11 of the Best Things to Do in Marunouchi Tokyo Station

Kokyo Gaien

Serving as the main residence of the Emperor of Japan, the Imperial Palace is located in a sprawling park surrounded by moats and immense stone walls that are just a short stroll from Tokyo Station. It’s built on the site of an old Edo Castle, with its Kokyo Gaien plaza and the Nijubashi bridges that lead to the inner palace grounds now accessible to the public.

Imperial Palace East Gardens

Kitanomaru Park

Explore the Imperial Palace East Gardens, which include the foundation of the former castle tower and a picturesque Japanese garden, then visit the Outer Gardens, Kitanomaru Park and the Wadakura Fountain Park.

Kikyomon Gate

You can join a free 75-minute Official tour from the Kikyomon Gate for a comprehensive insight into the Imperial Palace. It happens every Tuesday through Saturday at 10:00 and 13:30. We recommend booking in advance online ( https://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/guide/koukyo.html) to guarantee a place, especially during busy seasons.
Also, you can join the other 2.5 hours free tour, Tokyo Free Walking Tour ( https://tfwt.jp/top/east-gardens-of-the-imperial-palace/). It’s only on every Saturday at 13:00, with some irregular times on Sundays and weekdays, and may vary during holidays.

Wadakura Fountain Park

Kokyoippansankan

Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Chiyoda 1-1

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Tokyo Station

Opening back in 1914 near the Imperial Palace grounds, Tokyo Station is one of Marunouchi’s most impressive historic landmarks. It was Japan’s first major transportation hub and is still the busiest station in the country, serving intercity trains and Shinkansen bullet trains.

Tokyo Station Gallery

Since 1988, this iconic redbrick building has also housed the Tokyo Station Gallery where you can browse a rotating collection of arts and cultural exhibitions.

Tokyo Character Street

Tokyo Station is also home to the Tokyo Ramen Street and the shopping concourse of Tokyo Character Street that’s packed with anime and manga stores, together with the labyrinthine underground shopping mall known as Gransta. It’s one of the largest in-station shopping and dining complexes in the city and forms part of what’s known as Tokyo Station City, the only “station-city” in the world.

Tokyo

Tokyo

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Update date：2024/04/20

The Tokyo Station Hotel

1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

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Tokyo International Forum

Opened in 1997 on a design by Uruguayan architect, Rafael Viñoly, the Tokyo International Forum is an immense convention center, exhibition space and concert venue in Marunouchi. It features 11 stories above ground and three below, with uniquely designed halls connected to a glass building which shaped like an elongated boat. On weekdays, you can find a variety of food trucks in the space between the buildings for lunch.

Mitsuo Aida Museum

The Tokyo International Forum displays a number of modern artworks by Japanese artists such as Isamu Noguchi, as well as large-scale pieces by Andy Warhol and Louis Bourgeois. It’s also home to the Mitsuo Aida Museum, which is dedicated to the works of this renowned Japanese calligraphy artist and poet. Mitsuo Aida is one of Japan’s most influential calligraphers and poets in modern times.

If you’re after a bargain, coincide your visit with the Oedo Antique Market, which is held on the first and third Sundays of each month (check the official website for exact dates https://www.antique-market.jp/english/). It’s the largest of its kind in Japan and takes place in the leafy courtyard of the Tokyo International Forum.

Tokyo International Forum

Tokyo International Forum

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Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi

Pacific Century Place Marunouchi, 1-11-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

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Stroll down Marunouchi Nakadori

Nakadori means “middle street,” and is a reference to its location between Daimyo Alley (in front of Tokyo Station) and Hibiya-dori Ave (the inner moat of the castle). Lined with modern skyscrapers, designer boutiques and cafes, Marunouchi Nakadori is a leafy thoroughfare that carves through the heart of the district. It has a distinctly European air, with sculptural works dotting the route, and is particularly atmospheric when it’s closed to traffic (between 11am and 3pm on weekdays and 11am to 5pm on weekends and public holidays).

Shin Marunouchi Building

Marunouchi Building

Marunouchi Brick Square

Take note of the Shin Marunouchi Building and the Marunouchi Building, two soaring skyscrapers that greet you when you exit Tokyo Station, then continue strolling towards Marunouchi Brick Square. This picturesque courtyard is the perfect place to grab a coffee and enjoy the tranquility of its fountain, with the red-brick Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum (dedicated to 19th-century Western artwork) located alongside.

Marunouchi Nakadori

Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Marunouchi , Yurakucho

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MOMAT (The National Museum of Modern Art)

Renowned for its impressive collection of modern Japanese art, MOMAT occupies a building designed by Yoshirō Taniguchi just to the north of the Imperial Palace. It showcases the history of art in Japan since the Meiji Period, with its collection displayed chronologically for visitors to easily follow.

Browse the permanent exhibits that include traditional Japanese paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures, as well as Nihonga and Western-style works by Japanese artists. Rotating temporary exhibitions are also regularly showcased, featuring both prominent and emerging local artists.

Kōgeikan Crafts Gallery

The National Museum of Modern Art also encompasses the Kōgeikan Crafts Gallery, which is just five minutes’ walk away and where textiles, ceramics and lacquerware are displayed.

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Kitanomarukouen 3-1

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Sakura Hotel Jimbocho

2-21-4 Jimbocho, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

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Tokyo Ramen Street

Once you’ve worked up an appetite exploring the sights and attractions of Marunouchi, why not head to Tokyo Ramen Street in the basement of Tokyo Station. This alleyway is dedicated to ramen, with eight different shops where can sample a variety of different ramen styles and tastes. It’s incredibly popular with local salarymen and commuters, so don’t be surprised if you have to wait in line to eat!

Marunouchi House

Another popular dining hub in the area is Marunouchi House, which occupies the 7th floor of the Shin-Marunouchi Building just in front of Tokyo Station. It houses a variety of different restaurants and bars, such as RIGOLETTO WINE AND BAR that specializes in Spanish-Italian cuisine and So Tired where you can dine on a combination of American and Chinese food. Ideal for a relaxing dinner or for bar-hopping, Marunouchi HOUSE is also equipped with an open-air terrace where shoppers can eat and drink. It is a little-known superb view spot of Tokyo station.

Marunouchi House

Tokyo Ramen Street

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marunouchiHOUSE (Marunouchi House)

Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Marunouchi 1-5-1 Shin Marunouchi Building 7F

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Marunouchi Hotel, Tokyo

1-6-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda Ku Tokyo

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Mitsubishi Ichigo-kan Museum

This brick and concrete building is a recreation of the original headquarters for the Mitsubishi Corporation which was built on the same site in 1894. Mitsubishi owned all of the land in Marunouchi and in those days all the major office buildings in the area were brick - similar to Tokyo Station. Inside is a museum of western art, mainly Japonisme from the 1880’s and 1890’s, when the company was building itself into a mighty business empire. If you show your passport, you’ll get 200 yen off the entry fee.

Mitsubishi Ichigo-kan Museum

Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum

Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Marunouchi 2-6-2

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Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi

Pacific Century Place Marunouchi, 1-11-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

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KITTE

KITTE is a retail shopping center and office space on the west side of Tokyo Station. It’s incorporated into the facade of the original 1933 five story Central Post Office Building (there weren’t skyscrapers in Marunouchi until recent years). The mall has a huge six story atrium to give a sense of open space. On the first floor there are cafes and bakeries, and of course a post office, but the 2nd and 4th floors are all about shopping, with many of the stores being tax free for tourists, and the B1ｓｔ, 5th and 6th floors are restaurants.

Intermediatheque

An added bonus, on the 2nd and 3rd floors is a free collaborative museum dedicated to “academy culture” run by Japan Post and the University of Tokyo called Intermediatheque, Former Postmaster Office located on the 4th floor and a rooftop garden on the 6th floor that gives you a view of the trains coming in and out of Tokyo Station.

Former Postmaster Office

rooftop garden

KITTE

Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Marunouchi 2-7-2

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The Tokyo Station Hotel

1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

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Idemitsu Museum of Arts

This museum specializes in East Asian art, particularly Japanese painting (yamato-e, rimpa, bunjin-ga, ukiyo-e), calligraphy, and Korean, Chinese, and Japanese ceramics. Other art in this 15,000 piece personal collection are works of a few Western painters (eg; Georges Rouault and Sam Francis). The museum is named after the founder of Idemitsu Kosan, whose distinctive black sales office is located in Marunouchi across the street from the Imperial Palace.

Idemitsu Museum of Arts

Idemitsu Museum of Arts

Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Marunouchi 3-1-1 Teikoku Building 9F

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The Peninsula Tokyo

1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

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Rent Electric-Assist Bikes

The area is quite big to walk around all day, especially around the palace, but now there are several options for for rental bikes which are well worth it. You can find the local Chiyocle community bikes around the area. This is a super fun way to explore Tokyo at street level. You can ride around the entire Imperial Palace, or head out on an adventure to Skytree or down to Tokyo Tower and the bay. The most fun is just getting lost on old side streets and alleys, and with Chiyocle you can return the bikes at any docking station across the city.

Official Website : Chiyocle

Join the Hato bus tour

If you want to soak up the sights of Marunouchi without having to do any walking, jump aboard one of the Hato bus tours that depart near the Marunouchi South Exit of Tokyo Station. Enjoy elevated views of the Imperial Gardens East Gardens and the Meiji Jingu Shrine, as well as the Senso-ji Temple and the soaring Tokyo Tower. Hato bus tours include guided commentary so you can learn a little about the history of the sights you’re passing, then return later if you wish to discover them on foot. Also, Hato bus tour offer various courses for foreign travelers such as Mt. Fuji. Please check the official website (https://www.hatobus.com/int/en/) for more information.

Join the Hato bus tour

Hato Bus Tokyo Office

Tokyo Chiyoda-ku Marunouchi 1-10-15

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Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi

Pacific Century Place Marunouchi, 1-11-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo

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