Paper Dome

In 1995, the devastating Kobe earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck Japan and resulted in more than 6,400 deaths and over 43,000 injuries. Its effects also included the ruin of 250,000 buildings. Millions of volunteers from across the country converged on Kobe to help victims and the recovery, and the well-known Japanese architect Shigeru Ban was one of them.

During the earthquake, 60% of the buildings within Kobe were badly damaged, including Takatori Catholic Church, where the Jesus statue miraculously remained intact despite the utter devastation created by the earthquake. Believing that it was Jesus that made his power felt here, the locals then called for immediate renovation of the church. That was when Shigeru Ban stepped forward and offered his talent. Cardboard tubes were chosen as the main structural material. Although each paper tube weighs no more than 60 kg, they are able to support weight up to 1,500 kg each, equivalent to the weight of 20 people. With the help of 160 volunteers, this temporary church was built up in merely five weeks and named “Paper Dome,” serving as a sobering reminder of the catastrophe that brought people all together.

However, as the number of residents continued to grow, this temporary church was no longer able to accommodate all the worshippers. In 2005, the local government decided to replace the old structure with a new concrete one. At that time, the president of New Homeland Foundation (新故鄉文教基金會) happened to be on a visit to Japan to attend a series of activities held to mark the 10th anniversary of the Kobe earthquake. Learning that the Paper Dome was soon to be torn down, the president made a proposal that this memorable building should extend its existence by being relocated to Nantou, which was most severely hit by the 921 Earthquake in 1999.

On 29 May 2005, the last service was held, and local residents bid farewell to the church that had helped them through the hard times. In 2008, Paper Dome found a new life and mission in the Taomi Community (桃米社區) of Puli Township and continues to soothe the victims of natural disasters.