In the cool of a summer evening, there cannot be many better places to be in Tokyo than watching the moon over the precincts of Akagi Shrine at the apex of the Kagurazaka hill.
Kengo Kuma was the man behind the sleek architecture of the new shrine (it opened to the public in September of last year). He was also responsible for the apartment complex that looms over the compound — the best part of which (for non-residents at any rate) is Akagi Café on the ground floor.
The design is very spare. But that's because you're intended to be looking out of the picture windows — or sitting at one of the outside tables — as you nibble and sip on your snacks, pasta lunch (caveat: I've never eaten a meal there, only nibbles), cake and afternoon tea, or a post-prandial cava...
Just about every vestige of the old shrine building has disappeared for ever — except for this old sign, which is propped up by the counter inside Akagi Cafe.
Here's what Akagi Shrine looks like in the daylight — from Kuma's own web site...
A bit more on the new shrine here...
More about the history of Akagi Shrine here...
And here's the café's own web site...
