Concert halls aren't just venues to enjoy music, they're landmarks. And among the many scattered around Tokyo, Suntory Hall has had the distinction of being described as a "jewel box of sound" by Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-89).
The hall, which will hold a free open house on April 1, was constructed at the behest of Keizo Saji (1919-99), then president of the Suntory brewing and distilling company.
As Tokyo's first hall dedicated to classical music, Karajan was involved in the venue's design and its acoustical evaluation, resulting in the Main Hall's vineyard style, in which the seating wraps around the stage. He also reportedly told Saji that "a concert hall without a pipe organ is like a house without furniture," which led to the installation of an Austrian-made pipe organ in the Main Hall.