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Tours of the Bank's Head Office

日本語

The Bank of Japan offers guided tours three times a day on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The time slots are: 9:30-10:30, 11:00-12:00, and 15:15-16:15. On Tuesdays, an additional fourth time slot is available at 13:45-14:45. For more information, please see the Schedule for the English-language guided tour.

Image:Exterior view of the Main Building of the Bank's Head Office

In-House Tours (about 1 hour in length; reservation required)

Come and join our English-language guided tour to explore the Bank of Japan's Main Building, designated as an Important Cultural Property. The tour includes visits to the underground vault, the former banking floor, and the exhibition room.

  • Image: Courtyard of the Main Building with its impressive round pillars

    Courtyard of the Main Building

  • Image: 90 centimeter-thick door of the underground vault

    Door of the underground vault

  • Image: Ceiling of the octagonal room beneath the dome that marks the center of the Main Building

    Interior view of the dome above the exhibition room

Basic Information about the Tour

  1. Schedule for the English-language guided tour
    English-language guided tours can be arranged for groups of five or more visitors.
    To book a tour, please contact us by e-mail to request your preferred date and time.1
    Time slots are the same as the Japanese-language guided tour (see the next section).
    There are no tours from December 29 through January 4, or on national holidays (see the Holiday Schedule of the Bank). Tours may not be held on some occasions, due to official events or other reasons.
    1. 1The Bank can only provide either a Japanese-language guided tour or an English-language tour in one time slot. English tour reservations are not available if a Japanese tour is already booked for that time slot. Please check the tour reservation website to confirm whether English tour reservations are available at your preferred date and time.
  2. Schedule for the Japanese-language guided tour
    Monday-Friday
    1. (1) 9:30-10:30 (check-in time: 9:15-9:25)
    2. (2) 11:00-12:00 (check-in time: 10:45-10:55)
    3. (3) 13:45-14:45 (check-in time: 13:30-13:40)
    4. (4) 15:15-16:15 (check-in time: 15:00-15:10)

    Please note that English-language support is not available during the Japanese-language guided tour. Visitors unable to follow instructions in Japanese are requested to bring their own interpreter.
  3. Tour size
    A maximum of 20 people (reserved on a first-come, first-served basis).
  4. Age requirement
    Children must be at least 11 years of age to attend the tour; those aged 11-12 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
  5. Cost
    Free
  6. Tour program
    The tour begins with a 10-minute introductory video about the Bank, followed by a guided 50-minute walking tour. Tour participants are requested not to leave the tour once it is underway.
  7. Language
    Video: English/Chinese/Japanese
    Tour language: English/Japanese
    Pamphlet: English/Japanese
  8. Lecture in English*temporarily unavailable
  9. Currency Museum
    Participants are also welcome to visit the Currency Museum located nearby (free admission).2 Groups of more than 20 people are kindly requested to make reservations by phone. For more information, please refer to the website of the Currency Museum.
    1. 2The museum provides an overview of the history of Japanese currency. Visitors can explore the museum's collection of coins and notes, as well as related materials and research.

How to Make a Reservation and Join the Bank's Head Office Tour

In-house tours are available only with advance reservation.
Booking starts 90 days before the tour date, and the reservation process must be completed at least five days before the day of the tour. However, if the tour date follows four or more consecutive days on which the Head Office is closed (see the Holiday Schedule of the Bank), the deadline for reservations may be set earlier than five days before the day of the tour. A notice on the specific dates on which such exceptions apply can be found on Online Tour Reservation (Link to an external website).

  1. Online reservations
    • Your e-mail address is required when making reservations. To make sure you can receive e-mails from us, please place the two domain names below on your whitelist (so your spam filter does not block e-mails from us):
      @www5.revn.jp
      @boj.or.jp
    • All the tour participants' full names, as they appear on their passports, must be registered in advance, by either:
      1. (1) filling out the form on the tour reservation website (up to 10 participants), or
      2. (2) submitting the full list by post, fax, or e-mail (over 10 participants).
        List of Tour Participants ( [Word 27KB] , [PDF 235KB] )
    • The Bank receives reservations through a third-party reservation system and limits its use of personal information registered on the reservation website solely to making tour arrangements.
    • If you have any further inquiries, please contact us by e-mail.
      Tour Desk, Public Relations Department, Bank of Japan
      E-mail : prdmail(at)boj.or.jp
      *Please change (at) to @.
  2. Changing or cancelling a reservation
    • Cancelling a reservation
      Up to three days before the tour date: Cancellations can be made online using the link cited in the confirmation e-mail.
      Within two days before the tour date: Please notify us by e-mail or phone (Tour Desk : +81-3-3279-1111).
    • Reducing the number of participants
      Please contact us as soon as possible.
    • Increasing the number of participants
      Please make reservations for additional participants on the tour reservation website.
  3. On the day of the tour
    • Check-in begins 15 minutes before the scheduled starting time of the tour at the reception counter. Visitors are requested to come to the West Entrance of the Bank's Head Office (see Entrance for Tour Visitors (Map) [PDF 243KB]). Please wait outside at the courtyard of the Main Building until check-in begins.
    • Visitors are kindly requested to check in at the reception counter at least 5 minutes before the tour starts. Please note that the tours start promptly. Those who arrive late will not be able to join the tour.
    • You will be asked for your reservation number at the West Entrance and at reception. Please present either a printout or a screen display of the confirmation e-mail of your reservation.
    • All visitors are required to present a valid ID with name at reception (original ID only; no photocopies).
      Those without an acceptable form of ID will not be able to join the tour.
      Any participants in elementary school should bring IDs, for example, their health insurance card.
      The following are examples of acceptable forms of ID (original ID only; no photocopies):
      • Passport
      • Driver's license or driving record certificate
      • Health insurance card
      • Employee or student photo ID
      • Disability certificate
      • Residence Card
      • Individual Number Card ("My Number Card")
      • Basic Resident Registration Card with photo
      • Pension handbook
    • Please note that, for security reasons, visitors are asked to undergo screening with a metal detector and X-ray inspection of their belongings. Visitors are advised to refrain from bringing items that are unrelated to their visit. 

Notes on Tour Reservations

  • If anyone in your group uses a wheelchair, please notify us when making a reservation.
  • If you did not register all participants' names when making a reservation, please submit the "List of Tour Participants" form to the Tour Desk within a month after registration is confirmed. If you made your reservation within a month before the tour date, you are kindly requested to submit the full list at your earliest convenience.
  • A list of all the tour participants' full names, as they appear on their passports, must be registered in advance. Those without prior registration will not be able to join the tour. There are no exceptions made for tour guides or interpreters.
  • We do not accept tentative reservations. Travel agencies are requested not to make reservations for in-house tours until the number and identity of all participants is fixed.
  • There is no parking space available. Visitors are recommended to use public transportation.

Notes on Your Visit

  • Lockers are available but only for small items. Please do not bring large items such as suitcases.
    Valuables must be kept with you at all times. The Bank is not liable for any loss or damage.
  • Visitors are advised to wear comfortable shoes, as the tour route includes stairs.
  • Drinking, eating, and smoking are prohibited on the Bank's premises. Photography (except at designated photo points) and audio/video recording are not allowed. Visitors are requested to speak quietly and refrain from using cellphones or playing games on handheld devices.
  • Visitors who do not follow instructions or are disruptive will not be permitted to continue on the tour and will be asked to leave.

Comments from Tour Participants

We hope that participants on the tour will have an informative and enjoyable experience at the Bank. Below are some of the comments we have received from tour participants (translated from the original Japanese):

  • "The tour was very interesting. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn in detail about the Bank and money -- an experience that can only be provided by the Bank's tour." - High school student
  • "I enjoyed the tour so much that it was over before I knew it. There was so much I could learn by seeing everything firsthand. The reservation system was easy to follow." - Junior high school student
  • "I enjoyed seeing with my own eyes the impressive underground vault, which was actually in use for more than a century." - Visitor in their 20s
  • "I brought my children on the tour as an educational visit so that they could learn about the Bank. I was satisfied with the tour because we were able to learn about the money we use in our daily lives and see for ourselves how it is connected with the world as well as the economy." - Visitor in their 40s
  • "A very valuable experience. I will include what I learned from the tour in my children's financial education." - Visitor in their 50s
  • "The renewed Head Office tour was amazing." - Visitor in their 50s

Short Tours on the Day (about 30 minutes in length; no reservation required)*temporarily unavailable