Bill Coaldrake brought the Taitokuin, the mausoleum of the second Tokugawa Shogun, Hidetada, back to life through his exemplary lecture, Taitokuin Reborn. The mausoleum itself, in the grounds of Zōjōji temple some three kilometres south of Edo Castle, was destroyed in the closing days of the Second World War. Whereas the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu, became a Shinto avatar, Tōshō Daigongen, enshrined in the recently restored Nikkō Tōshōgu shrine north of the capital, in a clear differentiation from the past, Hidetada chose to identify closely with Buddhism and, as recorded by Basil Hall Chamberlain in 1905, his mausoleum was regarded as the most magnificent set of buildings in Tokyo at the time.
Although the Taitokuin itself no longer exists, the history of Japanese architecture (and us) are most fortunate in that the city of Tokyo presented King George V with a highly detailed miniature of the building for the Great Japan Exhibition of 1910. Coaldrake explained the remarkable history of this structure, from its display in the Orangery at Kew Gardens following the closing of the Exhibition, through to its dismantlement in 1958, its return to Japan in 2014, its eventual restoration (overseen by Coaldrake himself) to an NHK Special documentary, viewed by millions when it was broadcast the evening before our Third Thursday. The 1/10th scale version was created by no less than 150 artists, with astonishing attention to detail, from the copper sheet shingle roofing (the roof alone weighed some 400 kilogrammes) through to the dovetailed joinery. As Coaldrake recounted, the presenter of the NHK Special, upon his first sight of the fully restored structure, proclaimed that this was no mere model (mokei ja nai!): it was a manifestation of “Meiji period decorative arts at their most superlative”.
Almost as extraordinary as the building itself was the story of Coaldrake’s engagement with it. Taken to the Nikko Tōshōgu in the early 1950s by his parents (at a time when the area around Zōjōji and so much of Tokyo and the rest of Japan was simply “ashes and rubble”), a photograph showed the young Coaldrake seemingly fully absorbed by the architectural delights before him. Coaldrake guided us through the architectural details in a comprehensive and engaging narrative, introducing us to all the key figures involved both in Japan and the UK. He closed his talk giving voice to the building itself, a cultural ambassador in its own right featuring in this extended case study of model diplomacy, and showing not only the people of Tokyo, but all of us, a fascinating and poignant glimpse of what had been lost.
We hope to be doing more with Japanese architectural history, and Coaldrake’s talk was an inspiration for us in this endeavour.
Professor Simon Kaner
Executive Director
For those interested in visiting, the Taitokuin Mausoleum Model is on permanent display at:
Zojoji Treasures Gallery 増上寺宝物館展示室
Basement Level, Daiden (大殿 Great Hall)
Opening Hours
Monday, Wednesday-Friday：11:00-15:00 (closed Tuesdays)
Weekends: 10:00-16:00
You can also visit Tokugawa Hidetada’s grave at the same time.
Best to check website here to confirm opening hours before you visit.
Note; Temporary closure for exhibition change (not the model): 22-31 December, 2026