🏛️ ✅ Guide to visiting the National Diet Building

The National Diet Building, the political center of Japan, is a rare spot that can be visited for free! It's a special experience to get up close and personal with historical architecture and the actual political arena. We'll explain in detail the key points to getting around efficiently!

✅ 1. Know the types of tour courses!

There are two types of tours of the National Diet Building: the House of Representatives course and the House of Councillors course.

🔹 House of Representatives Tour Course (no reservation required)
• Duration: Approximately 60 minutes
• Reception location: House of Representatives Meeting Room (left side of the main gate)
• Tour contents:
✅ Main Assembly Hall (where Diet deliberations take place)
✅ Central Hall (where bronze statues of past prime ministers are lined up)
✅ Imperial Rest Room (used by the Emperor for the opening ceremony of the Diet)
• Opening hours:
• Weekdays 9:00-16:00 (tours start every hour)
• Maximum capacity of one tour is 250 people

🟢 Tips:
✅ No reservation required, so go early to ensure you can participate!
✅ The 9:00 tour is relatively empty, so aim for it!
✅ There are many school trip students from October to March, so it may be less crowded in the afternoon.

🔸 House of Councillors Tour Course (reservation required)

• Duration: Approximately 60 minutes

• Reservation: Advance application required (reservations accepted on the official website)

• Tour contents:
✅ House of Councillors plenary session hall
✅ Central hall
✅ Emperor's resting place

• Opening hours: Weekdays 9:00-16:00 (time slot specified when booking)

🟠 Tips:
✅ Advance reservations are required! Apply early once your travel dates are decided!
✅ It's quieter than the House of Representatives, so it's recommended for those who want to take their time to look around!

🕒 2. Tour process and highlights

📌 Reception → Baggage inspection (approximately 10 minutes)

• Check in at the entrance and undergo baggage inspection.

• Bringing drinks is OK, but eating is prohibited.

📌 Plenary session hall (approximately 15 minutes)

• This is where the Diet actually deliberates!
• Pay attention to the seating arrangement and decorations!

• Photography is prohibited, so make sure to take a good look at it!

📌 Central Hall (about 10 minutes)

• A stately space lined with bronze statues of past prime ministers (Ito Hirobumi, Okuma Shigenobu, Hara Takashi).

• Don't miss the stained glass on the ceiling!

📌 Emperor's Resting Room (about 5 minutes)

• A special room used by the Emperor for the opening ceremony of the Diet.

• Pay attention to the luxurious decorations and furnishings!

📌 Visitor's Lobby (about 10 minutes)

• There is a panel exhibition that teaches you how the Diet works.

• There is also a shop where you can purchase souvenirs!

🎒 3. What to bring & what to wear

✅ Wear comfortable clothes (suits are not necessary, casual is OK)
✅ Bring less luggage (no lockers & large luggage not allowed)
✅ Camera or smartphone (taking photos inside the building is prohibited, but taking photos of the exterior and gardens is OK!)
✅ ID (may be required) (especially for tours of the House of Councillors, which may be required when making a reservation in advance)

🕐 4. Recommended times & tips for avoiding crowds

🏆 Best times → 9:00am or after 2:00pm**

• The 9:00am session is relatively empty, so you can take your time looking around!

• There are many school trip students from 10:00am to 12:00pm, so it can get crowded.

• After 2:00pm is also a good time to go!

🚨 Times to avoid → 10:00-12:00 (many school trips), late afternoon (many group tourists)

🎟 5. Enjoy it together with the surrounding attractions!

The tour takes about an hour, so it's a good idea to plan your trip afterwards as well ◎

🔹 Tourist attractions within walking distance

🚶♂️ Imperial Palace (Sakuradamon) (about 10 minutes on foot)
• Stroll through the magnificent Imperial Palace Outer Gardens!

🚶♂️ Hibiya Park (about 10 minutes on foot)
• A green urban oasis! Take a break at a cafe ◎

🚶♂️ Constitutional Memorial Hall (just a short walk away)
• A free museum where you can learn about the history of the Diet and Japanese politics.

🔹 Lunch/cafe spots

🍽 Restaurants in Kasumigaseki Building
• Enjoy a reasonable and delicious lunch that is unique to the business district!

☕️ Cafes in Hibiya Midtown

• Many cafes with sophisticated atmospheres are perfect for a break!

📌 6. Summary (Points to remember when visiting)

✅ No reservation required for the House of Representatives course, but a reservation required for the House of Councillors course!

✅ Aim for the 9:00 session or after 14:00!

✅ Bring less baggage! No photography allowed inside the building!

✅ After the tour, we recommend visiting the Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park, and cafes!

🏛️ Experience history and culture at the National Diet Building, the center of Japanese politics!

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