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All Japan Tokyo Waseda El Dorado
AO Edited

Waseda El Dorado

This bizarre residential building is the masterpiece of Von Jour Caux, the “Gaudí of Japan.”

Tokyo, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
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Bizarre hand sculpture that also serves as a chair.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Bizarre hand sculpture that also serves as a chair.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Faces and a flounder.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A crab and an eyeball-like breast.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Ships in Edo style.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Waseda El Dorado.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Built by the Japanese Gaudí.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Waseda El Dorado.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Corridor ceiling.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Interior wall decorations.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Gorgoneion.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Body art…of sorts.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Japonesque torso art.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A unique mix of Japanese and Western art.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Crab.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Gorgoneion welcoming visitors.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Right smack in the university district of Waseda stands the eccentric El Dorado building, one of the most notable architectural oddities in Tokyo. Also known as Rhythms of Vision, it's known for its exquisite, avant-garde, and Gaudí-esque design, a style typical of its creator Von Jour Caux.

Built in 1983, the entire building is a unique work of art, its exterior adorned with an array of decorations that border on bizarre. In one place, a female torso is tattooed all over with a mixture of Art Nouveau and Edo-period woodblock designs, and in another, marble faces seem to grow out of the wall, their faces half-smiling as if in amusement.

Upon entering, visitors are welcomed by a mosaic recreation of the ancient Gorgoneion, the stylized head of Medusa sticking her tongue out, once believed to be a powerful amulet. You will then find yourself wandering into an outlandish world of abstract murals and colorful stained glass windows, housed in what looks like a long-forgotten Gothic cathedral. In the lobby, at the end of the winding corridor, hangs a large enigmatic sculpture of a hand pointing down.

Although the first floor contains an art gallery as well as an antique shop and a beauty salon, the upper floors mainly serve as a rental apartment. This is also in line with Von Jour Caux's philosophy in architecture, as he aims to counter the monotonous uniformity of modernism and to create living spaces that inspire positive effects on the residents' minds.

Related Tags

Buildings Modernism Architectural Oddities

Know Before You Go

The El Dorado building is located about 5 minutes away from Waseda Station, facing Sodai-dori Street. The upper floors are not accessible except for the residents.

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Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Published

March 13, 2022

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Waseda El Dorado
517 Wasedatsurumakicho
Shinjuku City
Tokyo, 162-0041
Japan
35.708267, 139.721916
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