Japan's Imperial Palace gets first cafe, rooftop deck at new visitor center

Tokyo's Imperial Palace is set to undergo a major transformation with the opening of a new visitor center on November 3. The centerpiece of this development is the Ote Rest House near the Ote-mon Gate on the eastern side of the palace grounds. This single-story wooden building, spanning 2,800 square meters, will house the first cafe and a rooftop deck at the Imperial Palace.

The cafe, run by the specialty coffee chain Sarutahiko Coffee, will offer exclusive original coffee blends and meals. The rooftop deck will provide visitors with an unprecedented view of the palace's stone walls and turrets, typically only accessible from ground level.

Yoshiharu Ito, head of the Imperial Household Agency's administration division, noted that the facility will serve as both a relaxation spot for visitors and a tourism hub, offering valuable information. The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, typically free to the public, attracted 2.13 million visitors in 2025, nearly reaching the 2.23 million logged in 2019.

The new facility will also contribute to domestic travel in Japan, with large video screens showcasing various tourist destinations across the country, including the Aso region in Kumamoto Prefecture and Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture. Videos will introduce the activities of the Imperial Family, including their visits to foreign countries and different parts of Japan.

The project, costing approximately 7.5 billion yen ($47.4 million), was financed through Japan's departure tax, which is levied on all travelers leaving the country. The Japan Tourism Agency, in collaboration with private companies, developed the facility, with Sarutahiko Coffee selected as the cafe operator. The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan, will also reopen on the same day, having undergone a seven-year renovation that expanded its exhibition space eightfold.