At the same time, I would add that the American people have a lot of courage.

Japanese architecture is traditionally based on wooden structures that need renovating on a regular basis.

Spiritual space is lost in gaining convenience. I saw the need to create a mixture of Japanese spiritual culture and modern western architecture.

In the West there has always been the attempt to try make the religious building, whether it's a Medieval or Renaissance church, an eternal object for the celebration of God. The material chosen, such as stone, brick, or concrete, is meant to eternally preserve what is inside.

When I design buildings, I think of the overall composition, much as the parts of a body would fit together. On top of that, I think about how people will approach the building and experience that space.

We borrow from nature the space upon which we build.

Working in Tokyo has convinced me that, contrary to what people think, it is actually one of the world's most beautiful cities.