Former House of the Asakura Family

Walking distance from Daikanyama Station, Tokyo, JAPAN
Important Cultural Property / Nationally Designated / Buildings

(Photo of Former House of Asakura Family by (c) TeaTimeTokyo)

Former House of the Asakura Family is one of the remaining houses built before the Great Kanto Earthquake in the central Tokyo district. It was completed in 1919.

Each room having a different style of design and its circuit style garden designed alongside the cliff-line of the land, it is nationally designated as an Important Cultural Property. It was built in the boundary of the residential area which was expanding rapidly at the time, and is considered a material of historic importance in Japanese house design.

Meiji (or Seitoku) Memorial Picture Gallery, in the outer garden of Meiji Jingu Shrine

Walking distance from Shinano-machi Station etc., Tokyo, JAPAN
Important Cultural Property / Nationally designated / Buildings

Panorama of Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery with the golden trees in front in autumn
(Photo by http://komekami.sakura.ne.jp/)

Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery was completed in 1925 to exhibit the Meiji emperor's achievements in his era when Japan had experienced the rapid revolution since the Meiji Restoration where Japan opened the country to the world for diplomatic relations after the 200+ year seclusion policy.

Particular attention is given to the wall art where the main events in Meiji era are drawn chronologically and some other drawings which show the politics, culture and manners of the era.

Even after the Gallery closes at 17:00 (Admission closes even earlier by 30 min at 16:30), you can enjoy the Gallery exterior illuminated after the sunset till 22:30. In addition, especially in autumn, when the lined gingko biloba trees in front turn gold, you can enjoy a wonderful panorama view as shown in the photo above in the day time, too.

The Gallery manages Japanese Culture School where they provide lessons of Japanese flower arrangement, calligraphy, tea ceremony, picture painting and traditional dance etc. (Language availability is unknown yet...)

Other than the Picture Gallery, there are many enjoyable places in the outer garden of Meiji Jingu Shrine. To name a few, the beer garden (summer time only), park for kids, driving range, ice-skating, tennis/futsal courts, etc.  For details, go to the linked official website below.

Ohkuma Auditorium, Waseda University

Walking distance from Waseda Station etc., Tokyo, JAPAN
Important Cultural Property / Nationally designated / Buildings

Panorama of the interior, Ohkuma Auditorium (Photo by (c) TeaTime Tokyo)

Okuma Auditorium of Waseda University was planned when the founder, Shigenobu Ohkuma, passed away and was completed in 1927 for holding University's ceremonies. It is still in use not only for the ceremonies of the University and its affiliated schools, but also is offered for rentals for public / private events.

Its ceiling has an oval window, which portrays the universe of the Sun, the Moon, and the planets. It implies the fusion of the inside and the outside of the auditorium.

To get through to the inside, there are guided tours several times a month with advance reservation. The tours cover several valuable spots all over the campus and takes about 1.5 hours. Language availability is unknown. Suggest you inquire the campus tour reception below.

Sakurada-mon Gate, Former Edo Castle (Currently one of the gates of the Imperial Palace)

Walking distance from Sakuradamon Station etc., Tokyo, JAPAN
Important Cultural Property / Nationally Designated / Buildings

Panorama of Sakurada-mon Gate (dual-gate), the gate on your right is the outer gate and the gate on your left is the inner gate where they could snipe enemies passing through the outer gate (Photo by (c)TeaTime Tokyo)

Sakurada-mon Gate is the largest of remaining gates of the former Edo Castle (and the Edo Caslte is the largest among castles ever built in Japan).

Most of the gates of Edo Castle were designed in the style called "Masugata-mon Gate", which consists of two gates of different types, an inner gate and an outer gate,  with a squared space held inbetween. The structure was considered having strategic advantages to protect the castle from enemies over battles. The inner gate of the two, named "Yagura-mon" gate, is a gate-shaped turret where they could snipe their enemies passing through the outer gate. Sakurada-mon Gate is one of the "Masugata-mon" gates and was completed in 1620.

Sakurada-mon Gate is open to the public. There is no closing period excluding temporary closings, so you can walk through at any time. It's free of charge.

Former Ministiry of Justice (currently Message Gallery, Ministry of Justice)

Walking distance from Sakurada-mon Station etc., Tokyo, JAPAN
Important Cultural Property / Nationally Designated / Buildings

Exterior Panorama ((c) Photo by TeaTimeTokyo)

The former main building of Ministry of Justice, the red brick building, is the only remaining building of Central Government Buildings Integration Project. It symbolizes modernization of Japanese architectural techniques in the Meiji era.

Inside the building, in the rooms at the northern corner on the 3rd floor, is the
Message Gallery of Ministry of Justice, where historical materials and data related to the Ministry including some sensational cases in the Meiji era are exhibited (Exhibits are displayed in Japanese only).

As for visitor's information, refer to the official site below. At the entrance, you and your belongings will be fully inspected. Photo of exhibits are prohibited.

Sangedatsu-mon Gate, Zojoji Temple

Walking distance from Onari-mon Station etc., Tokyo, JAPAN
Important Cultural Property / Nationally Designated / Buildings

(Photo by (c)Tomo.Yun http://www.yunphoto.net)

Sangedatsu-mon Gate is the main gate of Zojoji Temple. Zojoji Temple was the family temple of the Tokugawa Shogun family, and was designed after the Buddhist paradise.

"Sangedatsu" means  emancipation from 3 kinds of worldly attachments (passions, desires, worries, etc.). Sangedatsu-mon Gate is the gate to enter the Buddhist paradise (the Pure Land) from this impure world. As you approach the main Great Hall passing through Daimon Gate (the outer gate) to Sangedatsu-mon Gate (the inner gate), you emancipate yourself from the full set of the 108 kinds of worldly desires and worries to be Nirvana, and at Sangedatsu-mon Gate you emancipate from the final 3 desires and worries, which are greediness, anger and senseless. In the main Great Hall, you find Pure Land Buddha.

In the upper layer of the gate, settled are the statues of Buddha and achievers of Nirvana.

Main Building of Tokyo Station Marunouchi

At Tokyo Station, Tokyo, JAPAN
Important Cultural Property / Nationally Designated / Buildings

(Photo by photo-ac)

The main building of Tokyo Station Marunouchi represents the architecture in Meiji era. Tokyo Station is the railhead of the whole rail network in Japan.

It was completed in 1914, severely damanged at Great Tokyo Air Raid in 1945, re-constructed several times, and now it is in use as Tokyo Station and Tokyo Station Hotel.