Official

Speaking of the Japan Pen Club, it is an organization composed of Japanese writers who have heard of Tokyo Dumbo, who is not familiar with literature.

I didn't know at all that the Nippon Pen Club exists in Nihonbashikabutocho.

I visited Secretary-General Ide of the Japan Pen Club and was able to hear a special story.

Fourteen years after the establishment of International P.E.N (International Pen Club) in 1921, the Nippon Pen Club was founded in 1935 by about 100 literary artists, chaired by Toson Shimazaki.

At that time, Japan was a time when it stood on the edges of cliffs that eventually fell into muds, such as the Great Kanto Earthquake, the Security Act, the Showa Depression, and the Manchurian Incident.

After the dark Pacific War period, in 1948, he expressed his determination to rebuild, both inside and outside the country, saying, "The construction of a cultural state, or the construction of a country without arms, is the mission of our cultural people," and returned to International P.E.N.

Following Toson Shimazaki, the first chairman, famous writers listed in textbooks such as Masamune Shiratori, Naoya Shiga, Yasunari Kawabata, etc. serve as chairman, and Natsuki Kirino, the first female chairman, is now the 18th chairman this year. Has been appointed.

P.E.N of the pen club is P: Poet (poet, poet, poet, poet), Playwrights (playwrights), E: Editors (editor), Essaists (an essay, criticism, translation, scholar), N: Novelists (writer). It is said that these are collectively referred to as PEN, and those who work in writing gather to protect freedom of speech and freedom of expression, and to seek peace in the world. It is an organization with a noble ideal of solidarity beyond language differences.

The design of this mysterious building was carried out by Atsushi Kitagawara, who was teaching at Tokyo University of the Arts. The website of Atsushi Kitagawara Institute of Architecture and Urban Research describes the Nippon Pen Club as follows.

"This building of the Nippon Pen Club Headquarters was selected and designed in a nomination competition held by the Nippon Pen Club. Despite being in the midst of a small business district lined with square buildings in the city center, the theme was the autonomy of architecture, with three sides on the road and the remaining side facing Inari Shrine. The flat shape of the deformed elliptical that continues while shifting the center little by little, rises in a cylindrical shape while the first floor is released in a pyloti shape, and seeks the simplicity like a handmade pottery by avoiding a simple geometric form. The curved surface is covered with tile tiles, and the unique smoked silver black color reminds us of the culture of "wa". The form with a soft curved surface gives comfort and moisture to the surrounding environment. The interior of the building was based on the white plaster, and I tried to create a quiet and peaceful space. The flat surface of the deformed elliptical, which does not focus on one point, was designed with the hope that many discussions that take place here will respect freedom and value uniqueness and diversity."

I think it represents the ideal of the Japan Pen Club, with an idea that anticipates the present where diversity and tolerance are required.

The building is four-story, and the third and fourth floors are round table conference rooms. Light shines through the slit windows, and windows are also provided on the ceiling, making it much brighter than I imagined from the exterior.

On the east side of the meeting room, there was a semi-spiral staircase. This is also a unique atmosphere with light entering through a slit window.

According to Executive Director Ide, the Board of Directors was held and the Asian District Meeting of the International Pen Club was also held, and it seems that there are many online meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we have accumulated online technology and want to make various announcements in the future.

Also, this year, on November 3, we will hold "Sawako Ariyoshi no Wakayama" in collaboration with Wakayama Prefecture, Wakayama City, etc.

For example, in Chuo-ku, the library is being rebuilt, so when it is completed, he said that he would do something in a new library. Library officials in Chuo-ku, please consider it.

This impactful building is often used for shooting TVs, and recently it was used as an office for the villain who appeared in "Lupine's Daughter" starring Kyoko Fukada.

At the time of its establishment in 1935, it seems that the office was set up in Ginza 8-chome. After that, they set up offices in Chuo-ku, such as Nishi-Ginza 5-chome, Kyobashi 2-chome, Ginza-Higashi 5-chome, Chiyoda-ku, and Minato-ku, and built their own building in Nihonbashikabutocho in 2002, and moved from Akasaka.

Nihonbashikabutocho was selected for local residents to be conveniently located near Tokyo Station, and it happened that this section of Kabuto-cho was obtained. After meetings such as the Board of Directors, it is customary to drink a drink nearby, and in that sense it is a very good location.

I was able to know one more depth of the pocket of Chuo-ku.

Nippon Pen Club　

Attention: The Nippon Pen Club does not open the inside of the building to the public.