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[Tokyo ]Must-see for travel and sightseeing! 7 recommended historical buildings

[Tokyo ]Must-see for travel and sightseeing! 7 recommended historical buildings

2021-10-07 Management office

There are many historical buildings that are must-sees for sightseeing in Tokyo, including buildings that have been recreated as they were when they were built and historical buildings that remain as they are. We will introduce some of these buildings that are worth seeing, so please visit them when you come to Tokyo.
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Tokyo Station



The historic red brick Tokyo Station, originally completed in 1914, has been restored to its original appearance. It was designed in the Renaissance style by Kingo Tatsuno. The station building has been designated a National Important Cultural Property, and once inside, the octagonal ceiling and eagle sculpture from the time of its founding stand out as overwhelmingly beautiful. The magnificent red brick building is very conspicuous and has a strong presence even from a distance. It took its current form in 2012, with the red brick building as it was when it was built, including the portion that was lost in the Tokyo Air Raid.

Also light up!



It is lit up at night, creating a very romantic atmosphere.
Tokyo Station, where the Shinkansen bullet train stops, is a terminal station where JR and Tokyo Metro trains also stop, and is a popular tourist spot with many pedestrians. Inside the station is the Tokyo Station Hotel, a famous classic hotel, which was also renovated in 2012 to create a luxurious space.

"Facility Information "
Facility name: Tokyo Station (Tokyo-Kyoku-eki)
Address: 1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005, Japan
Phone number: 050-2016-1600 (JR East Inquiry Center)
Hours of operation: 6:00 - 24:00
Closed: Open every day
Budget: Free
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: The building was completed in 1914 and restored to its original appearance in 2012. The red brick Renaissance style offers a glimpse into the history of the building.
URL:https://www.jreast.co.jp/estation/stations/1039.html

Guest House Akasaka Rikyu



It is a guesthouse located in Minato Ward, which provides hospitality when welcoming state guests. Built in 1909 as the Crown Prince's Palace, it is a true palace with a stone neo-Baroque exterior modeled after Buckingham Palace in England. Visitors can casually enter inside and tour the main building, garden, and Japanese-style annex. Although there is no dress code, it is forbidden to enter the grounds in clothing that would demean the guesthouse and disturb public morals, so be careful not to expose skin or wear sandals.

Afternoon tea is also available!



Although limited to 20 servings a day, you can enjoy afternoon tea with a superb British atmosphere. The afternoon tea is brought to you in a kitchen car in the front yard, and you can enjoy the special atmosphere of an authentic afternoon tea served outside. It is recommended to spend an elegant moment while enjoying the view of the Guest House.


"Facility Information "
Facility name: Geihinkan
Address: 2-1-1 Moto-Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0051, Japan
Phone number: 03-3478-1111
Hours of operation: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Wednesdays, Year-end and New Year holidays
Budget: Adults 1,000 yen/Junior high and high school students 500 yen
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: The guest house is a stone neo-baroque style building inspired by Buckingham Palace in England.
URL:https://www.geihinkan.go.jp/akasaka/

The University of Tokyo



The buildings of the University of Tokyo are also historical structures. Many of these buildings are registered as National Tangible Cultural Properties, including the former Kaga Yashiki Goshomon (Red Gate) on the Hongo Campus, which is a National Important Cultural Property, the former Tokyo Medical School Main Building, Yasuda Auditorium, Hongo Main Gate and Gate Office, and the Faculty of Law and Letters Building No. 1 on the Hakusan Campus.
After all, the most famous are the poplar trees and the Red Gate. It is also recommended to visit famous places that you may have seen at least once.

Famous as a photo spot



Akamon is a famous photo spot. Many people take pictures here first when they arrive at Todai. Currently it is not open due to measures to ensure earthquake resistance, but once the construction is finished, you can take pictures in front of the open Akamon. It is said that Todai is "a narrow gate "from the fact that the Red Gate of Todai is narrow. The university is also home to Natsume Soseki's Sanshiro Pond, and it is possible to take a leisurely stroll through the large grounds.

"Facility Information "
Name of Institution: The University of Tokyo (Tokyo Daigaku)
Address: 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan
Phone number: 03-3812-2111
Hours of operation: 6:00 am to 24:30 pm at the gate.
Closed: Open every day
Budget: Free
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: The University of Tokyo, the largest university in Japan, has a number of nationally registered tangible cultural properties, including the Red Gate, a nationally important cultural property.
URL:https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ja/index.html

Nikolaido (Tokyo Resurrection Cathedral)



The Tokyo Resurrection Cathedral, the cathedral of the Japan Orthodox Church, is the cathedral that remembers the resurrection of Iesus Haristos. Designed by Russian artist Shtulpov, the brick structure has a unique atmosphere.
Featuring a 35-meter-high domed roof, it is one of the largest Byzantine-style church buildings in Japan, completed in 1891, and is now designated as a National Important Cultural Property.
With the sound of a large Russian bell and five small Polish bells, it stands as a healing presence for the people.

Everywhere is elaborate.



It is also possible to participate in the all-night vigil on Saturday night, the Eucharistic Adoration in the morning on Sunday morning, and other services such as the Jubilee and the Easter Vigil. Visitors are also welcome to see the inside of the cathedral outside of service times (for a fee). The hours are from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. from April to September, and from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. from October to March.
We invite you to appreciate the meticulous attention to detail and the beauty of the architecture.

"Facility Information "
Name of facility: Nikolai-do (Tokyo Resurrection Cathedral)
Address: 4-1-3 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062
Phone number: 03-3295-6879
Hours: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. from April to September, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. from October to March.
Closed: Open every day
Budget: Donations
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: The Tokyo Resurrection Cathedral, located in Surugadai, is a brick church.
URL:https://www.orthodoxjapan.jp/annai/t-tokyo.html

Yamamoto-Tei (aristocratic pavilion in a Shinto shrine)



A two-story, pure Japanese-style house with a touch of Taisho romanticism. Yamamoto-tei, built at the end of the Taisho era (1912-1926), is open to the public. Not only the architecture, but also the garden is magnificent and has been selected as a historical building by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The garden, which has a total floor space of 3,760 square meters, is designed as a shoin garden with a waterfall and stepping stones, and attracts many visitors.

There's also a coffee shop inside.



Matcha green tea, coffee, zenzai, and other sweet treats can be enjoyed while admiring the garden. Matcha comes with a nerikiri (a paste of sweetened rice), and chilled matcha and coffee are served with baked sweets. We recommend that you stop by when you visit the garden, as you can enjoy them in a relaxing atmosphere while looking at the magnificent garden.


"Facility Information "
Name of establishment: Yamamoto Tei
Address: 7-19-32 Shibamata, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 125-0052
Phone number: 03-3657-8577
Hours of operation: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed: 3rd Tuesday of the month, 3rd Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in December
Budget: 100 yen
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: Visitors can tour the entire two-story, pure Japanese-style house built at the end of the Taisho era (1912-1926). There is a coffee shop inside to enjoy the Taisho retro atmosphere as it is.
URL:https://www.city.katsushika.lg.jp/institution/1000094/1006823.html

Free School Tomorrow Hall



The school is a collection of buildings designed by architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Arata Endo.
It is designated as a National Important Cultural Property and is open to the public as a cultural asset. It is also used for weddings and other events, and concerts are held there. Guided tours are available, and the open wooden-framed windows that look like stained glass and the Western-style toilets from the early Showa period are beautifully preserved, as is the dining room on the second floor. If you request a tour, you can not only see the architecture on the grounds, but you can also take a tour with tea, and even drinks are served during the nighttime tours. Coffee and specialty cookies are available.

Assorted cookies from the famous Shinonomino Saryo



At the Shinonomoso Saryo, a store housed in the retro-inspired Ashinokan, visitors can eat handmade cookies, lunch, and bread made mainly by alumni, and buy souvenirs to take back home.
Cookie tins are popular as souvenirs and the contents change with the seasons; there are tins from No. 1 to No. 4, with sizes and prices varying, so take your pick. There are also bags for sale for your own use.

"Facility Information "
Facility name: Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan (Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan)
Address: 2-31-3 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0021
Phone number: 03-3971-7535
Hours: Regular tours 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Night tours Third Fridays 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Holiday tours 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed: Monday
Budget: 500 yen for visit only
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: A space in Ikebukuro where buildings designated as national important cultural properties stand side by side and are open for guided tours.
URL:https://www.jiyu.jp/

Old folk houses in Meguro-ku



The Meguro-ku Old Private House in Suzume no Oyado Ryokuchi Park is a relocated version of the main house of the Kuriyama family from the Edo period. Suzume no Oyado Ryokuchi Park also has an atmospheric park with a thick bamboo grove that conveys the atmosphere of that period. The building itself is in a very well-preserved state, and visitors can go inside for a tour. Because it is located behind a bamboo grove, it has the atmosphere of a house that might have appeared in an old Japanese tale.

The inside also shows the life of those days.



The inside of the building is well preserved and has a dimly lit, atmospheric interior. The kitchen of those days, the cooking area, has been completely reconstructed, including the kamado. The fire in the kitchen is also a good indication of the way of life in those days. Once inside, visitors are given a brief guided tour of the house, so feel free to take a look around. The bamboo grove can be viewed from the porch, giving visitors the illusion of being at a resort. Various events are also held frequently in accordance with the four seasons for your enjoyment.

"Facility Information "
Name of facility: Meguro Kouminka (old private house in Meguro-ku)
Address: 3-11-22 Himonya, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0003, Japan Ward Suzume no Oyado Ryokuchi Park, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0003, Japan Old house
Phone number: 03-3714-8882
Hours of operation: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Closed: Monday and Tuesday
Budget: Free
No smoking and smoking: No smoking in the entire building
Space and Facilities: You can easily visit an old house from the Edo period in the Suzume no Oyado Green Park. They are very well preserved, and although there are some restrictions, the way of life in those days is recreated for visitors to enjoy.
URL:https://www.city.meguro.tokyo.jp/shisetsu/shisetsu/bijutsu/kominka/kominka.html

summary

In addition to the historical buildings introduced here, there are many other fascinating buildings that you should visit with your sightseeing in Tokyo.

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