Tokyo Mosque and Cultural Center has been chosen into 40 elite buildings that lend colour to Japanese Architecture by the Architectural Institute of Japan in 2002.
Juror Watanabe Makoto Shin's comment: "Anyone passing nearby Yoyogi Uehara station could not probably help focusing their attention and stimulating their curiosity when they witness a awesome-looking building that embodies the quintessence of Islamic architecture standing right in front of their eyes. It is no wonder that this building is attracting many Japanese who pay their visit mostly for sightseeing and leave with full of content after being astonished and stunned by the incredibly articulate design works done to the mosque. The overall design of the building is highly appropriate for a cultural center that aims to serve as a symbolic bridge that links Turkey and Japan. In any case, it may be reasonable enough to say that this building designed by Mr. Senalp on the basis of his reference to the architectural style established by Sinan, the great architect of the 16th century, has given him a sense of motivation to work on this project that is quite similar to the challenging spirit shared by those specializing in traditional architecture in Japan who are asked to construct a Japanese temple or shrine in a foreign country."
