National Diet Building

The ministry sponsored a public design competition in 1918, and 118 designs were submitted for the new building. The first prize winner, {{nihongo|Watanabe Fukuzo|渡辺 福三}}, produced a design similar to Ende and Böckmann's.

The ministry sponsored a public design competition in 1918, and 118 designs were submitted for the new building. The first prize winner, {{nihongo|Watanabe Fukuzo|渡辺 福三}}, produced a design similar to Ende and Böckmann's.

[[File:Japanese_Diet_Hall_Dedication_Ceremony.jpg|thumb|Opening ceremony]]

[[File:Japanese_Diet_Hall_Dedication_Ceremony.jpg|thumb|Opening ceremony]]

The Diet Building was eventually constructed between 1920 and 1936 with a floor plan based on Watanabe's entry.[http://structurae.net/structures/national-diet-building "National Diet Building"]. ''[[Structurae]]''. Accessed 29 August 2022.

The Diet Building was eventually constructed between 1920 and 1936 with a floor plan based on Watanabe's entry.[http://structurae.net/structures/national-diet-building "National Diet Building"]. ''[[Structurae]]''. Accessed 29 August 2022.

[[File:National_Diet_in_1930s.jpg|thumb|National Diet Building in the 1930s]]

[[File:National_Diet_in_1930s.jpg|thumb|National Diet Building in the 1930s]]

The roof and tower of the building might have been inspired by another entrant, third prize winner Takeuchi Shinshichi, and are believed to have been chosen because they reflected a more modern hybrid architecture than the purely European and East Asian designs proposed by other architects. While the actual source for the "Pyramid" roof remains unclear, {{Clarify |text=Japanese historian [[Jonathan Reynolds]] suggests it was "probably borrowed" from Takeuchi although an image of the entry is not provided but instead he thanks fellow historian of Africa studies at Columbia, Zoe Strother, for mentioning that Takeuchi's design resembles the [[Mausoleum at Halicarnassus]] |reason=this is grammatically incorrect and has several potential intended meanings |date=April 2026}},{{cite journal |jstor=777764 |last=Reynolds |first=Jonathan M |title=Japan's Imperial Diet Building: debate over construction of a national identity |journal=Art Journal |volume=55 |issue=3 |date=Autumn 1996 |page=45|doi=10.2307/777764 }} which was a model for some prominent Western designs in the early 20th century, such as John Russell Pope's 1911 award-winning [[House of the Temple]] in Washington, D.C., and the downtown [[Los Angeles City Hall]], completed in 1928.

The roof and tower of the building might have been inspired by another entrant, third prize winner Takeuchi Shinshichi, and are believed to have been chosen because they reflected a more modern hybrid architecture than the purely European and East Asian designs proposed by other architects. While the actual source for the "Pyramid" roof remains unclear, {{Clarify |text=Japanese historian [[Jonathan Reynolds]] suggests it was "probably borrowed" from Takeuchi although an image of the entry is not provided but instead he thanks fellow historian of Africa studies at Columbia, Zoe Strother, for mentioning that Takeuchi's design resembles the [[Mausoleum at Halicarnassus]] |reason=this is grammatically incorrect and has several potential intended meanings |date=April 2026}},{{cite journal |jstor=777764 |last=Reynolds |first=Jonathan M |title=Japan's Imperial Diet Building: debate over construction of a national identity |journal=Art Journal |volume=55 |issue=3 |date=Autumn 1996 |page=45|doi=10.2307/777764 }} which was a model for some prominent Western designs in the early 20th century, such as John Russell Pope's 1911 award-winning [[House of the Temple]] in Washington, D.C., and the downtown [[Los Angeles City Hall]], completed in 1928.

The {{nihongo||御休所|Gokyūsho}} was originally referred to as {{nihongo||御便殿|Gobinden}} and was built as a place for the [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] to rest upon his visit to the Diet to attend events like the opening and closing ceremonies. The chamber is located at the top of the main stairway covered with a red carpet that leads from the central hall. The L-shaped desk for the Emperor is a remnant from the pre-war era when the Emperor dressed in military uniform and needed a place to put his headdress to use his right hand to sign documents, while having his left side (carrying the sword) unencumbered. In this room, the Emperor receives courtesy visits from chairmen and vice chairmen of both Houses before attending the opening ceremony in the Chamber of the House of Councilors.

The {{nihongo||御休所|Gokyūsho}} was originally referred to as {{nihongo||御便殿|Gobinden}} and was built as a place for the [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] to rest upon his visit to the Diet to attend events like the opening and closing ceremonies. The chamber is located at the top of the main stairway covered with a red carpet that leads from the central hall. The L-shaped desk for the Emperor is a remnant from the pre-war era when the Emperor dressed in military uniform and needed a place to put his headdress to use his right hand to sign documents, while having his left side (carrying the sword) unencumbered. In this room, the Emperor receives courtesy visits from chairmen and vice chairmen of both Houses before attending the opening ceremony in the Chamber of the House of Councilors.

Approximately ten percent of the total construction cost was spent on the {{tlit|ja|Gokyūsho}}, which is made entirely of cypress coated with [[Japanese lacquerware|Japanese lacquer]], the exterior adornments above the room are made from {{tlit|ja|Hototogisu}} (cuculiform), a type of marble, extracted in [[Anan, Tokushima]].{{cite journal

Approximately ten percent of the total construction cost was spent on the {{tlit|ja|Gokyūsho}}, which is made entirely of cypress coated with [[Japanese lacquerware|Japanese lacquer]], the exterior adornments above the room are made from {{tlit|ja|Hototogisu}} (cuculiform), a type of marble, extracted in [[Anan, Tokushima]].{{cite journal |last=Yoneda |first=Yuko |title=Spirits of time |journal=South Wind |issue=45 |pages=6 |publisher=Minato International Association |year=2005 |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260102125819/https://minato-intl-assn.gr.jp/pdf/SW/SW_45.pdf |access-date=2 January 2026}} The materials and decorations used for this room are particularly rich in craftsmanship and glamour among all the rooms in the Diet building. The chandelier is made of crystal. A private restroom for the Emperor stands close to {{tlit|ja|Gokyūsho}} and has both western and Japanese style toilets.

|last=Yoneda

|first=Yuko

|title=Spirits of time

|journal=South Wind

|issue=45

|pages=6

|publisher=Minato International Association

|year=2005

|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260102125819/https://minato-intl-assn.gr.jp/pdf/SW/SW_45.pdf

|access-date=2 January 2026

}} The materials and decorations used for this room are particularly rich in craftsmanship and glamour among all the rooms in the Diet building. The chandelier is made of crystal. A private restroom for the Emperor stands close to {{tlit|ja|Gokyūsho}} and has both western and Japanese style toilets.

When the Emperor travels between the Imperial Palace and the Diet, he is escorted by police motorcade, police cars, and an open limousine accompanied by Imperial Palace guards and law enforcement officials from the Tokyo police department. Diet guards put on white ceremonial robes in the summer and black robes in the winter on the day of the Emperor's visit. It is said that [[Mount Fuji]] could be viewed from the windows of {{tlit|ja|Gokyūsho}} before office buildings blocked the view. Much of the interiors of the Diet building are designed by Naigai Technos Co.

When the Emperor travels between the Imperial Palace and the Diet, he is escorted by police motorcade, police cars, and an open limousine accompanied by Imperial Palace guards and law enforcement officials from the Tokyo police department. Diet guards put on white ceremonial robes in the summer and black robes in the winter on the day of the Emperor's visit. It is said that [[Mount Fuji]] could be viewed from the windows of {{tlit|ja|Gokyūsho}} before office buildings blocked the view. Much of the interiors of the Diet building are designed by Naigai Technos Co.