[Tokyo Station and the Chinese Zodiac]
It's hard to believe that it's been 13 years since the restoration of Tokyo Station was completed in 2012. Now a popular destination with its hotel and art museum, the station stands majestically surrounded by skyscrapers. Its presence is felt not only as an architectural landmark but also through its vast station complex—equivalent to 3.6 Tokyo Domes—and the extensive underground facilities nearby, which have grown remarkably over the years. Visitors returning after a long absence often find themselves staring at the directional signs, and it's common to hear people say, “I could never find the same shop again.”
For me, too, getting to the Tokyo Station Gallery has become much smoother, and meeting friends is easy at the gallery entrance. There, a wonderful sight always greets me. Looking up at the ceiling, you see the octagonal dome restored to its original form at the time of construction, composed of gentle yellow, white, and brown wooden frames. Since all the original completion drawings and photographs were black and white, the restoration process, which involved searching for materials to express the colors, seems to have been the most challenging part.
And while it's not easily visible, atop the eight pillars supporting the octagonal dome are reliefs of eight animals from the Chinese zodiac. You might wonder, “Only eight out of twelve?” But they are arranged according to the rule that the zodiac signs indicate cardinal directions. The displayed animals, aligned with the dome's orientation, are: Ox and Tiger (Northeast), Dragon and Snake (Southeast), Goat and Monkey (Southwest), Dog and Boar (Northwest). The Rat (north), Rabbit (east), Horse (south), and Rooster (west), positioned along the central axis, are omitted from the display. What surprised me this time was that the radiating patterns spreading across the dome floor were transferred from the ceiling of the old dome. Tokyo Station truly has endless depths. The gallery's second-floor corridor also displays the history of the Marunouchi Station building and models, so please visit sometime.
Tokyo Station was designed by Kingo Tatsuno, the foremost leader of Meiji-era architecture, who also designed the Bank of Japan's Head Office and Kyoto Branch (1906, now the Kyoto Museum of Culture), as well as the main building of the Nara Hotel. While the station building survived the Great Kanto Earthquake, its exterior walls, roof, and interior were damaged in the 1945 air raids. After the war, emergency reconstruction work reduced it from three stories to two. Then, during the 2012 restoration, guided by the fundamental principle of preserving as much of the surviving structure as possible and restoring it to its original state, the dome lost in the war was also reconstructed, revealing its former appearance.
Now, back to the mystery: where did the four zodiac animals representing the cardinal directions go? They were discovered on the ceiling of the gate tower at Takeo Onsen in Saga Prefecture, the hometown of Mr. Tatsuno. Of course, this gate was also designed by Mr. Tatsuno. Together, Tokyo Station and the Takeo Onsen Gate feature all twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Which came first? Which remained? Or was it just a coincidence? While theories abound, the truth remains unknown unless we could ask Mr. Tatsuno himself. If you visit Tokyo Station this season, look up at the beautiful dome and recall this whimsical story.
Our shop also carries products featuring the zodiac animals. These include Otera Kohachiro Shoten's Mini Eto Series, a 400-year-old foundry in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture; Nousaku's Eto Guinomi crafted from pure tin with Kanazawa gold leaf; and Shirokiya Shikkiten's Eto Sake Cup made using the “keshikinji” lacquer technique from Aizu. Each piece offers the joy of collecting one annually, and as auspicious items, they are perfect not only for New Year's but also as gifts for weddings or 60th birthday celebrations. Please take a look.
Otera Kohachiro Shoten's Mini Eto Series
https://www.shokunin.com/en/otera/eto.html
Nousaku's Eto Guinomi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/nousaku/shuki.html
Shirokiya Shikkiten's Eto Sake Cup
https://www.shokunin.com/en/shirokiya/sakazuki.html
Ginza Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html
References
http://www.ryuss2.pvsa.mmrs.jp/henshukoki-2012/no253-121101.html
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO80690490Z01C14A2000000/
https://intojapanwaraku.com/rock/travel-rock/260140/#toc-2
