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National Diet Building facts for kids

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Diet of Japan Kokkai 2009
The National Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan.

The National Diet Building (which means Kokkai-gijidō in Japanese) is a very important building in Tokyo, Japan. It's where Japan's government, called the Diet, meets to make laws and discuss important issues. Think of it like the parliament or congress building in other countries.

This big building is located in a part of Tokyo called Chiyoda. Inside, there are two main parts:

The Diet Building was finished in 1936. Almost all of the materials used to build it came from Japan. Only a few things, like the colorful stained glass windows, the door locks, and a special system for sending messages (called a pneumatic tube system), came from other countries.

A Look Back: How the Diet Building Came to Be

Plans for a special building for the Diet started way back in 1881. The people planning it hoped to have it ready by 1890. That's when the Diet was going to meet for the very first time!

But they soon realized they couldn't build a grand, impressive building so quickly. So, they decided to build temporary wooden buildings first.

  • The first temporary Diet building was made of wood and looked like a Western-style building. Sadly, it burned down in 1891.
  • Another wooden building was quickly built and finished in 1891. This one also burned down, in 1925.
  • A third temporary building was then made. The Diet used this building until 1936. That's when the amazing building we see today was finally finished!

Designing the Current Diet Building

In 1910, a new group was formed by the Finance Ministry. Their job was to take charge of designing the new Diet Building. The Prime Minister at the time, Katsura Tarō, led this group. They suggested that the new building should look like buildings from the Italian Renaissance style. However, many people didn't agree with this idea.

So, in 1918, the ministry held a public competition for the design. Many architects, 118 teams in total, sent in their ideas. The person who won first prize was named Watanabe Fukuzo. His design was chosen as the main plan.

The actual construction of the Diet Building took a long time, from 1920 to 1936. The building's overall shape and layout were based on Fukuzo's winning design. However, the unique roof and tall tower of the building might have been inspired by another architect's idea. This architect, Takeuchi Shinshichi, won third prize in the competition. People believe his design was chosen because it mixed ideas from both European and East Asian architecture.

It's still not completely clear where the idea for the "Pyramid" roof came from. But some historians, like Jonathan Reynolds, think it might have come from Shinshichi's design. Another historian, Zoe Strother, points out that Shinshichi's design looks a bit like the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. This ancient building was a model for many famous Western buildings in the early 1900s. Examples include the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C., and the Los Angeles City Hall.

Images for kids

  • Construction of Japanese Diet Hall March 1927

    Construction

  • Japanese Diet Hall Raising Ceremony 1927

    Ceremony

  • Japanese Diet Hall Dedication Ceremony

    Opening ceremony

  • Japanese Parliament in session

    Japanese Parliament in session

  • National Diet in 1930s

    National Diet Building in the 1930s

  • The First Post-war Diet opening ceremony 23 June 1947

    Post war (1947)

  • National Diet Building - Tokyo, Japan - DSC06736

    National Diet Building and skyscrapers

  • National Diet Building Central Hall P5030204

    National Diet Building Central Hall

  • National Diet Building Staircase P5030213

    Central stairwell

  • Emperor's Room, National Diet Building P5200323

    Gokyūshō (Emperor's room)

  • Japanese diet inside

    House of Councillors

  • Chamber of the House of Representatives of Japan

    House of Representatives

  • The House of Councillors, the upper house of the Diet 参議院本会議場 - panoramio

    The House of Councillors. Name plates are erected when in attendance.

  • Shimeihyo

    Name plate creation (1936).

  • Okinori Kaya at House Budget Committee

    Committee room during World War II (1944).

  • The First Japnese Diet Hall 1890-91

    First building

  • The Second Japnese Diet Hall 1891-1925

    Second building

  • National Diet Building Competition Submission Watanabe Fukuzo

    Fukuzo Watanabe's winning design in the National Diet Building design competition (1920)

  • Japanese Diet Hall Design by Fukuzo Watanabe

    Fukuzo Diet Building design

  • National Diet Building P5030133

    National Diet Building (2017).

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Edificio de la Dieta para niños

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