Free Limited-Time Release of Excerpts from 'Traveling Architecture' by Shunsuke Kurakata to Commemorate Tokyo Architecture Festival 2026

Ikaros Publications Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Akihiro Yamate), which handles media businesses in fields such as aviation and railways within the Impress Group, will release a portion of the text from the book 'Traveling Architecture: A Recommendation for "Architecture Tourism" to Enjoy History and Regions' for free for a limited time from Sunday, May 17 to Sunday, May 24, 2026. The book is authored by architectural historian Shunsuke Kurakata, who serves as the executive committee chairman of the Tokyo Architecture Festival 2026, and is released to commemorate the event.

Released for this occasion are 8 pages that introduce the purpose of the book, expanding the journey from Tokyo to architecture all over the country. The content is designed to allow those who experienced the charm of architecture at the Tokyo Architecture Festival to feel the joy of visiting surviving architecture in various regions.

◎Click here for the free release https://books.ikaros.jp/news/n126326.html

60 "Architectures" You Should Definitely Visit, From Hokkaido to Okinawa

In this book, architectural historian Shunsuke Kurakata, familiar from "Architecture and Town Walking," carefully selects 60 architectural structures from across Japan that one would want to visit as travel destinations. From the end of the Edo period to modern times, he unravels the charm of various structures such as museums, libraries, and government buildings from multiple perspectives.

At each spot, in addition to the historical background, the book carefully explains appreciation points that invite you to walk around the neighboring town, and details to look out for such as decorations. It is a book meant to be traveled with while enjoying architecture, and it is also recommended as a trigger to experience an "architectural hobby" for the first time.

Why was that architecture built there, and what kind of time has it marked? Knowing the background also leads to a deeper appreciation of the land. If you look at the buildings, the thoughts of the people of the past and the breath of the times should arise.

Take this book and head to the site. Placing yourself in the space and experiencing it firsthand is exactly what "traveling architecture" means. Please enjoy the connections expanding from a single building to the "era," "designer," and "region" as your own personal journey.

This book is recommended for the following people Those interested in architecture Those interested in local lands, climates, and history Those interested in human interaction and community building

Page Layout Image Photographs show the exterior, interior, and decorations of each facility From Tokyo to the whole country--releasing 8 pages that convey the joy of traveling architecture

Structure of the Book ◎ National Architecture Map / How to use this book

<Hokkaido/Tohoku Area> Sapporo Shiryokan (Former Sapporo Court of Appeals) / Kushiro City Marsh Observatory / Aomori Museum of Art / Kimura Industrial Institute / Iwate Bank Red Brick Building / Sendai Mediatheque / Korakukan / Yamagata City Local History Museum (Former Saiseikan Main Building) / Koriyama City Public Hall

<Kanto Area> Tochigi Meiji Memorial Hall (Former Aoki Family Nasu Villa) / Tsukuba Center Building / Shiroiya Hotel / Seishido / Makuhari Messe / Naritasan Shinshoji Temple Great Main Hall / Tsukiji Hongwanji / Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History (Former Yokohama Specie Bank Main Building) / Yokosuka Museum of Art

<Koshinetsu/Hokuriku> Fuefukigawa Fruit Park / Former Kaichi School / Yatsugatake Museum of Art (Haramura Historical Folk Museum) / Northern Culture Museum / Aore Nagaoka / Hotel Tateyama / 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa / Former Ukon Family Residence Western-style Building

<Chubu/Kinki> Nawa Insect Museum / Former Hyuga Residence Atami Villa / Aichi Prefectural Government Office Main Building / Tokoname Tou-no-Mori Ceramic Art Institute / Rokkaen (Former Moroto Seiroku Residence) / Biwako Otsukan (Former Biwako Hotel) / Former Hachiman Post Office / Kyoto International Conference Center / Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library / Weathercock House (Former Thomas Residence) / Yodoko Guest House / Nara National Museum Buddhist Art Library (Former Nara Prefectural Product Display Center) / Hotel Kawakyu

<Chugoku/Shikoku Area> Jinpukaku / Kounkaku / Former Senkyo Ordinary Elementary School / Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Main Building / Iwakuni Chokokan / Former Akita Company Building / Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center "WHY" / Setonaikai History and Folk Museum / Chichu Art Museum / Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art / Ehime Prefectural Government Office Main Building / Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum / Tosashimizu City Tatsukushi Seashell Gallery

<Kyushu Area> Mojiko Station / Former Takatori Residence / Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum and Monument, St. Philip's Church / Kumamoto University Fifth High School Memorial Hall / Oita Prefectural Art Museum / Hyugashi Station / Former Kagoshima Spinning Engineer's Residence / Nago City Hall

<column> Architecture festivals open the town / How to enjoy Tokyo Architecture Festival / The starting point called Ike-Fes Osaka / What Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival changed / Architecture festivals expanding into the future

Author Profile Shunsuke Kurakata Born in Tokyo in 1971. Graduated from the Department of Architecture, School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University in 1994, and completed his graduate studies at the same university in 1996. Ph.D. in Engineering. After serving as an Associate Professor at Osaka City University, he has been a Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Metropolitan University since 2023. In parallel with his research on the history of modern and contemporary Japanese architecture, he is actively involved in conveying the value of architecture widely to society, serving as the executive committee chairman of "Tokyo Architecture Festival," one of Japan's largest architecture events, and as an executive committee member for "Ike-Fes Osaka" and "Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival." His books include "Stories of Modern and Contemporary Architecture in Kyoto" (Heibonsha Shinsho), "Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto Retro Architecture Walk," "Tokyo Modern Architecture Walk," and "Tokyo Retro Architecture Walk."