Wondering what to do on your trip to Japan? Discover the best sights and things to do as recommended by the locals.
Sightseeing
Kokyogaien National Garden（皇居外苑）
Kokyogaien National Garden is located in the Imperial Palace Grounds. The residences of the Shogunate’s officials were once lined up here during the Edo period (1603-1868). Today, the garden is a popular square in front of the Imperial Palace. It is lined with lawns and pines. Sakuradamon Gate and Nijubashi Bridge are also located in this corner of the Imperial Grounds. Wadakura Fountain Park, which was redeveloped on the occasion of the marriage of Emperor Imakami, is also a good place to visit.
- Address: 1-1 Kokyogaien, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-3213-0095
- Official Website: https://fng.or.jp/koukyo/en/
Sakuradamon Gate（桜田門）
Sakuradamon Gate guards the entrance to the Imperial Palace Plaza from Kasumigaseki. In 1860, Chief Minister Naosuke Ii was assassinated just outside the Sakuradamon Gate of Edo castle (known as Sakuradamon-gai no Hen).
Official Website: https://www.env.go.jp/garden/kokyogaien/
Nijubashi Bridge（二重橋）
Nijubashi Bridge is the popular, but historically misleading name, given to a complex of two adjacent bridges leading to the Imperial Palace. The name is often identified with the stone, meganebashi (eyeglass bridge) that parallels its sister iron bridge which has a stronger claim to the title. These bridges once provided access to the Nishinomaru Ote-mon Gate of Edo Castle. From the bridges, one can observe the 16m high Fushimi-yagura watchtower.
Official Website: https://www.env.go.jp/garden/kokyogaien/
The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace（皇居東御苑）
This is the original site of Edo Castle, the headquarters of the Tokugawa Shogunate, built in 1457. The garden, now a special historical site, contains remains of the castle including gates, turrets and stone walls, within its 210,000 square meters of land. Many of the original artifices remain. There is also the Sannomaru Shozokan, which exhibits artifacts of the imperial family.
Official Website: https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-about/shisetsu/higashigyoen-map.html
Wadakura Fountain Park（和田倉噴水公園）
This park, located near the Imperial Palace, was built in 1961 to commemorate the wedding of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. The water fall is 5.5m high and is 30m wide.
- Address: 3-1 Kokyogaien, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Official Website (Japanese Only): http://www.w-funsuikouen-r.com/
Meiji Seimei Kan（明治生命館）
The building features a colonnade of Corinthian columns and decorations of acanthus-leaf motif in the entrances as well as the ceiling. You can visit the second-floor conference room which was used as a venue for meetings of the Allied Control Council after World War II.
- Address: 2-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-3283-9252
- Hours: 11:00 – 17:00
- Closed On: 31 December through 3 January
- Official Website: https://www.myplaza.jp/en/about/meiji_seimeikan.html
Tokyo International Forum（東京国際フォーラム）
Tokyo International Forum consists of four halls and a glass building where various events are held. The Forum Art Shop is located on the first floor. The Mitsuo Aida Museum is located on the basement floor.
- Address: 3-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-5221-9000
- Hours: 10:00 – 17:30
- Official Website: https://www.t-i-forum.co.jp/en/
Skyscraper
Shin Marunouchi Building（新丸の内ビルディング）
This is a large-scale, 38-story commercial complex in front of Tokyo station. From the first basement floor to the seventh floor is a commercial zone where you can enjoy a variety of shops including fashion, general merchandise, and restaurants. More than 150 shops and restaurants are in the complex.
- Address: 1-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-5218-5100
- Hours: Shops: 11:00 – 21:00 / Restaurants: 11:00 – 23:00
- Closed On: Mondays
- Official Website: https://www.marunouchi.com/building/shinmaru/
Marunouchi Building（丸の内ビルディング）
This is a large-scale 37-story commercial complex in front of Tokyo station. The shopping zone spans the first basement floor to the fourth floor. Restaurant zones are located on the 5th and 6th floors as well as the 35th and 36th floors.
- Address: 2-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-5218-5100
- Hours: Shops: 11:00 – 21:00 / Restaurants: 11:00 – 23:00
- Official Website: https://www.marunouchi.com/building/marubiru/
Shopping
KITTE（KITTE丸の内）
Literally translated as “postage stamp,” KITTE is a commercial complex across from Tokyo Station. This is a large facility located on the lower level of the JAPAN POST Tower. In it, you will find sophisticated Japanese craftsmanship and local products from all over Japan. Over 100 shops, including fashion, lifestyle, gourmet, and more, have been gathered there. Limited original goods are sold in Tokyo Central Post Office on the first floor.
- Address: 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-3216-2811
- Hours: Shops: 11:00 – 21:00 / Restaurants: 11:00 – 23:00
- Closed On: New Year’s Day
- Official Website: https://marunouchi.jp-kitte.jp/gb/index.jsp#googtrans(en)
Tokyo Station City（東京ステーションシティ）
A vast commercial facility in and around the ticket gates of JR Tokyo Station. Various products are lined up at GRANSTA and Grand Gourmet inside the ticket gates.
Official Website: http://www.tokyostationcity.com/en/
Museum
Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum（三菱一号館美術館）
The Mitsubishi Ichigokan, built by the Mitsubishi conglomerate in 1894, is a museum that holds exhibitions of mainly modern art. The first office building in Maruouchi, it was restored and opened as a museum. The works of Toulouse-Lautrec, Odilon Redon, and Felix Vallotton can be seen here.
- Address: 2-6-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-5777-8600
- Hours: 10:00 – 18:00
- Closed On: Mondays
- Official Website: https://mimt.jp/english/
Idemitsu Museum of Arts（出光美術館）
The museum houses the collection of Sazo Idemitsu, the founder of Idemitsu Kosan. It includes paintings, calligraphy, ceramics and other artforms of famous artists. The Ban Dainagon Ekotoba, considered one of the four major emaki (illustrated scroll), is on display.
- Address: 9th Floor, Teigeki Bldg., 3-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-5777-8600
- Hours: 10:00 – 17:00 (Friday: 10:00 – 19:00)
- Closed On: Mondays
- Admission Fee: JPY1,200
- Official Website: http://idemitsu-museum.or.jp/en/
The National Museum of Modern Art（東京国立近代美術館）
Japan’s first national art museum is located across the street from the Imperial Palace. The museum displays approximately 200 selected works of art. The museum traces the lineage of Japanese art from the Meiji period (1868-1912) to the present day.
- Address: 3-1 Kitanomaru koen, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-5777-8600
- Hours: 10:00 – 17:00 (Friday and Saturday: 10:00 – 20:00)
- Closed On: Mondays
- Admission Fee: JPY500
- Official Website: https://www.momat.go.jp/english/
Park
Hibiya Park（日比谷公園）
This is a popular urban park with a large fountain, Western-style flowerbeds, and a Japanese garden. The park was established in 1903 during the Meiji era as Japan’s first modern Western-style park. In the park, there are ginkgo trees and stone lanterns.
There is a famous western-style restaurant called Hibiya Matsumotoro near the park.
- Address: 1-6 Hibiya koen, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Phone: +81-3-3501-6428
