A new smoking room =photo above= has opened on the north side of the Palaceside Building first floor.
Just to the right (east) after you leave the north exit and go down the stairs, we have long had an outdoor smoking space. Space was limited, though, and people stepping onto the facing ward road to smoke never stopped. As you know, Chiyoda Ward has an ordinance of "no smoking on all streets," with fines (2,000 yen) for violators — a strict rule. Ward staff patrol and caution people who break it
, but it felt like a game of cat and mouse, and the ward strongly asked the Palaceside Building to enforce manners.
So we remodeled the restroom that stood in the old smoking space and opened a smoking room =see photo right.
It is about 18 square meters, with three powerful smoke-separation units (smoking tables) so smoke does not linger. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Needless to say, the old outdoor smoking space is abolished, and smoking is banned except in the smoking room.
Please enjoy tobacco while observing manners.