Mitsubishi unveils design for Japan’s tallest skyscraper

“Tokyo Torch” would rise 1,279 feet above city’s busiest rail hub

Rendering of the Tokyo Tokiwabashi project (Courtesy of Mitsubishi)
Rendering of the Tokyo Tokiwabashi project (Courtesy of Mitsubishi)

One of Japan’s largest developers has unveiled new renderings for what could become the country’s tallest building upon completion in 2027.

Mitsubishi Estate first announced that it would build the 1,279-square-foot building back in 2016, but revealed new details about the project — including its name, Tokyo Torch — earlier this month, CNN reported.

The name is reportedly inspired by the developers’ desire for the building to be a beacon for Tokyo, but its shape and undulating crown vaguely resemble a torch topped with flames.

At nearly 1,300 feet, the Tokyo Torch would easily surpass any of Japan’s existing or planned skyscrapers. The country’s tallest existing tower is the 984-foot Abeno Harukas in Osaka. Developer Mori Building Co. is set to complete an approximately 1,082-foot skyscraper in Tokyo, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, by 2023.

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The 63-story skyscraper will anchor a 338,000-square-foot urban development near Tokyo’s main railway hub. Most of the building will be dedicated to office space, although there will be retail and a bathhouse on the lower floors, and a 100-room hotel and an observation deck on the upper floors.

Mitsubishi Estate’s 3.1-acre development site is within the Tokiwabashi district, and is on the largest city block facing Tokyo Station, the country’s busiest rail station.

The developer is set to complete the first major building in the project, the 696-foot-tall Tokiwabashi Tower, next year. A 75,000-square-foot public plaza will be situated between the two skyscrapers, and will include a koi pond and a waterfront promenade. [CNN] — Dennis Lynch