Nov. 29, 2021

Nippon Steel Corporation

The project for renovating the main hall of the Jodo Buddhism sect Daihonzan Zojoji Temple (Minato-ku, Tokyo) is now complete featuring the designing titanium TranTixxii^® from Nippon Steel Corporation (hereafter "Nippon Steel") for its roof tiles. The roofing area was 4,235 square meters (approx. 22 tons, 60,000 titanium tiles), making this renovation the biggest titanium roofing project ever.

Zojoji Temple* is promoting a special project to celebrate the 850th anniversary of the Jodo Buddhism sect in 2024. In accordance with the desire to carefully preserve its history and traditions from the time of its founding in 1393 into the future, Zojoji Temple decided to replace the roof of its main hall for the first time in about 50 years as part of this renovation project. About 500 tons of clay tiles were used for the roof of its previous main hall, which was restored in 1974 after being burned down in the air raid in 1945. Replacing this roofing with titanium tiles has reduced its weight to about one tenth of what it was. Nippon Steel's designing titanium TranTixxii^® reduces the weight for increased seismic durability while achieving both high corrosion resistance and sophisticated design, passing down the timelessly refined design of traditional roof tiles to future generations.

Because the high corrosion resistance of titanium helps reduce the maintenance load and expand the lifespan of buildings, this material has been increasingly used especially for traditional architecture to be passed down to the next generation. Moreover, the designing titanium TranTixxii^® has been used for ever more diverse purposes such as radiant metallic ornaments for its versatile design expressions. TranTixxii^® has been used for over 700 buildings in and out of Japan, including Zojoji Temple and other traditional Japanese shrines and temples as well as famous theaters, convention centers, hotels, churches and museums.

Nippon Steel is in constant pursuit of the world's best technologies and manufacturing capabilities. We continuously contribute to social development while staying compliant with the Sustainable Development Goals, or the SDGs (“11. Sustainable Cities and Communities” with its target “11.4. Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage”) adopted by the United Nations.

* Zojoji Temple: Founded in 1393. Zojoji Temple is the Daihonzan (head temple) of the Jodo Buddhism sect (established in 1175) in eastern Japan and is the counterpart of Sohonzan Chion-in Temple in western Japan. It is an important venue for the training required to get certified as a Jodo sect monk. One of the temples that represent Tokyo, Zojoji Temple is also known for having been the family temple of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

<Project overview>

• Project name: Celebratory project for the 850th anniversary of the Jodo Buddhism sect (Total roof replacement for the main hall of the Jodo Buddhism sect Daihonzan Zojoji Temple)
  
• Project owner: Daihonzan Zojoji Temple
• Location: Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo
• Design and construction: Shimizu Corporation
• Roof products and construction: Gantan Beauty Industry Co., Ltd.
• Construction scale: 4,235 m2 (approx. 60,000 tiles) (amount of titanium used: approx. 22 tons)
• Completion: October 2021 (Started in October 2020)
  

▼TranTixxii^® brand website
https://www.nipponsteel.com/en/product/trantixxii/
▼TranTixxii^® catalog download
https://www.nipponsteel.com/en/product/trantixxii/catalog/

 

 

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