National Diet

National Diet - main photo

Photo: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

Notice

English tours of this attraction are canceled until further notice, as part of a nationwide drive to help curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19 disease). Japanese-language tours resumed on June 17th, 2020.

Overview

Static map of (35.6758833, 139.7448849)

Address

1 Chome-7-1 Nagatacho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0014
( Map ) ( Directions )

Hours

8:00 - 17:00 Open now

Opening Hours

  • Monday

    8:00 - 17:00

  • Tuesday

    8:00 - 17:00

  • Wednesday

    8:00 - 17:00

  • Thursday

    8:00 - 17:00

  • Friday

    8:00 - 17:00

  • Saturday

    Closed

  • Sunday

    Closed

  • Holidays

    Closed

Price

Free

Phone

03-5521-7445

Website

shugiin.go.jp

Highlights

Central Hall

Reaching up the 6th floor, the stained-glass ceiling is one of its main features. Also of note are the four oil paintings of Japan’s four seasons painted not by famous artists, but by Japanese art students. In each of the four corners, there are statues of Itagaki Taisuke, Okuma Shigenobu, Ito Hirobumi, and one empty pedestal for display of a pine bonsai on the first day of the Diet session.

Central Tower

This was the tallest building in Japan until 1964 at 65.45 meters. The pyramid-shaped dome houses a spiral staircase that leads all the way up to the observatory on the top floor of the tower. Sadly, the observatory and hall are closed today and only the building manager has access.

Gokyusho

The Gokyusho was supposedly allotted 10% of the original Diet Building’s budget. It makes up the private chambers for the Emperor to rest during his visits to the Diet. It’s not difficult to see why it might have been so expensive with its luxurious interior.

Public Gallery

Above the back end of the Chambers of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors is the public gallery. To visit the public gallery, guests must present their admission ticket and maintain chairman-mandated statues.

Equipements

  • Comptoir d'information
  • Restroom

Internet

  • Wi-fi gratuit

Access

The National Diet Building is a 5-minute walk from Kokkaigijido-mae Station on the Marunouchi and Chiyoda lines, or Nagatacho Station on the Yurakucho, Hanzomon, and Nanboku lines.

National Diet