A diverse group of Japanese architects with different design philosophies create the notion of Japanese architecture as a monolithic and well-established architectural discourse. This study examines how, in an era of globalized architectural language, these architects were able and continue to sustain their Japanese “distinction” and national character. They manage to break the Eurocentrism in architecture and, in some periods, provide the sole alternative to the West. The project examines the history of establishing the contemporary Japanese discourse and traces its narrative through architectural periodicals as the most important media used by architects to communicate their ideas in the 20th century. Following several European magazines the research traces the changes in representation and contextualization of Japanese architecture for the European audience and examines the construction of Japan-ness in architecture. What does Japan-ness in architecture mean and how is it sustained?