The entrance to the Imperial Palace of Japan will soon be equipped with a new "Ote Rest House". This is the first time a cafe has been set up in the Imperial Palace, creating a unique atmosphere. The rooftop terrace will also allow visitors to enjoy a different view than before.
Japan's "Mainichi Shimbun" reported that the "Otemon Gate" located on the east side of the Imperial Palace and adjacent to Otemachi Station of the subway lines, after the white fence used for construction was removed in late September, the appearance of the rest room was finally unveiled. In order to welcome the opening on November 3, preparations are currently in the final stage. This rest house will also play a role as a tourist base in Japan, and relevant people have high hopes for this.
"This is not only a place for people to rest, but it will also serve as a tourist base and be responsible for disseminating various information," said Ryoharu Ito, manager of the Imperial Household Agency's management section.
This wooden single-story building has a total floor area of 2,800 square meters, and a part of it will be equipped with a coffee shop, which will be operated by "Sarutahiko Coffee", which operates a coffee specialty store.
The store will provide original coffee and meals that can only be tasted at the Imperial Palace. Although the specific interior design has not yet been disclosed, the overall color will be coordinated with the surrounding environment and the Imperial Palace landscape. The retreat will also have a rooftop terrace. In the past, the Imperial Palace's stone walls and castle towers could only be viewed from the ground. In the future, visitors will be able to appreciate them from a higher position.
The East Garden, where a rest house is under construction, offers rich natural landscapes in all seasons and is a popular attraction that is open to the general public for free.
In 2025, the number of visitors to the East Garden will reach 2.13 million, close to the record high of 2.23 million set in 2019. In particular, the number of foreign tourists has doubled compared with 10 years ago, accounting for nearly 60% of the total, surpassing Japanese domestic tourists.
In view of this wave of inbound tourism demand, the outside world hopes that the rest can play the role of a domestic tourism entrance in Japan. The museum will display images from various parts of Japan on large screens, including the Aso region of Kumamoto Prefecture, where the grasslands are vast, and Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, where Itsukushima Shrine is located.
The played image will also display a QR Code. Visitors can use the system to check the transportation methods to various tourist destinations by scanning it with their smartphones. The museum also incorporates a number of designs in the hope of attracting tourists to travel to various parts of Japan.
In addition, introducing royal activities is also an indispensable part. In addition to showing videos of the Emperor, the Empress and other members of the royal family's visits to foreign countries and various parts of Japan, the museum also has touch panels that allow visitors to learn about the royal family's rice farming activities and traditional culture such as gagaku, and there will also be displays that trace the history of emperors.
The attached store will sell folk crafts and other products that are designed with royal imagery, and sell souvenirs that can only be purchased here. Specific product content will be announced at the opening.
Ryoharu Ito, the director of the Imperial Household Agency's management section, said: "We hope that visitors can make new discoveries about Japan's history and nature while holding the drinks they bought in the cafe, and also gain a deeper understanding of the imperial family."
Regarding the background of the renovation of the rest room in the Imperial Palace, the person in charge of the Tourism Agency explained: "In the past, there was a lack of facilities that could comprehensively introduce the charm of Japan." He also pointed out that Tokyo Station near the Imperial Palace is a well-known large-scale transportation hub and an important base for transporting tourists to various parts of Japan. However, in the past, the release of tourist information around the station was relatively insufficient.
The renovation of the rest house was also assisted by the Tourism Agency, with a total cost of approximately 7.5 billion yen, and the funding came from the "International Tourist Tax", commonly known as the overseas tax. Japan charges 3,000 yen per person for outbound passengers regardless of nationality. This tax is used to expand and strengthen tourism infrastructure, and this time it is also used for the construction of rest areas.
When preparing to build new facilities, the Imperial Household Agency also introduced the professional experience of private enterprises and adopted a "public solicitation for proposals" method, in which industry operators proposed operational ideas, and many companies participated in the application.
In the end, the coffee shop was licensed to operate by Sarutahiko Coffee; the entire rest house was managed by a joint venture composed of JTB Communication Design and "Tanqingsha". The two companies specialize in event planning and operation and space design respectively. It is extremely rare for a private company to be responsible for the operation of facilities in the Imperial Palace open area.
