The Bank of Japan said Tuesday the central bank will open its main vault to the public from around the summer.

Weighing 25 tons, the 1,000-sq.-meter vault is underneath the old BOJ headquarters building. It will be open to the public for the first time since it was built in 1896.

The move is aimed at promoting the public's understanding of daily operations at the central bank, the BOJ said.

The building that houses the vault, which is still used by the bank, has been designated as an important national cultural asset.