Tokyo’s Unique Venues Offer Meeting and Incentive Planners a Wealth of Options

Planners searching for a unique venue in Tokyo for a meeting, event, convention or incentive program have an abundance of options to choose from. From museums, theme parks and gardens to outdoor spaces, cultural properties and historic structures, Tokyo has a rich array of unique venues that can accommodate any program size and focus.  

Choosing a unique venue for a business or incentive event in Tokyo supports the goals of a program in multiple ways. These one-of-a-kind sites can boost interest and registration in a program and help increase an event’s participation on-site. Unique venues can also enhance the experience for attendees, making the event and its key takeaways more memorable. 

Here’s a look at four unique meeting venues in Tokyo that offer a taste of the many options available.

KONICA MINOLTA PLANETARIA TOKYO

Creative planning opportunities abound at KONICA MINOLTA PLANETARIA TOKYO. Japan’s first full dome theater complex, PLANETARIA TOKYO includes two dome theaters that can be configured for different experiences and adaptable imaging projections. PLANETARIA TOKYO is an ideal venue for innovative businesses and tech or product launches.

PLANETARIA TOKYO’s Dome 1 is a digital multi-purpose theater that features a highly adaptable seating layout for up to 120 people, seated or standing. The dome enables meeting or event programming that can project vivid images across the ceiling and onto the walls to create a highly immersive experience that can also include presentations as well as live performances. 

PLANETARIA TOKYO’s Dome 2 is a planetarium theater equipped with an optical planetarium and full-dome digital image system that delivers high-resolution images and customizable projections. The dome features an integrated optical and digital system in an award-winning design space that can accommodate up to 170 people and includes a multilingual audio service. Food and beverage services are not permitted in Dome 2.

Oi Racecourse

Oi Racecourse in Shinagawa Ward is Tokyo’s most central and prestigious horse racing venue and is readily accessible from the city center. The venue is known for its nighttime as well as daytime racing and for its location, which provides unique views of Tokyo that can’t be seen from the heart of the city. 

The Oi Racecourse features a wide variety of spaces that can accommodate small meetings to large events, including indoor seats and a 10,000-square-meter event space (UMILE SQUARE) that is ideal for hosting outdoor programs for up to 5,000 people. The venue has options for formal or buffet-style dinners and cocktail parties. 

Races run throughout the year and the illuminated nighttime races are colloquially known as “Twinkle Race”. The racecourse can only be used for events when there is no racing event occuring. The unique venue and stunning photo opportunities of Tokyo make the Oi Racecourse an unforgettable experience for all meeting participants. 

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum 

Built in 1933 as the residence of Prince and Princess Asaka, the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum is itself a work of art that will delight meeting and event participants and transport them back to a different age. The prince and princess lived in France during the early 1920s, coinciding with the golden age of Art Deco in the country. They were fascinated by the beauty of Art Deco and incorporated the style into their new residence, commissioning the French artist Henri Rapin to design the interiors of the principal rooms and employing famous craftsmen of the day including René Lalique, then one of France’s leading glassmakers.
 
While it is now a museum, no significant changes have been made to the interior. A valuable historic structure whose exterior was built in the latest design of the 1930s, the museum accurately embodies the Art Deco style and has been designated as one of Japan’s Important Cultural Properties. Event attendees can enjoy an immersive art experience and gather for receptions in the terrace and cafe which provide wonderful views of the grounds around the property. Potential sites for small to large gatherings include additional garden terraces and one of the galleries. 

Tokyo Daijingu Shrine

The Tokyo Daijingu Shrine is a unique venue located in Iidabashi, which allows event attendees to experience Tokyo’s urban center while immersing themselves in the atmosphere of the traditional Japanese cultural traditions of a shrine. Constructed in 1880 during the Meiji era (1869-1912), western-style receptions and events can be held in the Japanese solemn atmosphere of the shrine. 

This prestigious shrine includes three unique rooms that can be used for banquets, receptions and social events. 

The largest room, the Isuzu Room, can accommodate 150 people for a seated reception. The smallest room, the Shikinami Room can host up to 76 people for a seated reception, and the modern Japanese-style Mizuho Room can accommodate up to 92 seated participants.

Help For Planners

The Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB) offers planners tools to help them research, plan and execute meetings and events in Tokyo’s unique venues. 

These include TOKYO Unique Venues, a website that features venues organized by category as well as images, 360-degree digital images, pricing information, decoration case studies, and general information about Tokyo. Each venue listing includes specifics on the site’s event capabilities as well as a schematic venue that can be downloaded to assist in planning. 
 
TCVB also provides comprehensive support to business event organizers and planners by introducing facilities and coordinating venues for their inquiries. Learn more.