Taking a trip to Tokyo at any time of the year and in all seasons is always a great idea. It is because populous capital of Japan it is a concentration of wonders that enchant and surprise with every step taken.
On one side, historic temples that preserve and protect the history and traditions of the area, on the other, ultra-modern and futuristic skyscrapers that shape the skyline and shine under the neon lights of the city that never sleeps.
And it is among the modern buildings that soar towards the sky that we want to get lost and immerse ourselves with you today. Discover a place with dreamlike shapes and charming features right where no one will ever look. Fairy tale palacewith a unique charm, which hides among the skyscrapers of Tokyo.
Shinjuku district’s best kept secret
Our journey today will take us to a great metropolis, a city that has always been on the top of travel wishes of adventurers from all over the world. We are in Tokyo, or rather in Shinjuku districta popular destination for young people and university students.
Known for its skyscraper district with bars, restaurants and a luxury hotel, Shinjuku is a reference point for the city’s nightlife. Here it is actually possible to find numerous nightclubs and lively nightclubs, but not only that. The district is home to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building’s panoramic observatory, the green lungs of Mount Hakone, theaters, galleries and bookstores. Then there they are university campuses which attract students from all over the world who inhabit the area at all hours of the day and evening.
And today’s destination is exactly one of these campuses. A unique building like no other, apart from its shapes, features and colors, it seems to transport you to another world. This is a building near Waseda University, one of the most prominent private universities in the country. A small architectural gem inspired by the work of Antoni Gaudí and which seems to have come out of a fairy tale book.
Waseda El Dorado:
a fairytale palace among the skyscrapers of Tokyo
A few minutes’ walk from Waseda subway station and a stone’s throw from the university’s main gate, one cannot fail to notice the extravagant and sinuous building that catches the eye of every passerby. This is El DoradoA 5-story building built in 1983 by the visionary architect Toshirō Tanaka, also known as Von Jour Caux.
What is special about this building is evident from its photographs. An architectural design in fact reinforces and celebrates Japanese culture with a style clearly inspired by the work of the great Antoni Gaudí. Curved wrought iron balconies that reflect images of water lilies, elegant windows decorated in every detail, tinsel and ornaments made of ceramics that reproduce ornaments and patterns of various species.
Waseda El Dorado is a small architectural gem that few tourists know about, but it’s really worth a visit just for its extravagant exterior. You can also partially visit the interiors. Guest entrance a grandiose and suggestive mosaic which faithfully reproduces the ancient Gorgoneion, while the walls of the corridor are characterized by abstract murals and stained glass windows that seem to transport the traveler to a dreamy and magical world. However, in the atrium there is a large and mysterious sculpture depicting a hand pointing down.
The building, considered a kind of art gallery, there is also an antique shop and a beauty salon. However, the upper floors cannot be visited as they are reserved for residents.