Akasaka at a glance
Akasaka is a commercial district famous for having the highest ratio of 5 star hotels in Tokyo. The area is also home to Nagatacho, where the offices of Japan’s House of Representatives, Prime Minister, Supreme Court, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other top government organizations are located.
Akasaka means ‘red slope’ and comes from when the district was an agricultural area where locals farmed akane, a plant used for making red dye. As Japan modernized at the turn of the 10th century, Akasaka’s close proximity to the Imperial Palace and government headquarters led to its development as an entertainment district, whose geisha and ryotei restaurants catered to the modern tastes of the new Tokyo politicians.
These days, Akasaka is home the Japanese headquarters of TBS TV, Citygroup, Komatsu, and ING. Several of Tokyo’s top hotels, including Hotel New Otani, Hotel Okura, the ANA Hotel Tokyo, and the Akasaka Prince Hotel are also found in the area. The Grand Hyatt Tokyo is just around the corner in Roppongi.
Click on the Akasaka map for a larger image.
Orientation
Akasaka’s main road, Sotobori Dori (Sotobori Street), runs north-south through the center of the district. On the south end of the streed lies Hie Jinja (Hie Shrine), where one of Tokyo’s most important festivals, the Sanno Matsuri, is held every year from June 10-16.
Sotobori Dori heads north to Benkei Bashi (Benkei Bridge) and the Suntory Museum of Art. Across the bridge lies the famous Hotel Otani, whose traditional Japanese garden was originally designed more than 400 years ago for the daimyo Kato Kiyomasa.
How to get to Akasaka
Akasaka can be accessed by via four railway stations.
Akasaka Station
Tokyo Metro: Chiyoda Line
Akasaka-mitsuke Station
Tokyo Metro: Hanzomon Line, Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line
Aoyama-itchome Station
Tokyo Metro: Hanzomon Line, Ginza Line
Toei: Oedo Line
Nogizaka Station
Tokyo Metro: Chiyoda Line
Tameike-sanno Station
Tokyo Metro: Ginza Line, Namboku Line