Akasaka Palace Palace

Address: State Guest House (Akasaka Palace), 2‑1‑1 Moto‑Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo, Japan

Website: https://www.geihinkan.go.jp/english/akasaka/

Admission: Free (public guided tours are available by reservation)

Akasaka Palace in Tokyo is Japan’s State Guest House, a large Neo-Baroque style official building used to host visiting foreign dignitaries and state events. The main structure dates to the early 20th century and is one of the principal ceremonial buildings of the Japanese government.

Visitors who obtain permission can see richly decorated reception rooms, banquet halls and formal staircases that reflect Western-influenced architecture of the period. The surrounding grounds include formal gardens used for state functions.

The complex was completed in the early 1900s and has been repurposed over the decades to serve as the national State Guest House. It has undergone conservation and interior upgrades while retaining its historical style and ceremonial use.

The palace sits in the Moto-Akasaka area of Minato Ward in central Tokyo, within easy reach of the political district around Nagatacho and the Imperial Palace area.

• Public access: Interior guided tours are available to the public by reservation and are the primary way to see the main state rooms and reception halls.

Akasaka Palace (the State Guest House) sits in central Tokyo’s Akasaka district. The nearest convenient metro stop is Akasaka-mitsuke (Tokyo Metro Ginza and Marunouchi lines), from which the palace is roughly a 10-15 minute walk; Tameike-Sannō / Nagatachō area stations are also within similar walking distance. By car it is a short drive from central Tokyo - about 4-5 km from Tokyo Station - accessible via major roads such as Aoyama-dori or the inner-city ring roads; travel time is typically 15-25 minutes depending on traffic.

• Reserve an interior tour of Akasaka Palace well in advance through the official booking channels; public tours are scheduled and require ID/security checks on arrival.
• Approach the palace from Akasaka-mitsuke or Tameike-sanno stations and allow extra time for security screening-the building sits in the government district and access is controlled.
• On a tour, prioritize the State Banquet Hall and the formal gardens; note that interior photography is typically restricted, while exterior and garden photos are allowed.