Akasaka Palace

Brief information

Akasaka’s main building stands out for a role and appearance rare in Japan: it is the only structure in the country built in the Neo-Baroque style, and it is compared to Buckingham Palace. The palace was built in 1909 as the residence of the Crown Prince, and since 1974 it has served as a state guest house for high-ranking representatives of other countries.

Because of this change in function, the palace is read not only as a former imperial residence, but also as a place of official reception. In 2009, National Treasure status was granted not to abstract “palace interiors,” but to specific parts of the complex: the main building, the main gate, and the garden with its fountain. This helps one see Akasaka as a complete ceremonial ensemble, not merely as a large building.

What to notice right away

It makes sense to compare the main building, the main gate, and the garden with its fountain: this very grouping is recognized as a National Treasure, so what matters is not a single facade, but a sequence of ceremonial elements. The Neo-Baroque appearance of the main building explains the comparison with Buckingham Palace and immediately shows why the palace looks unusual against the Japanese background of the Meiji era.

A small Japanese-style building is also mentioned within the complex. Set against the Neo-Baroque main building, it emphasizes that the grounds are arranged not as a stylistically unified palace, but as a complex with different architectural languages. Another detail of the layout is a road without intersections that encircles the palace for about 3.25 kilometers. It turns the palace into a separate, organized precinct designed for movement around the central building.