Landmark & Tower · Ochanomizu / Kanda Surugadai

Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Nikolai-do) 東京復活大聖堂（ニコライ堂）

Tokyo's green-domed Russian Orthodox cathedral, a Byzantine landmark from 1891 on the Kanda hilltop, with a jewel-like iconostasis you can see during afternoon visiting hours.

HoursInterior visiting approx. 13:00–16:00 (Oct–Mar to 15:30)

ClosedDuring services and church events (check before visiting)

PriceInterior visit donation: ¥300

Getting thereShin-Ochanomizu Station (Chiyoda Line, exit B1), 2 min; Ochanomizu Station (JR, Hijiri-bashi Exit), 3 min

Time needed30 min

Best timeWeekday afternoons

Address4-1-3 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda City, Tokyo

About

Nikolai-do takes its name from St. Nicholas of Japan, the Russian missionary who founded the Orthodox Church in Japan. The cathedral was completed in 1891 to a design by the Russian architect Mikhail Shchurupov, with the work supervised by Josiah Conder, and its dome once dominated the skyline of Meiji Tokyo. The 1923 earthquake brought the bell tower crashing down on the dome, and the restoration of 1929 gave it a smaller, more rounded dome, the one you see today. It is an Important Cultural Property and still an active cathedral. Inside, under the dome, gilded icons fill the iconostasis and candlelight reflects off the painted walls. Visitors are welcome in the afternoons on most days for a small donation, but photos are not allowed inside, and Sunday mornings are reserved for the liturgy.

Highlights

Green copper Byzantine dome above the Ochanomizu hilltop
Gilded iconostasis glowing in candlelight
Bell tower that still rings for services
Important Cultural Property dating from 1891
Rare Orthodox church architecture in the middle of Tokyo

Tips

Interior visits are usually in the afternoon only (roughly 13:00 to 15:30 or 16:00); call or check before going, as services take priority.
A donation of a few hundred yen is expected at the entrance; no photography inside.
Combine with Yushima Seido and the Hijiri-bashi bridge, both within five minutes.
Dress modestly and keep voices low; this is an active place of worship.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

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Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Nikolai-do) 東京復活大聖堂（ニコライ堂）

About

Highlights

Tips

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