Akasaka Palace, State guest house in Moto-Akasaka, Tokyo, Japan.
Akasaka Palace is a state guest house in the Moto-Akasaka district of central Tokyo, built in neo-baroque style with two stories and a central courtyard. The building includes reception halls with high ceilings, wide marble staircases, and a separate Japanese-style annex with traditional wooden construction.
The estate was constructed between 1899 and 1909 for the Crown Prince as an imperial residence and marked Japan's attempt to adopt European architecture. After World War II, the use shifted to officially hosting foreign state guests, beginning with a major renovation in the 1970s.
The name refers to Akasaka, a neighborhood in Minato historically known for its proximity to imperial residences. Visitors today discover in the rooms a connection between Western halls with crystal chandeliers and tea ceremony spaces with tatami mats.
Access is organized through three different tours: a walk through the garden, a visit to the Western rooms, or a guided tour of the Japanese annex with advance booking. The visit requires prior online registration, as spontaneous entry is only possible when places are available.
The main building's entrance roof and interior decorations carry samurai motifs, presenting the emperor as a warrior. The design drew on Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Versailles and Vienna's Hofburg. The site keeps part of its original moat, shown in prints by Hiroshige II.
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