Tokyo’s intense crowds, underground subway passages, and blaring neon lights can make you claustrophobic. The Imperial Palace Gardens offers a break with some of the loveliest scenery in Tokyo.
Escape the busy crush of commuting workers. Slow down, relax, and enjoy the beauty of the garden. It’s just a 10-minute walk from Tokyo Station.
Contents
- What To Do in The Gardens
- Other Parts of the Park
- Video Tour of The Imperial Palace Grounds
- History
- Imperial Palace East Gardens
- Video Tour of the East Gardens
- Other Section of the East Gardens
- The Outer Gardens
- Is it Worth Visiting?
- How to Get There
- Insider Tip
- Top Destinations in Tokyo
- Top Attractions in Tokyo
What To Do in The Gardens
The East Gardens – Two Areas With a Differing Emphasis
The Honmaru area offers open spaces perfect for picnics.
The Ninomaru area is a recreation of an Edo-period garden, a nod to the castle’s past.
Other Parts of the Park
The Outer Gardens offer a chance to see unique moats and bridges. They also offer fun for the more active tourist, with a 5 km jogging path and boats for rent.
The Imperial Palace isn’t open to the public for most of the year. Visitors are only allowed on the inner grounds on January 2nd (emperor New Year’s Greeting) and December 23rd (the birthday of the current emperor – Emperor Akihito) to see the Imperial Family make an appearance.
Video Tour of The Imperial Palace Grounds
History
The gardens sit on the grounds of what was once Edo Castle, the base of the Tokugawa shogunate. The gardens benefited from the concentration of power and business around the castle.
The area remained a center of power during the Meiji restoration.
The area was home to Japan’s first large Western-style buildings. Some of these charming old buildings remain to this day.
The most notable: the Marunouchi facade of Tokyo station. It sits on one end of the boulevard leading towards the Imperial Palace.
The Former Castle Tower
As you approach the Imperial Palace, you see traces of the castle’s defenses. They include stone walls and deep moats.
Little else remains of Edo Castle. The warrior-poet Ota Sukenaga built the castle in 1457. The castle was held and lost by the Hojo clan before Tokugawa Ieyasu took possession.
Tokugawa made Edo his capital when he became shogun in 1603. He developed the castle and the surrounding town.
The buildings came down to make way for a modern palace during the Meiji-period.
The scale of the moats and walls give you an idea of Edo castle’s size in its hey-day. The size of the castle grounds remains a testament to the strength and power of the Tokugawa clan.
Not impressed? At its height, the castle grounds stretched all the way to Tokyo Station.
Imperial Palace East Gardens
The east gardens consist of two sections: Honmaru and Ninomaru.
Honmaru
Honmaru offers space to relax; the park is a lovely respite from Tokyo’s crowds.
Let’s examine a few of its more noteworthy attractions.
Kokyo Gaien
Kokyo-Gaien is a large plaza in front of the Imperial Palace. Don’t miss the gorgeous Japanese black pine trees.
Niju-bashi
The Niju-bashi bridge was built in 1886. The bridge was one of the many checkpoints surrounding the palace.
In 1886, Niju-bashi captured attention because of its “modern” style. Now it’s the most famous bridge in Japan, loved for its period look.
The bridge is incredibly photogenic. You’ll love the lanterns, traditional bridge, and moat. This spot is a must for photographers.
Fushimi-Yagura
Behind the bridge is Fushimi-yagura, a castle keep. Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third Tokugawa Shogun, moved it here from Fushimi Castle.
Trees of Honmaru
The cherry trees are popular from late-March to early April. You won’t believe your eyes when you see them in full bloom.
Honmaru also has ginkgo trees that turn a vibrant yellow in autumn. The black pines are striking any time of year.
Entry to the East Gardens is through the Kikyo-mon or Otemon gates.
Hours
- March 1st – April 14th: 9:00am – 4:30pm
- April 15th – the end of August: 9:00am – 5:00pm
- September 1st – the end of October: 9:00am – 4:30pm
- November 1st – the end of February: 9:00am – 4:00pm
- Entry to the East Gardens ends 30 minutes before the scheduled closing time
Closed
- Mondays and Fridays
- December 28th – January 3rd
- The Emperor’s Birthday – December 23rd
- If a national holiday falls on a Monday, the Garden will be closed on the following Tuesday
- If there are any circumstances where it is deemed necessary to close the Garden
Check their calendar before you go to see if they are open.
Admission
Free
For More Information
Imperial Household Agency Homepage
Video Tour of the East Gardens
The Museum of the Imperial Collections
The museum contains 9,500 items collected by the Imperial family. The highlights include calligraphy and paintings from many historical masters.
Hours
- March 1st – April 14th 9:00 a.m. – 4:15 p.m
- April 15th – the end of August : 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m
- September 1st – the end of October : 9:00 a.m. – 4:15 p.m
- November 1st – the end of February : 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m
- Entry to the museum ends 15 minutes before the scheduled closing time
Closed
- Mondays and Fridays
- December 28th – January 3rd
- The Emperor’s Birthday – December 23rd
- If a national holiday falls on a Monday, the museum will be closed on the following Tuesday
- If there are any circumstances where it is deemed necessary to close the museum
- Preparation time for exhibits
Admission
Free
Other Section of the East Gardens
Ninomaru
The Ninomaru is an Edo-period garden. It maintains the traditional style popular during the Tokugawa shogun’s rule.
It gives off a feeling of peace and tranquiality, so it’s a nice place to visit if you need a place to escape the city.
The Teahouse
Ninomaru also has the Suwa no Chaya, an Edo-period teahouse. It was originally inside the Fukiage garden. It was moved to the Akasaka Palace but was then reconstructed in its original location in 1912.
