2026 Tokyo Ambassadors Night

On Tuesday, January 27, Governor Koike hosted the 2026 Tokyo Ambassadors Night, a networking and information event for embassies and representative offices in Tokyo at the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Minato-ku.

The governer began her remarks with an introduction to the Takanawa area: "Three-hundred years ago, this area, Takanawa served as the gateway to Edo, the city that became Tokyo. And now, this area continues to evolve daily as a hub for international exchange where new business and culture are born." She then invited those in attendance to visit areas set up around the venue to allow them to experience the charms of Edo and to use the Japanese traditional kinpaku gold leaf technique to create their own set of chopsticks, and expressed her hope that they would enjoy the appeal of both Tokyo and Edo at the same time. The governor continued on to say: "At the end of March, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, a facility dedicated to keeping the history and culture of Edo alive, will reopen following a four-year renovation project. Exhibits have also been fully renewed taking great care to ensure that visitors can experience life in Edo through images and large-scale models. I hope that you will take the time to visit the museum! Last year, Tokyo was awarded first place in two categories, including Best Food and Culinary Destination, at the TOURISE 2025 Global Tourism Excellence Awards. And our city was even honored with the Best Overall Destination Award. I hope that the cuisine of Tokyo, which is very highly regarded around the world, will help to strengthen friendly ties tonight."