams carry most of the meaning, but the written steps will need a translation app

How to Have It Delivered to Your Tokyo Hotel

Amazon Japan and Rakuten can both deliver your order directly to the hotel where you are staying. Ordering a few days before your flight home works well — you simply collect the package at the front desk. Set the shipping address to your hotel, and add the hotel name and your guest name as it appears on the reservation.

• Please check with your hotel in advance that they accept packages for guests
• On Amazon.co.jp, the English display toggle is at the top right of the screen. Rakuten is a Japanese-language site, so your browser’s translation feature is the easy way through
• A paper kit is light and slides into a suitcase easily. It creases easily too, so pack it flat

See the Original First

Building the model is far more rewarding if you have stood under the real thing. The observatories are free, and after dark the projection mapping plays on the same wall.

• The Free Observatories of the Tokyo Government Building
• Lunch in the Tokyo Government Staff Canteen

Note: Price, availability and specifications may change. Please check the product page before buying.

This article contains Amazon Associates and Rakuten Affiliate links.