Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
3 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
4 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
5 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Japan Tokyo R.T.O. Relief

R.T.O. Relief

A beautiful work of art designed to impress the Allied Forces.

Tokyo, Japan

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
RTO Relief at Tokyo Station.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
RTO Relief at Tokyo Station.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Kyoto.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Iwakuni.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Yabusame - horseback archery - in Kamakura.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Off the coast of Nagasaki.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Skiing in the Nagano-Gunma area.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Mount Fuji and its environs.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Tokyo Station is the main transportation hub of Tokyo, connecting the metropolis to every other major city across the country. It is also a wonder in itself, from its retro red-brick façade on the Marunouchi side to its extensive, multi-storied shopping malls on the inside and several historical secrets hidden in plain sight.

Located near the Yaesu Exit on the Keiyo Line side, the so-called R.T.O. Relief is a prime example of such oft-overlooked pieces of history at Tokyo Station. Most passengers walk past it without a single look, and those few who do give it a brief glance typically dismiss it as nothing special, just an enlarged relief map of Japan behind a glass case.

Except, of course, that’s not the case—it’s a lot more than just a common mural. The map is actually a leftover from the Allied occupation of Japan, “RTO” standing for Railway Transportation Office, established in 1947 under the direction of General Douglas MacArthur.

During the construction of the office, one worker suggested that it should have some feature that would amaze the Allied Forces. Designed by architect Junpei Nakamura, the relief map of Japan was created and adorned R.T.O.’s waiting room inside the Tokyo Station building. It illustrates many of Japan’s iconic landmarks such as Mount Fuji and the Yabusame ceremony in Kamakura, naming each site in Roman alphabet.

After the Allied occupation came to an end, the R.T.O. Relief fell into disuse at some point, until it was rediscovered by the station staff during the Marunouchi building’s restoration around 2012. The artwork was reinstalled at its current location and has stood there since, a little-appreciated piece of Japan’s post-war transportation history.

Related Tags

Murals Art War History
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Hidden Japan: Sado Island, Nara & Kyoto

Explore a different side of Japan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Published

October 26, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
R.T.O. Relief
Chiyoda City
Tokyo, 100-0005
Japan
35.677412, 139.765697
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Intermediatheque

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Jan Joosten Memorial

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Origin of Ginza Monument

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Places 220
Stories 13

Nearby Places

Intermediatheque

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Jan Joosten Memorial

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Origin of Ginza Monument

Tokyo, Japan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tokyo

Tokyo

Japan

Places 220
Stories 13

Related Places

  • The Assumption Cathedral and Monastery.

    Sviyazhsk, Russia

    Assumption Cathedral and Monastery

    A former military outpost of Ivan the Terrible, the 16th-century church contains some of the rarest examples of Eastern Orthodox mural paintings.

  • San Bartolo Coyotepec, Mexico

    ‘El Mural de la Conquista’ (‘Mural of the Conquest’)

    In this state repository of folk art, perhaps no piece is more representative than this brutal work featuring the town’s distinctive black clay pottery.

  • Phoenix, Arizona

    David Bowie Mural

    This mural of the late David Bowie features eight colorful panels showcasing Bowie’s various alter egos.

  • May you rest in peace.

    Birmingham, England

    'A Life in the Year of the Chinchillas'

    The ceiling of this shopping arcade is adorned with six trompe-l’œil artworks, including a grim funeral scene.

  • Jeanne Dielman Mural

    Brussels, Belgium

    Jeanne Dielman Mural

    A mural recalls a fictional woman who once lived at 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Brussels.

  • Tangier, Morocco

    Leila Alaoui Mural

    Local authorities nearly destroyed this mural before a viral video rallied international support to save it.

  • Keith Haring’s ‘Crack is Wack’ mural

    New York, New York

    'Crack is Wack'

    In 1986, Keith Haring was arrested for painting this anti-drug mural on a Harlem handball court.

  • Wellington Dam

    Worsley, Australia

    Wellington Dam

    This 86,000-square-foot artwork is the largest mural in the world to cover a dam.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.