Religion aside, this beautifully designed chapel, by architect Hiroshi Nakamura, bring a whole new meaning to spirituality! No trees were cut down for this 110-square-meter building on a small triangular plot. Nakamura says, “I envisioned an architecture that reflects on the life as it lives by the water conserved by the forest and eventually returns to this place after death.”.
The Sayama Forest Chapel is covered with 21,000 hand-bent aluminum shingles that were applied by craftsmen. Laminated beams form a ribbed structure within, and working with strict restrictions, all had be perfectly bent while in proportion so that they “fit”. Meticulous handiwork was necessary in order to insure that the end product was perfectly executed… and IT WAS!
The Sayama Forest Chapel was built in 2014, and is located in a cemetery 40 minutes from central Tokyo. Easy to reach, a short train-ride followed by a 10-minute walk from the station, it is open to anyone searching for a little quiet away from the bustling city life of Tokyo. As almost all Japanese are Buddhists, the chapel is actually more of a contemplative arena meant to serve anyone mourning a lost loved one. We’d like to think that anyone would be well-served spending some time within this special building!