The tradition of the Ottoman into the Modern Society
Tokyo Camii & Turkish Culture Center is the largest Mosque in Japan. Its traditional buildings created in the Ottoman style uniquely shine with the background of the modern Shinjuku skyscrapers. Many Muslims, from both inside and outside, visit for Congregational Prayer to devote their worships to Allah every Friday.
The Fusion of Tradition and Advanced Technology
Tokyo Camii & Turkish Culture Center is an architectural building with traditional Ottoman-style which was the highest peak of religious architecture in Islamic civilization. In appearance, following the Ottoman-style design, it incorporates the latest technology through the structure, and its existence is a work that integrates tradition, modernity, and the future into one.
The newness of this building is its unified ceiling system: by arranging six semi-domes surrounding the central main-dome, it evolved the structure of the inner space which has not yet reached completion in the traditional architectural style.
In other words, while keeping the conditions of the traditional architectural style faithfully in every detail, it does not end up being mere imitation but creates an innovative style by its own design.
Art of Decorative Works
The exterior and interior of Tokyo Camii & Turkish Culture Center are fully interspersed with a variety of representative works of Turkish Islamic arts such as calligraphies, creating a splendid harmony in the whole space. In particular, the delicate and elegant decorations of Prayer hall on the 2nd floor is breathtakingly beautiful. These decorations of Tokyo Camii has religious meaning together with both cultural and artistic value. For example, the calligraphy works, which embedded inside and outside of the building, are verses from the Quran and the words of Prophet Muhammad. The main-dome, like a canopy, represents God’s created universe along with semi-domes and interior walls.
“It is Allah who made for you the earth a place of settlement and the sky a ceiling. And He formed you, and formed you well. And He provided you with good things.” (Qu’ran 40-64)
Prayer hall large enough to accommodate up to 2000 people
The site area of Tokyo Camii is 734 square meters, the total floor space of the building is 1,693 square meters. The reinforced concrete is earthquake-proof. Its main- dome and semi-domes have been structured without using an internal mold. The marble of inner and outer wall are mounted only with metal parts by utilizing special technique.
On the ceiling of Prayer hall on the 2nd floor, “resonators inside the dome” technology which has been used for hundreds of years has been installed as an acoustic system.
The entrance hall of the 1st floor has an exhibition space of Turkish and Islamic artworks, along with the reappearance of the living room of a traditional Turkish private house.
Down to the right side ofthe 1st floor, there is a multipurpose hall with a book corner, where lectures on Islam, various parties, exhibitions , and events take place all year round. Prayer hall on the 2nd floor with an additional mezzanine can accommodate up to 630 people. During the Eid (festival), also the veranda and the multipurpose hall are used as a place of worship and hold up to the total of around 2,000 people.
