Reconstructing History in Marunouchi

The study investigates the strategic use of historical continuity in the redevelopment of Marunouchi (Tokyo), which was once the core of Japan’s imperial modernity. During the Meiji and Taisho periods, the region embodied national aspirations through iconic projects including Tokyo Station (1914), Marunouchi Building (1923), and Gyoko-dori Avenue (1903–1923). This narrative of success was disrupted by subsequent wartime devastation, postwar functionalist reconstruction, and economic stagnation. Redevelopment projects during the early 2000s have attempted to restore Marunouchi to its prewar identity by reintroducing historical symbols as urban storytelling and corporate branding tools. The study examines how selective reconstructions mediate between the past and present, drawing on theories on postwar Italy’s “historical continuity” as discussed by Ernesto Rogers and Aldo Rossi. Four categories of intervention are identified: monument restoration (Tokyo Station), building reconstruction (Marunouchi Building), boulevard regeneration (Gyoko-dori Avenue), and urban design practices (OMY guidelines on façades, heights, and materials). The study findings show that historical continuity in Marunouchi functions less as a conservation practice than as a curated narrative serving corporate and national identity. Although these interventions are effective in enhancing Marunouchi’s position as a financial hub, they also raise ethical concerns around memory, authenticity, and selective erasure. The study highlights how architecture becomes an instrument of cultural storytelling, where history is strategically reconstructed to project triumph over rupture.