April 12 Marks the 50th Anniversary of Completion of
the Kasumigaseki Building, the First Skyscraper in Japan
April 27, 2018
Mitsui Fudosan Residential Co., Ltd.
Kyoritsu Maintenance Co., Ltd.
Tokyo, Japan, April 11, 2018 - Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., a leading global real estate company headquartered in Tokyo, announced today that April 12 marks the 50th anniversary of the completion of construction of the Kasumigaseki Building, the first skyscraper in Japan, and with which Mitsui Fudosan was involved.
The Kasumigaseki Building today |
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The Kasumigaseki Building when first completed |
The 482-feet-high (147 meters), 36-floor Kasumigaseki Building completed in 1968 was the first skyscraper in Japan. Before construction of the skyscraper, the heights of buildings had been limited to approx. 100 feet (31 meters), but revisions to systems and laws, such as changes to the Building Standards Act in 1960, enabled construction of high-rise buildings that exceeded the 100-foot height limit. As a result, the Kasumigaseki Building was completed on April 12, 1968.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Mitsui Fudosan’s completion of construction on the Kasumigaseki Building, and as a gesture of gratitude for many years of patronage, Mitsui Fudosan will hold a series of events extending from the 50th anniversary of completion on Thursday, April 12 to Thursday, May 31, 2018. The events aim to make office life even more enjoyable for both the building’s workers and neighborhood residents.
Main Features and History of the Kasumigaseki Building
- Major Renovations on Three Occasions
Three major renovations have been conducted - in 1989, 1999 and 2006 - taking into account the needs of working styles at those times, upgrading to the latest equipment and responding to business continuity plans and the like
- Creating Buildings that increase in value over time and mature with age
The Kasumigaseki Building is equipped with state of the art functions now despite having been built 50 years ago, and is highly rated like no other comparable building as the embodiment of the Mitsui Fudosan philosophy in terms of the neighborhood creation concept of increasing in value over time and maturing with age
- First Window Art in Japan
In 1972, window art was seen in Japan for the first time when a message celebrating the Apollo spacecraft landings on the Moon was formed in the Kasumigaseki Building
- The Highest Weddings in Japan
A couple held the first and only wedding on the Kasumigaseki Building rooftop not long after its opening thanks to the efforts of then Mitsui Fudosan President Hideo Eto, who responded to their wish to hold an open and above-board ceremony in a place visible to anybody
Contributions to Development of the Kasumigaseki Area
- Double Number of Passengers Using Kasumigaseki Station
Since the appearance of the Kasumigaseki Building, the Kasumigaseki area has transformed into one used by a large number of people. After completion of the building in 1968, passenger numbers at Kasumigaseki Station roughly doubled and, as a result, contributed significantly to the development of the area’s transport network, including leading to the 1971 start of Chiyoda Line subway service between Otemachi and Kasumigaseki stations.
- Japan’s First Building with a Plaza
The Kasumigaseki Building transformed the Kasumigaseki area into a bustling neighborhood, not just one for business people, but for many different types of people, both by providing a place of greenery where people could relax and by hosting a variety of events such as outdoor concerts.
- Kasumigaseki Common Gate Built Using the Largest-Ever PFI Method
The Kasumigaseki Common Gate was constructed in 2001 in what was then the largest-ever private finance initiative (PFI), enhancing the plaza space that unifies the public and private sectors. The area is implementing a new type of neighborhood creation by holding a variety of events and promoting interactions in such ways as holding musical events, cultural seminars and mist sprays.
The Kasumigaseki Building From Now On
From now on, the Kasumigaseki Building will continue to strengthen its provision of basic building performances such as providing safety, security and a comfortable office environment. In addition, it will proactively provide hard and soft solutions to corporate activity issues such as responding to various working styles of office workers, enhancing creativity and productivity and creating environments for corporate information transmission and health management. Through these ongoing initiatives, Mitsui Fudosan will advance getting better with age to make Kasumigaseki Building a symbolic representation of its philosophy.
WORKSTYLING Kasumigaseki
Kasumigaseki Building Overview
| Location |
3-2-5 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo |
| Access |
Three minutes' walk from Toranomon Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
Five minutes' walk from Kasumigaseki Station on the Marunouchi Line and Chiyoda Line
Six minutes' walk from Tameike Sanno Station on the Ginza Line and Namboku Line |
| Site Area |
124,629 ft2 (11,578.43 m2) |
| Total Floor Area |
1,657,203 ft2 (153,959.23 m2) |
| Total Rental Space |
936,591 ft2 (87,012.17 m2 ) |
| Standard Floor Space: |
28,381 ft2 (2,636.73 m2) |
| Structure |
Steel structure (partly steel-reinforced concrete) |
| Floors |
36 floors above ground, 3 underground floors,
3 penthouse floors |
| Elevators |
31, 3 common use, 2 for parking area |
| Parking Spaces |
350 spaces |
| Architect |
YAMASHITA SEKKEI, INC. |
| Builder |
A consortium established between Kajima Corporation and Ishiguro Corp., Ltd. |
| Completion |
April 1968 |
| Height |
147 m |
Details of 50th Anniversary Commemorative Events
1. Kasumi Night Terrace
- Digital Hanging Scroll
A richly colored, Impressionist-style geometric pattern will be projected onto the Kasumigaseki Building to celebrate the building’s 50th anniversary.
The projected design depicted changes slowly at the speed of the earth’s rotation, moment by moment transforming to a completely different scene as people watch.
- Date: Thursday, April 12 to Thursday, May 31, 2018
18:00-22:00 * Not operating on weekends and national holidays
- Venue: Kasumigaseki Building
* Image
- Dining Corner
Kasumi Terrace will transform at nighttimes to become a place to enjoy drinking and dining.
Spend time relaxing on the nighttime Kasumi Terrace while enjoying the shining view of the digital hanging scroll on the Kasumigaseki Building.
Events will be held periodically during the commemoration season.
- Date: Thursday, April 12 to Thursday, May 31, 2018
17:30-22:00 * Closed on weekends and national holidays
- Venue: Kasumigaseki Building Kasumi Terrace
* Image
2. Monument Creation
Participants create a complete picture by pinning (artificial) flowers to a board. Participants receive an original stainless steel bottle.
Date: Thursday, April 12, 2018
·Session 1: From 11:00
·Session 2: From 13:00
·Venue: Kasumigaseki Building
(Eligibility restricted to workers from offices in the Kasumigaseki Building)
* Image
3. KASUMI DINING 50th Anniversary Commemorative Campaign
·Date: Thursday, April 12 to Thursday, May 31, 2018
·Venue: Kasumigaseki Building, KASUMI DINING
Over 10 popular restaurants are taking part in the campaign, offering limited time offer menus for its duration. Special menus include half-and-half dishes and 50% discounts. Other special menus to commemorate the 50th anniversary include 1-hour all-you-can-drink sessions for ¥980 (which are just ¥500 for Mitsui Shopping Park Card holders).
For details, please refer to the building’s website from early April.
KASUMI DINING Website
https://mitsui-shopping-park.com.e.act.hp.transer.com/urban/kasumi-d/index.html
50th Anniversary of Kasumigaseki Building Completion Commemorative Movie Special Exhibition Site
The exhibition site features a movie commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Kasumigaseki Building, Japan’s first skyscraper, going through its history, depicting scenes from before and after its completion and during large-scale renovations. It further describes the future aims of what the Kasumigaseki Building seeks to become.
https://kasumigaseki50th.jp (Only in Japanese)
*1 BEYOND THE OFFICE
Mitsui Fudosan uses the statement BEYOND THE OFFICE for its building business. Mitsui Offices will continue to provide distinctive office buildings that go beyond conventional concepts to generate new added value for customers, providing a place for new lifestyles catering to a variety of working and non-working times rather than simply being places to fulfill a job.
