Tokyo Guide > Tokyo Sightseeing > Landmarks & Historical Places > Imperial Palace

Imperial Palace 皇居 Landmarks & Historical Places / Jimbocho

9 Reviews

Find more Landmarks & Historical Places ( Sightseeing ) in Tokyo
Add Photos Tell a Friend Bookmark Print Version Send to Phone
Imperial Palace
Access

The imperial palace is the residence of His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress. The building is a former Edo castle that sits on a property 24.6 million square meters big in the heart of Tokyo. Only certain areas are open to the public. Surrounding buildings include several government ministries and agencies such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Department, the Tokyo Fire Department, the Supreme Court, the Parliament and many embassies. There are nice jogging courses with superb views in the area.

Niju-Bashi consists of two bridges that connect the inner palace grounds over the Niju-Bashi moat. The bridges are only open during special occasions such as when foreign dignitaries pay a visit or for the New Year's greeting by the imperial family.

Sakurada is one of the gates granting access to the imperial palace. It is a cultural asset of national importance.

The Kita-no-Maru park is located north of the Imperial Palace. The grounds are covered with a small forest and also house the Science Museum and the Japan martial arts hall.

The East Garden inside the Imperial Palace complex is a Japanese-style garden. The large grounds (210,000 square meters) include a tea-ceremony house, a forest and the remains of some of the foundations of the old Edo castle. Open to the public from 9am-4pm, except Mondays and Fridays. Free admission.

Categories Landmarks & Historical Places
Nearest Station Nijubashi-mae
Address 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

9 Reviews for Imperial Palace


 romorain

zaou
  • Imperial Palace
  • (2009-01-30)
  • so i took the tour, which is really easy to set up, just a bunch of sending and stuff; don't even need to print out anything; at worst, you need to write down the code they gave you, but they didn't really ask me for anything besides my name. I came about ten minutes late, which was pretty alrite, since apparently you watch a 15 minute video for a while accompanied with browsing inside the souve... Read More

enigmatic
  • Imperial Palace
  • (2009-01-28)
  • What is there to say...it's a big wall. With a moat. A moat that recently had a naked European man with a saggy bum in it. There are a couple of beautiful swans living in the moat, but the gardens are probably the best part. It is one of very few places in all of Tokyo you can just lay out on the grass and read a book. The city scape from this location is quite nice, too. The security guards... Read More

studebaker
  • Imperial Palace
  • (2009-01-09)
  • This place would be a great place to have another much needed park in the city if it weren't reserved for the royal family. Of the 5 large green spaces in central Tokyo, 2 of them are off limits to common folk. From the outside, you can get a great look at the moat and walls that keep people out. The gates themselves are quite interesting to look at, and during cherry blossom season, the area o... Read More

hana
  • Imperial Palace
  • (2008-11-29)
  • I love this place! It is only 5 minutes walk from Tokyo station( marunouchi gate) and you will be amazed how different atomsphere from marunouchi office area. They have lots of nature and it is so quiet. You cannot belive you are in centre of Tokyo! People like to do running along the canal. Imperial Palace has lots of flower and the gardens are well looked after! I love to go during spring time, ... Read More

Stephe
  • Emperor's Palace - Viewing Days
  • (2008-11-20)
  • Another one of those stops that you will eventually make while living here, the Emperor's Palace is most popular with the runners and walkers who make their way around it in the early mornings, late evenings, and all day on the weekends. Another reviewer mentioned the dates to visit; if you get a chance, do join the hordes for one of the few occasions during the year that His Majesty greets the pu... Read More

Marie79
  • Imperial Palace
  • (2008-10-11)
  • Wow....I was so suprised that its impossible to see the Palace. We were not able to visit the garden. It was just possible to see one corner of the palace.

Lissa
  • Imperial Palace
  • (2008-03-17)
  • Since there isn't much to do at the Imperial Palace as you can't actually enter it, it doesn't take very long to see. Basically, you arrive, take your photo, and move onto the Imperial Palace East Gardens. The notable aspect of the Imperial Palace would be the Meganebashi Bridge. The only times when you can enter the inner palace grounds are the Emperor's birthday (December 23) and January 2.

esther
  • Imperial Palace
  • (2007-10-01)
  • This is a very famous spot for visitors. The Imperial Palace is surrounded by a canal and tress. It has a very large garden outside surrounded by trees which lined up neatly. They are mainly pine and willow trees. The pine trees made the palace very "Japanesey", because it is a common plant in Japanese gardens that symbolized longevity. The walkways are made by tiny pebbles. The walk around the pa... Read More
Odaiba Seaside Park
Daiso: Marui Oimachi
The Peninsula Tokyo
Essenza
  • Essenza
  • Italian
  • ( Tokyo Station )
Feedback Form