State Guest House Akasaka Palace 迎賓館赤坂離宮

Tour this grand palace built for the Crown Prince

Originally built as a residence for the Crown Prince of the Imperial Family, State Guest House, Akasaka Palace is now an official accommodation for visiting state dignitaries. A portion of the palace is open to the public for tours.

This impressive palace is one of two residences belonging to the Japanese government. The palace was built in 1909 in the European Neo-Baroque style, closely resembling Buckingham Palace. It was designed by Katayama Tokuma, a student of British architect Josiah Conder, who designed many public buildings in Tokyo and became a controversial symbol of westernization during the Meiji era (1868-1912).

Rent audio guide and discover more about the palace, such as a selection of its ornately decorated rooms at the main building. Audio guides are available in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese and Korean. Visits to the Japanese Style Annex are available with English guided trip in the afternoon. Make a reservation online to make your trip smoother. If the trip doesn’t reach the fixed number on the day, it is possible to sign up for the trip at the reception desk.