Photo Spot · Harajuku / Yoyogi

Yoyogi National Gymnasium 国立代々木競技場 第一体育館

Kenzo Tange's 1964 Olympic arena, with a sweeping suspension roof that rises to dramatic spines, is one of the masterpieces of modern architecture and a free outdoor shoot beside Harajuku.

About

Built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics swimming and diving events, the First Gymnasium is Kenzo Tange's most famous work: a roof hung from steel cables slung between two concrete towers, creating sweeping curves that look like a shell or a sail. Its smaller sister, the Second Gymnasium, spirals around a single mast. In 2021 the complex was designated a national Important Cultural Property, a rare honour for a postwar building. From the plaza between the two buildings, and from the pedestrian bridge from Harajuku Station, you can shoot the roof lines against the sky: with a wide lens from close up for sweeping curves, or a telephoto for abstract patterns of cables and concrete.

Highlights

• Suspension roof curves hung between concrete spines
• Second Gymnasium's spiralling roof around a single mast
• Important Cultural Property since 2021
• Abstract cable and concrete patterns for telephoto detail
• Next to Yoyogi Park and Harajuku

Tips

• Late afternoon side light shows the roof curves best; overcast days suit abstract details.
• Event days bring crowds and barriers; check the venue calendar for quiet days.
• The outer plaza is free to walk, but the interior is only open during events.
• Combine with Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu, both within 10 minutes.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• The SG ClubBars & Nightlife · 310 m away
• Meiji Jingu MuseumMuseum · 370 m away
• Cat Cafe MOCHA HarajukuActivities & Experiences · 420 m away
• Harajuku Station · Coin Lockers (new station building)Luggage Storage · 430 m away
• Harajuku StationTransit Hub · 430 m away
• @cosme TOKYOUnique Store · 450 m away
• TRUNK(HOTEL) Cat StreetStay · 460 m away
• Harakado Rooftop TerracePhoto Spot · 470 m away