Tours of government offices and national institutions in Tokyo
- Small groups can visit without a reservation: the Diet, two museums, Akasaka Palace main building and gardens, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories, and Meteorological Science Museum.
- Bank of Japan Head Office accepts bookings online from 10:00 90 days ahead, while Japan Meteorological Agency on-site tours require phone reservations.
- Akasaka Palace main building and gardens costs ¥1,800 for adults; the House of Councillors, Bank of Japan Head Office, and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories are free.
There are 10 government buildings and national institutions in Tokyo you can visit. Those that say you can go without a reservation are the Diet (groups of 9 or fewer), the main building and gardens of Akasaka Palace, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories, the Meteorological Science Museum, the Currency Museum (groups of 19 or fewer) and the Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum (groups of 9 or fewer). The Bank of Japan Head Office and the Supreme Court need a reservation. The main building and gardens of Akasaka Palace cost ¥1,800 for adults; the House of Councillors, the Bank of Japan Head Office, the Currency Museum, the Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories and the Meteorological Science Museum are free.
In short
- Walk in on the day: Diet tours of the House of Councillors and House of Representatives (groups of 9 or fewer), Akasaka Palace main building and gardens, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories, the Meteorological Science Museum, the Currency Museum (19 or fewer) and the Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum (9 or fewer).
- Reservation needed: Bank of Japan Head Office (from 10:00, 90 days before the visit date), the Supreme Court (by phone), the Japan Meteorological Agency on-site tour (by phone) and the National Diet Library Tokyo Main Library (phone, then an application form).
- Open on weekends and holidays: the House of Representatives Diet tour, Akasaka Palace, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories, the Meteorological Science Museum, the Currency Museum and the Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum (closed days are in the table).
Checked with official pages on November 10, 2026 (Japan time). Prices and hours may change.
Read next7 pages, swipe sideways
Factory Tours in Tokyo: 6 Places Compared, 3 Free and 2 Open on Weekends (2026)Play
8 Home Tutoring Companies and Cram Schools in Kanto Compared: Joining Fees, Lowest Prices and Free Trials (2026)Learn
8 Pilates and Yoga Chains in Kanto Compared: Monthly Fees from ¥6,800 and ¥0 Trials (2026)Wellness
13 Places to See Swans in Kanto: Arrival Season, Best Time of Day and ParkingLearn
Zazen and Shakyo in Tokyo and Kamakura: 10 Temples Compared by Fees, Booking and What to WearLearn
11 Craft Workshops in Tokyo (2026): Edo Kiriko, Indigo Dyeing and Washi with Prices and TimesLearn
Tokyo Christmas illuminations 2026: dates and lighting hours for 6 displays, from Roppongi Hills to TachikawaPlay
1. 10 places compared by booking, duration and days you can visit
The Diet, Supreme Court, Bank of Japan, Meteorological Agency and National Diet Library are mainly weekdays. The places open on weekends and holidays are the House of Representatives, Akasaka Palace, the Metropolitan Government observatories, the Meteorological Science Museum and the two museums. Tap a place name to jump to its section.
| Place | Booking | Duration | Days open |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives | 9 or fewer: same day; 10 or more: apply in advance | About 60 min | Weekdays and weekends/holidays |
| House of Councillors | None for 9 or fewer; 10 or more: group booking | About 60 min | Weekdays 9:00–16:00 (on the hour) |
| Supreme Court | By phone | About 50 min | Next: Wednesday, December 23, 2026 |
| Bank of Japan Head Office | Booking site (from 10:00, 90 days ahead) | About 60 min | Weekdays (excluding holidays and the year-end break) |
| Currency Museum | Booking for 20 or more | — | Closed Monday (open on holidays) |
| Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum | 10 or more: apply in advance | About 1 hour | Closed Monday (open on holidays) |
| Akasaka Palace | None for main building and gardens; booking for the Japanese-style annex | — | Closed Wednesday, plus some non-public days |
| Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories | Reservations not accepted | — | South and north closed on different days |
| Japan Meteorological Agency and Science Museum | On-site tour by phone; none for the museum | On-site tour about 30 min | On-site tour weekdays; museum closed 2nd Mon and Tue |
| National Diet Library | Phone, then application form | About 1 hour | Tuesday–Friday |
A “—” in the table means the official page we checked does not give that information. Source: each institution’s official visitor guide (checked on November 10, 2026).
2. Things to know when choosing government tours in Tokyo (location, when booking opens, bags)
The Diet, the Supreme Court and the National Diet Library are clustered in Nagatacho, and when booking opens differs completely by institution.
- The House of Representatives and the House of Councillors are both within walking distance of Exit 1 of Nagatacho Station and Exit 1 of Kokkai-gijidomae Station. The Supreme Court is also about 5 minutes on foot from Nagatacho Station to the south and west gates.
- The Bank of Japan Head Office and the Currency Museum are both near Mitsukoshimae Station. Akasaka Palace is nearest to Yotsuya Station, the Meteorological Science Museum to Toranomon Hills Station and the Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum to Oji Station, so plan them on separate days from Nagatacho and Nihonbashi.
- Booking opens at 10:00 90 days before for the Bank of Japan Head Office, at the start of the month 3 months before for groups at the House of Councillors, and at 10:00 on the first day of the month 2 months before for the Meteorological Agency on-site tour. For the Supreme Court, the phone reception date is set for each tour day.
- The Diet, the Supreme Court and the Bank of Japan Head Office check bags and similar items before entry, and the Bank of Japan Head Office also checks everyone’s ID. Avoid bringing large luggage.
3. What you see at each of the 10 places
House of Representatives (Diet building tour)
The House of Representatives runs Diet tours not only on weekdays but also on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. On weekdays, the tour reception inside the House of Representatives tour gate at the back of the Diet building accepts visitors from 8:00 to 17:00, and you need to register by 16:00. On weekends and holidays, tours leave from the House of Representatives visitor reception counter 6 times a day, at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00. A normal tour takes about 60 minutes, or about 30 minutes when it is crowded and there are no seated or standing explanations. According to the House of Representatives tour procedure page (Japanese), morning tours are very crowded, so it recommends afternoon tours.
Groups of 10 or more send a tour application form and a visitor list by fax between 60 days and the day before the visit. If the representative and companions total 9 or fewer, you can tour on the day just by filling in the form at the reception counter. Tours cannot be guided from 1 hour before a plenary session opens until after it ends. From November 1, 2026 to January 24, 2027, because of elevator work at the Visitor Center, wheelchair users enter through the same visitor reception as on weekends and holidays. It is a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Kokkai-gijidomae Station (Marunouchi and Chiyoda lines) and from Exit 1 of Nagatacho Station (Yurakucho, Hanzomon and Namboku lines).
| Name | House of Representatives |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-7-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | Weekdays 8:00–17:00 (reception until 16:00); Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 6 times at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00 |
| Phone | 03-3581-5111 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
House of Councillors (Diet building tour)
A tour of the House of Councillors needs no reservation, is free and needs no ID for groups of 9 or fewer. On the House of Councillors tour page (Japanese), tours leave on the hour from 9:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays and the year-end and New Year break), and take about 60 minutes. Reception is at the tour desk beside the House of Councillors west gate, and closes 5 minutes before departure. The route is the tour lobby, the chamber, the Imperial waiting room, the central hall and the front garden, in that order.
Groups of 10 or more need a reservation, accepted from the first weekday of the month 3 months before the desired date. For school events, send the application form directly or by fax; for other groups, call the House of Councillors Security Department Visitor Section (03-5521-7445). Bag checks run from 40 to 55 minutes past each hour, so arrive with time to spare. On days with a plenary session, tours stop from 1 hour before the scheduled opening until it ends. It is about 3 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Nagatacho Station and about 6 minutes from Exit 1 of Kokkai-gijidomae Station.
| Name | House of Councillors |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-7-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | Monday–Friday (excluding holidays and the year-end and New Year break) on the hour 9:00–16:00 |
| Phone | 03-3581-3111 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Supreme Court (building tour)
The next general tour of the Supreme Court is a single tour at 9:30 on Wednesday, December 23, 2026, and there is none in November 2026. According to the Supreme Court general tour page (Japanese), it is open to high school students and older, takes about 50 minutes, and has room for up to 80 people, groups and individuals together. Tours from January 2027 are undecided.
You apply by phone only, using the dedicated building tour line (03-3264-8151, 9:00–17:00, Monday to Friday except holidays). Groups of 10 to 50 can apply from 9:00 on Wednesday, November 25, and small groups of 1 to 9 people from 9:00 on Wednesday, December 9. Gathering and reception start at 9:10, at the main gate for groups and the south gate for individuals. Individuals come by public transport or taxi (there is no car park). Explanations are in Japanese, and photography on the grounds is not allowed without permission. The tour does not show an actual trial; it is a tour of places such as the Grand Bench. School events for elementary, junior high, high school and university students are a separate school tour course held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, applied for through a reservation form.
| Name | Supreme Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-2 Hayabusa-cho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | Next general tour: Wednesday, December 23, 2026 at 9:30 (gather at 9:10) |
| Phone | 03-3264-8151 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Bank of Japan Head Office (head office tour)
The Bank of Japan Head Office tour is free, and bookings open on the booking site at 10:00, 90 days before the visit date, and can be made in principle until 5 days before. According to the Bank of Japan head office tour page (Japanese), tours run Monday to Friday (excluding holidays and December 29 to January 4) at 9:30, 11:00 and 15:15, plus 13:45 on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, and take about 60 minutes. Each tour has 22 places on a first-come basis, for upper elementary school (5th grade) and older (elementary school children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).
With a guide’s explanation, you go round the underground vault of the main building (a nationally designated Important Cultural Property), the former business hall and the exhibition room. Everyone taking part must register their name by 1 month before the visit date, and bring the original ID on which the registered name can be confirmed. If you are late for the start, you cannot take part. Cancel up to 5 days before on the booking site, and from 4 days before to the day itself by phone to the tour office (03-3277-2815). It is a 5-minute walk from Exit B1 of the Hanzomon line at Mitsukoshimae Station and 4 minutes from Exit A8 of the Ginza line. There is no car park.
| Name | Bank of Japan Head Office |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-1-1 Nihonbashi-Hongokucho, Chuo City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | Monday–Friday (excluding holidays and December 29–January 4) 9:30, 11:00, 15:15; Tuesdays and Thursdays only 13:45 |
| Phone | 03-3277-2815 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Currency Museum (Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan)
The Currency Museum traces the history of Japanese money in order, from ancient times to the modern age, and entry is free. On the Currency Museum official site (Japanese), it is open 9:30 to 16:30 (last entry 16:00) and closed on Mondays (open on holidays). It is a 1-minute walk from Exit B1 of the Hanzomon line at Mitsukoshimae Station, close enough to combine with the head office tour. According to the Currency Museum FAQ (Japanese), groups of 20 or more must book a date and time, and up to 100 people are accepted.
From October 30, 2026, it is holding a special exhibition, “Kuniyoshi collecting ‘fortune’: rediscovering his hometown Nihonbashi,” and a topic exhibition, “Special feature: the money story around Oguri Tadamasa.” The audio guide for the permanent exhibition, which you can listen to on a smartphone, is also free.
| Name | Currency Museum |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-3-1 Nihonbashi-Hongokucho, Chuo City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | 9:30–16:30 (last entry 16:00), closed Mondays (open on holidays) |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum (National Printing Bureau)
The Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum is free, and a visit takes about 1 hour. On the museum’s admission page (Japanese), it is open 9:30 to 17:00, closed Mondays (if Monday is a holiday it is open and closed the next weekday) and December 29 to January 3. Groups of 10 or more apply in advance with a viewing application form.
The exhibition rooms on the 2nd floor are reached only by stairs; there is no elevator. There is also no car park, so you walk 3 minutes from the central exit of Oji Station on the JR Keihin-Tohoku line, Exit 1 of Oji Station on the Tokyo Metro Namboku line, or Oji-ekimae on the Toden Arakawa Line. Filming video and eating or drinking are not allowed inside.
| Name | Banknote and Postage Stamp Museum |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-6-1 Oji, Kita City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | 9:30–17:00, closed Mondays (open on holidays, closed the next weekday) and December 29–January 3 |
| Phone | 03-5390-5194 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Akasaka Palace (State Guest House)
The main building and gardens of Akasaka Palace need no application, and cost ¥1,800 for adults, ¥1,000 for university students, ¥500 for junior high and high school students, and are free for elementary school children and younger. According to the Akasaka Palace visit overview (Japanese), it is open 10:00 to 17:00, with last reception at 16:00 for the main building and 16:30 for the gardens. There is also a “Premium Visit Route” that adds ¥400 to the fee, with last reception for the main building at 15:30. The gardens alone are ¥300 for adults and free for university students and younger.
The course that includes the Japanese-style annex needs a reservation in advance. The Japanese-style annex, main building and gardens are ¥2,300 for adults (¥1,500 for university students, ¥700 for junior high and high school students), and the Japanese-style annex and gardens are ¥1,800 for adults (¥1,000 for university students, ¥500 for junior high and high school students), with visits starting at 10:30 and every 30 minutes after, 10 times in all. Groups of 20 or more also need to reserve. It is closed every Wednesday, and some days suddenly become non-public for official hospitality, so check the Akasaka Palace opening calendar (Japanese) for your day before you go.
From November 26 to December 15, because of work to remove the ceiling paintings of the main building’s “Kacho-no-Ma” room, the visiting area is smaller, and some of the ceiling paintings and cloisonne on the walls cannot be seen. During this period there is a special display of works in the palace’s collection by Namikawa Sosuke (musen shippo, wireless cloisonne), and the fee stays at the usual visit fee. The Japanese-style annex is closed on November 29 and 30 and December 1, and on Friday, November 27 it closes at 14:30. Besides Wednesdays, November 20 and 24 and December 23 are among the non-public days. It is about 7 minutes on foot from the Akasaka exit of Yotsuya Station (JR Chuo and Sobu lines), Exit 1 of the Marunouchi line or Exit 2 of the Namboku line.
| Name | Akasaka Palace |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-1-1 Moto-Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | 10:00–17:00 (main building last reception 16:00), closed Wednesdays and other non-public days |
| Phone | 03-3479-1430 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories and the Metropolitan Assembly building
The observatories of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building are free to enter, and neither reservations nor group reservations are accepted. According to the Bureau of Finance’s observatory guide (Japanese), they are on the 45th floor of the First Main Building, 202 meters above the ground, reached by a dedicated elevator on the 1st floor. The South Observatory is open 9:30 to 22:00 (entry until 21:30) and closed on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. The North Observatory is open 9:30 to 17:30 (entry until 17:00) and closed on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month. When the South Observatory is closed, the North Observatory stays open until 22:00.
When a closed day falls on a holiday, it is open and the next day is closed. Both are closed December 29 to 31, on January 2 and 3, and on building inspection days. You may queue 20 to 30 minutes to get in, so allow time. It says that from December to February the air is clear and Mt. Fuji can often be seen to the west.
On the Metropolitan Assembly building tour page (Japanese), you can see the chamber (7th floor), the Special Committee on the Budget room (6th floor) and the Assembly PR corner (2nd floor) on weekdays from 9:00 to 17:00. It is closed on weekends, holidays and the year-end and New Year break (December 29 to January 3), and you cannot visit while a plenary session or committee is under way.
| Name | Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | South: 9:30–22:00, North: 9:30–17:30; South closed 1st and 3rd Tuesday, North closed 2nd and 4th Monday |
| Phone | 03-5320-7890 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
Japan Meteorological Agency (on-site tour and Meteorological Science Museum)
There are 2 kinds of visits to the Japan Meteorological Agency: an on-site tour for groups and the Meteorological Science Museum, which anyone can enter. According to the Agency’s on-site tour page (Japanese), the on-site tour is for groups of 2 to 10, and you look through windows from the corridor at the room where weather forecasts are made and the room that monitors earthquakes and volcanoes. It is held twice on weekdays, 10:50–11:20 and 13:50–14:20, standing for about 30 minutes. Explanations are in Japanese only.
Reservations for the on-site tour are by phone only, accepted from 10:00 on the first day of the month 2 months before the desired date, and you call the Agency’s Public Relations Office (03-6758-3900, weekdays only) by 2 weeks before. Reservations through travel agencies are not accepted. Photography is permitted, but flash, video and posting to social media are not allowed.
On the Meteorological Science Museum page (Japanese), the museum is on the 2nd floor of the Agency and has a tsunami simulator, a tornado device and a chance to ask questions of a certified weather forecaster guide. Entry is free, no reservation is needed, and it is open 9:00 to 20:00. It is closed on the 2nd Monday and Tuesday of each month (Tuesday and Wednesday if the Monday is a holiday) and December 29 to January 3. It is a 4-minute walk from Exit A2a of the Hibiya line at Toranomon Hills Station and 5 minutes from Exit 4b of Kamiyacho Station. There is no car park.
| Name | Japan Meteorological Agency |
|---|---|
| Address | 3-6-9 Toranomon, Minato City, Tokyo (Japan Meteorological Agency, 2nd floor) |
| Hours / Closed | Meteorological Science Museum: 9:00–20:00, closed 2nd Monday and Tuesday of each month; on-site tours on weekdays at 10:50 and 13:50 |
| Phone | 03-6758-3900 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
National Diet Library, Tokyo Main Library
The National Diet Library Tokyo Main Library tour is for people aged 18 and over, with about 15 places, and takes about 1 hour, covering the main and new buildings and the new building stacks. According to the Library’s visit guide page (Japanese), tours run Tuesday to Friday (excluding closed days), in principle at 10:00 and 14:00. When Monday is a holiday, there is no tour on the following Tuesday.
You apply from the 1st of the month 3 months before the desired date until 1 month before, on a first-come basis. First call (03-3581-2331, Monday to Friday, 9:00–12:00 and 13:00–17:45) with your desired date and time and number of people, and when the tour is confirmed, send the tour application form by fax or post. The Tokyo Main Library is closed on Sundays, national holidays, the year-end and New Year break, and the 3rd Wednesday (day for organizing materials). There is information on a separate tour for high school and junior high school students, which requires a letter of request from the school.
| Name | National Diet Library, Tokyo Main Library |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-10-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo |
| Hours / Closed | Tours Tuesday–Friday at 10:00 and 14:00 |
| Phone | 03-3581-2331 |
| Map | Open in Google Maps ↗ |
| Official site | Open the official site ↗ |
↑ Back to the comparison table
4. How to choose by purpose
- To see the Diet in a day with no reservation: the House of Councillors (weekdays, on the hour) or the House of Representatives (weekdays and weekends/holidays). Both take walk-ins on the day for groups of 9 or fewer.
- To see money and history: the Bank of Japan Head Office (reservation), plus the Currency Museum, a 1-minute walk from Mitsukoshimae Station.
- If you have not fixed a day: the Tokyo Metropolitan Government observatories and the Meteorological Science Museum need no reservation, so you can go on any open day.
- To see 3 on a weekday: around Nagatacho, combine the Diet, the National Diet Library and the Supreme Court (December 23).
Sources
24 pages we checked
- www.shugiin.go.jp
- www.shugiin.go.jp
- www.sangiin.go.jp
- www.sangiin.go.jp
- www.courts.go.jp
- www.courts.go.jp
- www.courts.go.jp
- www.boj.or.jp
- www.boj.or.jp
- www.imes.boj.or.jp
- www.imes.boj.or.jp
- www.imes.boj.or.jp
- www.npb.go.jp
- www.geihinkan.go.jp
- www.geihinkan.go.jp
- www.geihinkan.go.jp
- www.geihinkan.go.jp
- www.zaimu.metro.tokyo.lg.jp
- www.zaimu.metro.tokyo.lg.jp
- www.jma.go.jp
- www.jma.go.jp
- www.ndl.go.jp
- www.ndl.go.jp
- Japanese version of this page (日本語版)
Checked with official pages on November 10, 2026 (Japan time).
