This article appeared in Tokyo Weekender Vol. 2, 2025.
To read the entire issue, click here.
The mesmerizing, swirling curls of cerulean and ivory that form the Naruto whirlpools — the world’s largest vortex — are just one facet of Awaji Island’s prismatic beauty. Floating on the Seto Inland Sea, Hyogo Prefecture’s Awaji Island is a picturesque escape in Kansai. It offers lush fields of seasonal flora, charming beaches, hot spring resorts and culinary gems. The island is also one of the country’s top onion-producing regions, affectionately known as Onion Island for its sweet, fragrant bulbs.
Beyond Awaji Island’s allure as an Edenic vacation destination lies a rich cultural history and dynamic artistic landscape. Creation myths describe the seaside oasis as the first island of Japan — formed by the god Izanagi and goddess Izanami, who emerged from primordial chaos and stirred the ocean’s depths with a heavenly spear.
Today, the island’s mythological sites coexist in fascinating juxtaposition with its modern architectural interventions. Defined by Tadao Ando’s geometrical forms, Awaji Island’s architectural collection is a dream for aesthetes and photographers alike.
The Water Temple
The main hall of Honpukuji is unlike any other Buddhist sanctuary in Japan — topped not by a grand roof but rather by a vast, elliptical lotus pond that reflects the serene rhythms of the sky and surrounding greenery.
The spiritual structure, also known as Mizumido (Water Temple), was reimagined by Tadao Ando in 1991. Instead of leading visitors upward toward the altar, Ando envisioned a dramatic descent: A shadowed staircase bisects the aquatic mirror, drawing you into the temple’s interior.
The temple’s outer entrance is pure and minimalistic, composed of a white gravel path and gently curving concrete walls that signify a subtle transition from the mundane to the spiritual. Inside awaits a latticed corridor in rich vermilion hues, culminating in Honpukuji’s main altar. As the special head sanctuary of the Shingon sect’s Omura school, the temple enshrines Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of healing. Visit in the afternoon to experience the temple’s core at its most surreal, as rays of sunlight shroud the chamber in a crimson glow.
Awaji Yumebutai
It’s hard to imagine, but this lush, expansive complex was once a wasteland — stripped bare after a large-scale excavation in the process of building Kansai International Airport. Tadao Ando endeavored to transform the space entirely, enhancing Awaji Island’s scenic splendor with modern architectural elements — designing tranquil gardens, a conference center, a chapel, an open-air theater and other sites where humans and nature could coexist.
With a name that means “dream stage,” Yumebutai embodies the distinct, graceful contours and evocative minimalism of its architect, standing in seamless harmony with the island’s serene natural beauty. Smooth concrete planes and precise geometric forms cast ever-changing patterns of shadow and light, yielding limitless opportunities for photographers — or just for quiet moments of contemplation.
Hundred Step Garden
While one could spend a whole day wandering around Yumebutai, a must-visit gem is Hyakudanen, or the Hundred Step Garden, created in remembrance of the victims of the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. Perched atop a sloping hill, the unique spectacle consists of one hundred square terraces, arranged in a curious cascading grid formation reminiscent of an M.C. Escher print.
Each square contains a quadrant of symmetrical flower beds composed of seasonal flora. In his typical fashion, Ando fuses nature and artifice by framing the garden’s vibrant organic forms with rigorous precision. As a living work of art, Hyakudanen evokes both awe and contemplation.
The Circular Forum and Oval Forum
Close by, the Circular Forum and Oval Forum stand at the center of Yumebutai. As their names suggest, the two structures are open-air spaces made of exposed concrete, resembling a stadium or amphitheater. From ground level, wanderers can observe disks of the sky above.
The Circular Forum has several slopes within layered walls, which visitors can ascend and descend to experience the space from varying perspectives. At the top is an observation area that overlooks Yumebutai. The Oval Forum features taller, imposing curved walls, accented with an asymmetrical sundial.
courtesy of zenbo seinei
Zenbo Seinei
Tadao Ando is not the only Pritzker Prize-winning architect to enhance Awaji Island’s artistic and spiritual landscapes: Shigeru Ban is the visionary behind a breathtaking wellness facility named Zenbo Seinei in the heart of the island.
Opening its doors in the spring of 2022, the retreat is an elongated treehouse-like building made of Japanese cedar and other wood, rising above a vibrant forest. Here, patrons can participate in zazen meditation and yoga on a 100-meter-long wooden deck, take in fresh air and enjoy original vegan cuisine. Overnight stays are also available and include activities like guided meditation, calligraphy and tea ceremony.
More Info
To learn more about Awaji Island, visit their website.
