Taketa Castle Town Plaza

Taketa Castle Town Plaza in Oita was designed by Kuma Kengo, the architect behind the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, and opened in 2020. The exterior is decorated with bamboo poles, a reference to the city's name meaning 'bamboo field,' creating a visual link with his nearby renovation of the Taketa History and Culture Museum. The plaza serves as a community center, with an outdoor deck used for concerts and a parking lot that hosts food truck festivals and seasonal events. It functions primarily as a gathering space for residents, but the bamboo facade and Kuma's signature material sensibility make it worth a look for architecture enthusiasts passing through.