Tokyo International Forum

The Tokyo International Forum is a multipurpose center in the Chiyoda ward. Located between the Yurakucho, and Tokyo Station, a short walk from Ginza, that is unjustly overlooked by visitors.



The building with seven halls (one of them with 5,000 seats), 2 museums, 33 meeting rooms, shops and restaurants, is one of the main convention centers and a popular concert hall in Tokyo.



The building designed by the Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly, has one of the most bold and distinctive structures in the center of Tokyo. The building sadly goes mostly unnoticed; as the view is blocked by the JR elevated tracks next to it, and by the tall buildings surrounding it.




The most impressive structure is undoubtedly the hall atrium or glass building, a 7 floors, ship shaped glass structure that has become a symbol of the internal structure exposed.


Interestingly in the glass building, there is a statue of general Ouda Dokan, a famous officer from the Muramachi period. The statue is a remainder of the tenant of the previous building, and now part owner of the new building, the Tokyo Metropolitan government.



The plaza gets normally busy on weekdays when people working in the area, purchase lunch from food vans parked on the premises, and eat at the plaza on good weather days, The vans offer great meals at budget prices.


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New Year congratulatory palace visit

The Tokyo Imperial palace in the Chiyoda ku, is a 7.4 square kilometer area of buildings and gardens. Originally built as the Edo castle in 1457 during the Tokunaga shogunate, the castle became the Imperial palace after the Meiji restoration.



The palace is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan and is mostly off limits to the public, with the exception of two days: the Emperor birthday and on January 2nd.



A large number of visitors come on that day to celebrate the New Year and hear the Emperor message.





Visitors enter by crossing the famous Nijuubashi, passing the main gate, into the kyuden totei plaza.



The imperial family greets the visitors from the balcony of the chowaden reception hall, where emperor delivers a short New Year message.




Visitors then leave through the sakashita gate.
Happy New year to all.

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Christmas Illumination at Marunouchi

Marunouchi has concisely set up impressive Christmas illuminations, for the last few years. However, due perhaps to the economic recession, this year the illumination has been strikingly scaled down.




To compensate, buildings in the area have set up illumination on their plazas and squares as in the newly constructed ‘Marunouchi brick square’.



Nearby bulding the ‘Marunouchi plaza’ has set up a nice decoration, notice how the meijiseimei building, designated as important cultural asset, has been nicely integrated into the background.



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Edo historical walk at Ichigaya station

Ichigaya station is located on the plateau of the cut on the edo period damiyo area. A part of the original wall protecting the cut was discovered during the excavations for the Namboku line.


A small place inside the Namboku line, named “Edo historical walk”, reproduces some of the stones discovered and the marks inscribed in them by builders.


A Japanese folding screen displays a scene of the area in the edo period.


A period map is painted on the floor and a glass case displays a model of the area around the station as it is now, I would have liked the inverse, an edo period model and a current map better though.

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Japanese war soldiers’ shrine Yasukuni Jinja

Yasukuni Jinja in Chiyoda ward in Tokyo is the Shrine dedicated to the soldiers who died on the Japanese wars.



The Shrine originally one of the main State Shinto shrines, until the separation between the church and the state in 1946.





There is a great controversy with the shrine as it has enshrined WWII criminals. As an outcome, when prime ministers visit the shrine, many countries condemn the visit.




In the premises there is also the Yushukan war museum, many war relics are housed there, included a zero fighter plane.


Next to the main shrine or hoden there is the motomiya or original shrine.


Behind the honden there is the Shinchi teien or sacred pond garden, with a small waterfall.

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Kanda Myojin

The Kanda Myojin shrine in Chiyoda, Tokyo, is a very colorful shrine dedicated to Daikoku sama, Ebisu sama (of the seven gods of fortune), and Taira-no-masakado-sama a samurai enshrined there.


The shrine is a short walk from Akihabara, and due to the gods of fortune enshrined there, businessman of the area come to pray for prosperity. The famous Kanda festival is held at this temple in the middle of may.


The Shrine first build in 730 AD has been rebuild many times, the last one in 1934, after being destroyed by the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, unlike many historical building, this shrine allows restorations, and thus it always looks brand new.


In this season there is a huge nawa or rope circle, where worshipers pass through several times to purify themselves.


Official site

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Nicholai-do Ortodox Cathedral

The Holy Resurrection Cathedral or Nicholai-do is the main Cathedral of the Orthodox Church in Japan, located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, next to the Ochanomizu station.


This beautiful church designed by the father of Japanese architecture Josiah Condier , based on the original design of Michael A. Schurupov. Completed in 1891, the church was damaged by the great kanto earthquake of 1923 and rebuild with a smaller dome.


There is a small chapel next to the cathedral decorated with gorgeous Iconography.


Unfortunately is not permitted to take pictures inside the cathedral, but the stunning interiors were one of the highlights of the visit.

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