[2025 Tokyo Attraction] Travel Guide for Meiji Seimei Kan (Updated Jul)

[A profound social study tour of the Meiji Life Insurance Building during nighttime opening hours in Marunouchi, Tokyo] 🏛️Meiji Life Insurance Building 💞Reasons for recommendation: At the Meiji Life Insurance Building, designated as an important cultural property, you can see the profound atmosphere of the workplace of a life insurance company at that time. The elaborate but uncluttered decoration gives it a calm atmosphere different from chapels and palaces, making it a suitable place for children to take a social study tour during summer vacation, along with the Seikado Bunko Art Museum. 💞Reasons for recommendation: Admission fee: Free ■Opening hours 9:30-19:00 (last entry 18:30) ■Reception location Meiji Life Insurance Building 2nd floor (please use the west elevator) 📍Location: 2 Chome-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0005 💞Reasons for recommendation: "The Meiji Life Insurance Building was completed in March 1934 (Showa 9) after three years and seven months of construction. The building was designed by Professor Shinichiro Okada (※) of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts), a leading figure in the Architectural Institute at the time. It is highly regarded as a masterpiece of classical style and is said to be a representative building that contributed to the development of modern Western-style architecture in Japan. From September 12, 1945 to July 18, 1956, the building was requisitioned as the headquarters of the United States Far East Air Forces, and during this time, until 1952, the conference room on the second floor was used as the venue for the Council for Japan, an advisory body to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers. General MacArthur also attended meetings held here many times. On May 29, 1997, the building was designated as the first Showa-era building to be designated an Important Cultural Property by the Council for the Protection of Cultural Properties. 』 #Seasonal Places in Japan 🏛️Seikado Bunko Art Museum 🗓️Itinerary Management: We recommend visiting on a different day from Meiji Seimeikan. 📍Address: 2-23-1 Okamoto, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-0076 『Opening hours 10:00-17:00　※Open at night. Please check the exhibition page ※Last admission is 30 minutes before closing. Closed on Mondays (open on national holidays and closed the following weekday), exhibition changeover periods, New Year's holidays, etc. Admission fee: Adults 1,500 yen, University, vocational school, and high school students 1,000 yen, Junior high school students and younger free, Disability certificate holders 700 yen (one accompanying person free)' 'While Iwasaki Yanosuke's collection spans a wide range of genres, including paintings, sculptures, calligraphy, lacquerware, tea ceremony utensils, and swords, Koyata is characterized by his systematic collection of Chinese ceramics in particular. In addition, the museum also has a large collection of works by artists from the same era as Yanosuke and Koyata, from the Meiji period to the early Showa period.' #Summer vacation #Tokyo trip #Asia trip #Domestic travel strategy #My travel plan #Domestic travel strategy #Domestic travel

Marunouchi, Tokyo. Amid the bustling streets lined with towering skyscrapers, stands a quiet, dignified, and beautifully white stone building. This is the Meiji Seimei Kan, completed in 1934 (Showa 9). Designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, this building offers a space that feels like stepping back in time to the early Showa era. ⸻ 🪞Step inside, and you'll be greeted by dazzling white marble, intricate chandeliers, spiral staircases, heavy wooden doors, and classic furniture. The building also has a historical significance, having served as the GHQ headquarters after World War II. Amazingly, parts of the interior are still open to the public for free! ⸻ 📸 Photography is allowed (quietly and respectfully), making it a hidden gem in Tokyo for travelers who love retro spaces or architecture enthusiasts. ⸻ ⏰Opening hours: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM (last entry at 4:30 PM) 📅Open on weekdays only (closed on weekends and public holidays; check the official website for details) 🎟️Admission: Free! *As of June 2025, some areas of the exterior are under renovation, limiting viewing access (interior remains open as usual). ⸻ In modern Tokyo, this is a place where you can quietly connect with Showa modernism. Why not take a moment during your sightseeing to immerse yourself in the past? ⸻

In Tokyo's bustling Marunouchi district, the Meiji Life Museum stands tall with its magnificent Western-style architecture, making people feel as if they have returned to Showa-era Japan. Completed in 1934, the building showcases the outstanding craftsmanship of modern Japanese architecture, both in its carved details on the exterior and in its luxurious interior decoration. During the visit, I paid special attention to the majestic dome and exquisite murals in the hall. Every detail reflects the perfect combination of history and art. The eleven photos taken this time fully recorded every touching moment I had in this historic building. If you love historical buildings and Japanese culture, Meiji Life Museum is definitely worth a visit.