A Garden Icon Reborn
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Ambling through the lush gardens that surround the Hotel, you can’t help but notice the relics of Japanese history. Stone statues and lanterns date back almost 1000 years and retain just as much charm and detail today. But more majestic than any other is the three-story pagoda that stands as a physical symbol of Chinzan-so.
Dating back over 500 years, the pagoda was built in the early Heian period (794–1185) by renowned scholar and poet Ono no Takamura (802–853). Just one of only three wooden pagodas in Tokyo, it was built in Hiroshima and only transported to it’s current site in 1925.
After gracing Chinzan-so with its stately elegance for decades, it’s set for its latest rebirth: a multi-million dollar renovation. Lead by expert craftspeople trained in traditional Japanese building methods, the refurbished pagoda will lose years of wear and go back to its original glory. The copper roof, previously tarnished green with age will be shiny and new. Be sure to take in this stunning sight before the next chapter in its storied history.
