Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Side profile of the bomb prototype.
Petwood Hotel Bouncing Bomb
RAF Harrington
RAF Harrington
The Beaux-arts interior with Pool layout still visible.
Écomusée du fier monde
Village du Livre de Fontenoy-la-Joûte
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
One of the PATH’s many entrances.
A Supposedly Boring Mall I Might Actually Visit Again
about 2 hours ago
People paddling in their wooden canoes on one of the lakes near the Allagash Waterway in the north woods in Maine
The Allagash Abductions: This State Park’s Most Famous Visitors ... Are Aliens?
1 day ago
The rocky Revere Beach coast in Revere, Massachusetts, just outside Boston.
Which Places With Bad Raps Are Actually Worth Visiting?
2 days ago
A dugong displays the telltale “smile.”
Saving the Sea Cows of Vanuatu
2 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Tokyo Gunkan Higashi Shinjuku

Gunkan Higashi Shinjuku

This battleship of a building was designed by a famed "mad architect."

Tokyo, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Gunkan Higashi Shinjuku in 2020.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Gunkan Higashi Shinjuku in 2020.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The building seen from front.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A closeup of the rooftop water tank.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The pre-renovation Battleship Building, 2009.   Wiiiii
The New Sky Building in 2010, before the renovation.   Jordy Meow / CC BY 3.0
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

After the end of World War II,  Yōji Watanabe, a former soldier of the Japanese Imperial Army’s naval unit, became an architect. He designed several notable, unique buildings that earned him the epithet “Mad Architect.”

One example of Watanabe’s unorthodox architectural designs can be found in the Shinjuku district of central Tokyo. Gunkan Higashi Shinjuku (formerly New Sky Building) is a 14-story building that is more commonly known as the Gunkan Biru (Battleship Building). As its nickname suggests, the building was designed to resemble a modern battleship. It has portholes for windows and a rooftop water tank that resembles the bridge of a ship. Completed in 1970, it was used for offices and residences.

Over the following four decades, however, the building grew decrepit. Though demolition was briefly considered, the structure was renovated and renamed Gunkan Higashi-Shinjuku Building. It is now a complex of condos, offices, and a gallery space. The building's color scheme has been changed, too, from stark gunmetal—which gave it another nickname, Iron Mansion—to mint green and grey. Today, it's considered one of the most significant examples of modern architecture in Tokyo.

Related Tags

Architecture Architectural Oddities World War Ii Military

Know Before You Go

Within a few minutes' walk from Higashi Shinjuku Station.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Edited By

Collector of Experiences

  • Collector of Experiences

Published

March 20, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.social-apartment.com/builds/tokyo/shinjuku-ku/view/35
  • https://oliverlins.com/stories/gunkan-higashi-shinjuku/
Gunkan Higashi Shinjuku
1-chōme-1-10 Ōkubo
Shinjuku City
Tokyo
Japan
35.698471, 139.705757
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Eye-Eating Demon of Inari Kio

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Samurai Museum

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Godzilla Head

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Places 220
Stories 13

Nearby Places

Eye-Eating Demon of Inari Kio

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Samurai Museum

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Godzilla Head

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Places 220
Stories 13

Related Places

  • Rows of railings.

    London, England

    London's Stretcher Railings

    The fences outside some of South London's estates are made from recycled World War II stretchers.

  • The Augenroller.

    Koblenz, Germany

    Augenroller (Eye Roller)

    Every half hour the eye-rolling clock face sticks out its tongue to mock the good citizens of Koblenz.

  • The Italian Church

    Orkney, Scotland

    The Italian Chapel

    This tin chapel was built by POW's during World War II and is painted to look like something much more grand.

  • Fukusai-ji Temple

    Nagasaki, Japan

    Fukusai-ji Temple

    The giant figure on the back of this turtle-shaped temple actually hides a memorial pendulum.

  • The hypocenter and surrounding devastation immediately after the detonation of the bomb

    Hiroshima, Japan

    Hiroshima's Hypocenter

    A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.

  • Concrete building at the abandoned Murphy Ranch.

    Los Angeles, California

    Rustic Canyon's Murphy Ranch

    World War II-era Nazi compound nestled in the Santa Monica hills.

  • Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

    Guomao Community

    High rises built to house displaced military personnel and their families form a unique cylindrical shape.

  • Bowmore Round Church

    Bowmore, Scotland

    Bowmore Round Church

    This remote Scottish island has the only round church in the nation.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.