Culture and History around Gaiemmae

Meiji Jingu Gaien is central to understanding the history and culture of Gaiemmae. Developed in the Taisho era, the vista from the ginkgo avenue toward the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery remains one of the district's defining urban landscapes. The Picture Gallery was completed in 1926 as a reinforced-concrete building, with its central dome reaching 32.1 meters above ground, and displays paintings depicting events of the Meiji period. Nearby Meiji Jingu Stadium and Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium also mean that the area has long-standing connections not only with art and architecture but with Japanese baseball and rugby culture. Toward Aoyama, shops and cultural venues associated with design, architecture and fashion add a contemporary dimension. The coexistence of historic landscape and modern creative culture is therefore a defining characteristic, while preservation of that landscape and greenery remains an important issue in the ongoing redevelopment.