With the Meiji Restoration, Japan became a modern nation, and many modern buildings made of Western-inspired brick and stone began to be constructed in place of traditional wooden architecture. Among these, the capital, Tokyo, was the first in the country to have modern buildings constructed, and they played a major role in promoting Japan's modernization both domestically and internationally. The modern brick and stone buildings that remain in Tokyo are truly monumental, symbolizing Japan's modernization.

The Imperial Family also underwent modernization. Following the example of the royal families of the Western powers, many Western-style palace buildings were constructed. Of course, they were not just imitations; many original Japanese elements were also incorporated, demonstrating a fusion of Western and Japanese elements.

Railways are a symbol of Japan's modernization. Since the first railway in Japan opened in Tokyo in 1872, railways have continued to make a major contribution to Japan's modernization. In Tokyo, the original tracks and Tokyo Station, the hub of the national railway network, have been preserved as they were when it first opened, and you can still see these indispensable parts of Japan's railway history.

And what's most important is that many of these modern buildings were designed by Japanese people who had studied architecture in the West. Many modern buildings were built in Tokyo with designs by people such as Tatsuno Kingo and Katayama Tokuma, who are known as Japan's first architects. The modern architecture that remains in Tokyo vividly conveys the modernization of modern Japan, achieved by Japanese hands.

Tokyo had been steadily modernizing, but the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 brought about a major turning point. Many brick and stone buildings collapsed in the earthquake, and the search for earthquake-resistant modern architecture began.

Reinforced concrete construction was the modern building that attracted attention as it was earthquake-resistant, and many buildings using reinforced concrete were constructed in Tokyo after the Great Kanto Earthquake.

Three other steel bridges were also built as part of the reconstruction project, and are said to represent the pinnacle of architectural technology in modern Japan.

After the Great Kanto Earthquake, modern Japanese architecture moved beyond simply fusing Western and Japanese styles to seek architecture that could withstand earthquake disasters. As a result, Tokyo was formed as a city lined with modern earthquake-resistant buildings that are unparalleled in the world.

The above information can be summarized in the following figure:

Tokyo is rich in cultural assets that convey the city's modernization and recovery from the earthquake. These cultural assets, which have unique value as they have undergone modernization in response to earthquakes, are truly a cultural asset that we can be proud of around the world!

There are twenty-one in total.