The British Embassy in Japan: A photographic journey through history
Invitation to public open days for Embassy photo exhibition this cherry-blossom season
Minister's Residence built in 1875 using red bricks
Through an exhibition of old Embassy photos held at the British Embassy in Tokyo, the UK government is reaffirming its message of strong commitment to the Embassy’s local area and to further deepening of UK-Japan relations both now and in the future.
It is 140 years since the British Government moved its diplomatic representation from the Tozenji Temple in Shinagawa and Yokohama to its current home in Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku. This special site has witnessed many historic developments and has gone through a number of changes, including the status of our representation being elevated from the British Legation to the British Embassy in 1905, the collapse of all of the Embassy buildings during the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and subsequent reconstruction of the buildings, beginning in 1929.
The activities and focus of the work of the Embassy have also changed with the times. Our priorities in 2014 and beyond are to work in partnership with Japan to deliver the UK’s prosperity security and consular interests, as well as to promote UK values and an international rules-based system.
A photo exhibition showcasing the Embassy site’s unique presence in the area will be open to the general public for three days in April 2014, offering visitors the chance to step back in time and enjoy snapshots from the red-brick buildings of the Minister’s Residence to Embassy buildings damaged by and reconstructed after the Great Kanto Earthquake.
“The British Embassy in Japan: A photographic journey through history”
Venue: No 5 House, British Embassy Tokyo (No 1 Ichiban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Public open days: Tuesday 1 April, Thursday 3 April and Friday 4 April
Opening hours: One-hour viewings for up to 80 people will begin at 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00 (closed at 16:00).
Admission: Free.
Tickets: Numbered tickets will be issued by the Embassy for access to the exhibition. Tickets for each open day will be available from the Embassy Main Gate from 10:30 each day. One ticket is valid for one person only for the date and the time as stated. A maximum of two tickets may be issued to one person.
To enter the exhibition, please come to the Embassy’s South Gate, facing the Kojimachi Fire Station, where a reception desk will open 30 minutes prior to the viewing stated on your ticket. Visitors will be asked to pass through a security check before entering the Embassy.
Please use public transport to reach the Embassy. The nearest station is Hanzomon Station on Tokyo Metro’s Haozomon Line, approximately 10-minute walk from Exit 3, 4 or 5.