EMU JR East E233 series arrives at Yotsuya station on the Chuo line
Geihin-kan (the state guest house) is a facility in which the government accommodates visiting state guests, such as heads of state or ministers. Japan has two Geihin-kans, one in Tokyo and one in Kyoto, which belong to the national facilities under the Cabinet Office. Although an admission fee is charged, anyone can now visit the Geihin-kan in Tokyo when state guests aren't using the facility. Not only the building but also the front garden is very beautiful.
The Geihin-kan building in Tokyo was originally constructed in 1909 as the Crown Prince's palace. It was an era of Datsua-nyuo (leaving Asia and entering Europe). After the feudal times, the new Meiji government promoted the policy of Datsua-nyuo, while the government also promoted the adaptation of Western culture, custom, and architecture. Geihin-kan was a typical example of Datsua-nyuo, but the Crown Prince didn't use this building as it was too luxurious. Geihin-kan was then utilized as a government building such as the National Diet Library, but it was eventually changed to the state guest house in 1974. The first state guest to Geihin-kan was the thirty-eighth President of the United States, Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr.
To get to Geihin-kan, the nearest station is Yotsuya on the JR East Chuo line. Yotsuya is a valley in a hilly area, so the trains arrive at the station after passing through a tunnel. We can see a beautiful hilly landscape around the station, even though it is situated in the center of the city. It is a good area for strolling.
The Geihin-kan building in Tokyo was originally constructed in 1909 as the Crown Prince's palace. It was an era of Datsua-nyuo (leaving Asia and entering Europe). After the feudal times, the new Meiji government promoted the policy of Datsua-nyuo, while the government also promoted the adaptation of Western culture, custom, and architecture. Geihin-kan was a typical example of Datsua-nyuo, but the Crown Prince didn't use this building as it was too luxurious. Geihin-kan was then utilized as a government building such as the National Diet Library, but it was eventually changed to the state guest house in 1974. The first state guest to Geihin-kan was the thirty-eighth President of the United States, Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr.
To get to Geihin-kan, the nearest station is Yotsuya on the JR East Chuo line. Yotsuya is a valley in a hilly area, so the trains arrive at the station after passing through a tunnel. We can see a beautiful hilly landscape around the station, even though it is situated in the center of the city. It is a good area for strolling.
The Geihin-kan building and the front garden near Yotsuya station