For the foreign travelers who are not satisfied with the bus tour in Tokyo.

Imperial Palace

Imperial Palace (May 2009)

All the one day excursions of Tokyo include Imperial Palace.
But most of the tours visit only the entrance of the Palace and Double Bridges (Nijubashi).

Of course we cannot see the residential part of the Palace,
but we still can see a lot of other interesting parts of Imperial Palace.

I started from Tokyo station which is now under the renovation.
They tried to make the building its original design which will be done in 2012.





It takes 5 minutes to the first moat. From here we are already in the part of Palace land.
Sakurada Tatsumi Yagura is the first building of the Palace which is the former guard house.
As you may know (or maybe not),
Imperial Palace is the former Edo Castle where Tokugawa Shoguns lived nearly 300 years.

Double Bridges (Nijubashi) is one of the famous photo taking spot.





But this is not all.
You can enter into the center of old Edo Castle.

Otemon Gate is the entrance of the central part.
You can enter for free. (Closed on Monday & Friday)





Inside the Otemon Gate, there is a very long building.
This is Old Hyakunin Bansho which means guardhouse by 100 guards.





Then if you walk up the hill, you will find the base of the donjon (castle keep).
Only the base has been remained because the wooden keep was burned
by the fire in 17th century and not reconstructed again.
It is a pity, but you can imagine the long history of Edo era if you come here.





In the central area, you also can see a lot of nature.
There is a garden called Ninomaru Garden.
One part is a typical Japanese garden.





And there is also a woods.
When I walk here, I couldn't believe that I am in the middle of Tokyo!





Even poeple living in Tokyo don't know this place.
But I am sure that it is interesting to visit for both Japanese and foreing visitors.