The church looks soft and elegant (Photo: Tomoko Kamishima)

Utsunomiya’s Matsugamine Church

A beautiful place of worship constructed in 1932

Tomoko Kamishima   - 1 min read

Constructed in 1932, the Catholic Matsugamine Church is the oldest and largest surviving building made of Ohya-ishi (Ohya Stone). The designer was Swiss architect Max Hinder who lived in Japan for 16 years. He was also designed Sophia University and St. Mary Hospital in Tokyo. This church looks soft and elegant. A frog decoration near the tower works as a drainage spout when it rains. During typhoons, rainwater flows out from a mouth of the frog as if it were a waterfall. The inside of the church is even more beautiful. The pillars and inner sanctuary are finished with Ohya Stone, creating a full, warm feeling.

Tomoko Kamishima

Tomoko Kamishima @tomoko.kamishima

Japan is a small island nation, but we have a huge number of surprising things to discover here. Many of these delights can be found when you step off the main street onto small side paths. I really enjoy studying about and researching various aspects of traditional Japanese culture, and then sha...