Kasumigaseki

Kasumigaseki is a government district in Chiyoda, Tokyo, where the main buildings of Japanese ministries for Finance, Justice, and Foreign Affairs stand. The high-rises and wide streets create a modern cityscape with a quiet, business-like rhythm during weekdays.

Already during the Edo period this part of Tokyo served as a seat of government administration and remained a center of imperial authority. After World War II the new ministries were built here to manage Japan's democratic system.

The name refers to a mist that once rose from nearby moats and covered the streets. Today you see civil servants in dark suits moving between ministry buildings and taking lunch breaks at surrounding restaurants.

Kasumigaseki subway station connects three lines and offers quick access to all parts of the city. The district is busy during daytime, especially at lunch when restaurants and cafés fill up.

Tokyo's first high-rise stands here and was completed in the late 1960s when the city began growing vertically. The lower floors now house shops and restaurants visited daily by office workers.