Where the name Akasaka-mitsuke comes from, what stood here before the station, and what you can still spot on a walk today. Then the events near the station that we have checked on the official pages.
The word mitsuke refers to a guarded gateway within Edo Castle's defensive system. Akasaka-mitsuke was one of the castle's important western entrances. In 1636, the feudal lord Kuroda Tadayuki and others constructed its fortified stone enclosure, and the gate was completed in 1639. The enclosure, known as a masugata, forced visitors to turn between gates rather than passing straight through, helping defenders control access.
Walk from Akasaka-mitsuke Station toward Benkei Bridge. The land drops into the former outer-moat valley. Water still survives in Benkei Moat, while roads lead west toward the old Akasaka district. This was also a starting point for the Oyama pilgrimage route, which carried travelers from Edo toward Mount Oyama in present-day Kanagawa Prefecture.
The name Akasaka has a less certain origin. One theory links it to madder plants growing near the slope later called Kinokuni-zaka. Whatever the origin of Akasaka itself, the meaning of mitsuke is clear. Although most of the gate disappeared, part of its stone enclosure survives on the Kioicho side of the former moat.
→ Cross Benkei Bridge and visit the surviving Akasaka Gate stonework in Kioicho. Look back over Benkei Moat to understand how the fortified gateway and water barrier once protected Edo Castle.
Sources (in Japanese): 千代田区観光協会・赤坂見附跡, 港区・地名の歴史（赤坂地区）
Akasaka-mitsuke Crossing lies at the bottom of a valley surrounded by higher ground. In the Edo period, the enormous artificial Tameike reservoir stretched southeast toward Toranomon, while Benkei Moat continued west as part of Edo Castle's outer defenses. Tameike, created around 1606, served both military and water-supply purposes. Merchants and townspeople occupied parts of the lower ground, while the surrounding hills were dominated by large feudal estates.
Walk across Benkei Bridge and follow the road uphill toward Kinokuni-zaka. The former estate of the Kishu Tokugawa family occupied the elevated land, part of which is now the grounds of the State Guest House, Akasaka Palace. To the north lies Kioicho, whose name combines the Japanese characters for Kishu, Owari, and Ii, the three powerful families that maintained estates in the district.
Now turn in the opposite direction and follow Sotobori-dori toward Tameike-sanno. Office buildings and roads occupy much of what was once water. The reservoir was progressively reclaimed and changed dramatically during the Meiji period. Benkei Moat still survives, however, and the surrounding slopes reveal the remarkable contrast between the former waterside district and the grand residential estates above it.
→ Stand on Benkei Bridge to see a surviving section of Edo Castle's outer moat. Climb Kinokuni-zaka toward the former Kishu Tokugawa estate or walk into Kioicho and Shimizudani Park to explore the old valley landscape.
Sources (in Japanese): 港区デジタル版港区史・自然編 赤坂見附周辺の地形, 港区デジタル版港区史・近世編 赤坂の武家地
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We list events we could confirm on the official page or official Instagram of the venue or organiser. Details can change, tickets sell out and venues close, so check the official page before you go. Distances are straight-line and travel times are rough estimates. Photos show the venue or its surroundings, not the event itself. Titles and descriptions are our own translations from Japanese. This site contains affiliate links (ads).