Just ten minutes from Tokyo Station lies Tokyo Imperial Palace: a wealth of gardens and galleries, with guided tours and castle ruins.
Pro tip: Make the most of your visit to the area by joining this walking tour. Not only will you visit the Imperial Palace, but you’ll also get to taste some sake, try your hand at knife sharpening, and learn about traditional Japanese food like dashi (soup stock) and seaweed.
Like an island of respite, the Tokyo Imperial Palace is surrounded by parks and gardens offering a getaway from the busy city streets. Surrounding the home of the Emperor, the grounds are painstakingly maintained and are one of the top destinations for visitors to the capital.
Covering 1.3 square miles, the grounds include hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots, art galleries, historical ruins and beautiful gardens—plus a private section reserved for royalty, of course. Once the site of Edo Castle, the land is now among the most highly valued in Japan, and is a short walk from Tokyo Station.
If you’re planning to visit, there are organized tours of inner areas available for free, as well as special days when you can see the Emperor himself—so read on and learn all you need to know about Tokyo Imperial Palace and the treasures it holds!
Pro tip: Book a private guided tour to get the most out of your visit to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
The History of Tokyo’s Imperial Palace
The current palace grounds were the site of Edo Castle, and before that, the residence of warrior Edo Shigetsugu. The land was close to Hibiya, which was then a beach, and was a strong flatlands location, strengthened by moats. Built in 1457 by Ota Dokan, Edo Castle (also known as Chiyoda Castle) was an important location in the development of Japan. During the Siege of Edo, it was taken over by the Hojo clan, and was later abandoned during the Siege of Odawara in 1590. The castle later became the base of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Tokugawa Shogunate was formed there, with the castle becoming the military capital. Read more about the history of Tokyo. If you want some more of Edo-era Tokyo then heck out these old-school corners of Tokyo or these unusual theme parks in Japan.
Following the Meiji Restoration it became the Imperial Palace, with Emperor Meiji residing there until the new palace was built. Unfortunately, like many old Japanese structures, almost nothing remains of the original castle or ancient buildings today following fires, earthquakes and war damage—but a few small areas have survived. The Tenshudai (pictured above) is the foundation of the once-tallest tower in Japan, and can be found in the East Gardens.
Tokyo Imperial Palace grounds and gardens
Although the inner grounds are off-limits for the majority of the year, visitors are still able to explore the parks and gardens free of charge and without registration. The area is divided into three main sections: the East Gardens, Kitanomaru Koen Park and the Kokyo Gaien National Garden—all surrounded by a great jogging route for those who would like more than a stroll.
The East Gardens
Opened to the public in 1968, the East Gardens are located in the innermost circles of Edo Castle: the Honmaru and Ninomaru. The former was the principal complex where the rulers spent their daily lives, the latter was where meetings would take place with visiting feudal lords. The two areas combined form one of the last Edo Gardens to be preserved in Japan, and are filled with carefully-maintained seasonal flowers and trees. The Honmaru is a large lawn area and the Ninomaru a manicured garden, creating a great space for escaping the city and relaxing in much-needed nature.
The gardens also contain some of the few remnants of Edo Castle, including the moat walls, the entrance gate and some guardhouses. On the lawn of the Honmaru area you can see the imposing foundations (tenshudai) of the former castle tower, which was once the tallest castle tower in Japan. Unfortunately, it only stood for 19 years, as it was destroyed in a fire in 1657 and never rebuilt.
Pro tip: If you’re keen to know which flowers will be in season when you visit the Tokyo Imperial Palace gardens, check this handy (and very extensive) flower guide.
Opening hours
The East Gardens are closed on Mondays and Fridays, as well as from Dec 28th – Jan 3rd and on some special occasions. Otherwise, they are open from 9am to 4pm, with hours extended until 4:30pm between March 1st and April 14th, and until 5pm from April 15th – August 31st. Last entry is half an hour before closing. Entry is free, but you may be given a small entry token to return when you leave, so they can keep track of guests before closing.
Access: The East Gardens are easily accessible from Otemachi Station. Look for the Otemon Gate.
Kokyo Gaien National Garden
First opened to the public in 1949, Kokyo Gaien was previously part of the palace grounds and features the Nijubashi Bridge. The bridge was originally made with wood, and then an extra level was added, causing it to be nicknamed the “double bridge.” The area was once known as Nishinomarushita and was the location of the servants’ houses.
As well as the famous Nijubashi, you can see the Sakuradamon Gate, which is a cultural asset, and a bronze statue of samurai Masashige Kusunoki.
Slightly confusingly, the title of Kokyo National Garden is usually reserved for the section of gardens in front of the palace, but is also occasionally used to refer to the entire gardens complex, including the parks, so keep that in mind if you get confused (we’ve stuck to the specific garden use here).
Access: This area is best accessed by the Sakuradamon Gate (near Sakuradamon Station). Since it is a public park, access is free and unrestricted.
Kitanomaru Park
A real green oasis, Kitanomaru Park was once a medicinal garden and is almost entirely surrounded by a moat, giving it a real escapist feel (aside from all the other people). There are two original Edo gates at the entrances: the Shimizumon Gate, which leads you to the Chiyoda ward office, and the Tayasumon Gate, which takes you to Kudanshita Station, and was built in 1685. The park was opened to the public in 1969 to commemorate the 60th birthday of Emperor Showa and is a mix of flowers and woodland—perfect for getting some shade in summer.
You can follow the Chidorigafuchi walking path, which includes a moat-side stretch with cherry-blossom in spring, without the risk of being run down by joggers. From April to November, you can rent paddle-boats on the moat, which is especially lovely when surrounded by pink blossom, and creates a pretty picturesque scene for onlookers too. The park is also home to the Science Museum, Nippon Budokan and the National Museum of Modern Art, but more on those below!
Access: This area is best accessed from the East Gardens or Takebashi, Kudanshita or Hanzomon stations. Since it is a public park, access is free and unrestricted.
Guided tours of Tokyo Imperial Palace
If you would like to get closer to the Tokyo Imperial Palace, you can join one of the official guided tours for access to some of the inner areas. They will take you to special spots including the Fujimi-yagura (Mt. Fuji-view Keep) and the Hasuikebori (Lotus Moat), as well as offer views of treasured spots like the Seimon Testubashi Bridge and the Fujimitamon Defence Gate. You will also get pretty close to the Imperial Palace itself, and can see the more modern additions to the royal grounds.
Tokyo Imperial Palace tours are free but require registration, either in advance online or on the day. Currently, only 120 guests are accepted each day (previously 500), with 70 spaces available for on-the-day registration (previously 300), with reccommendations to arrive early if you can.
The tours take place at 10am and 1:30pm and are conducted in Japanese and English, although headsets may be available in a few other languages. The tours take around 75 minutes and visit 11 different spots—starting from the Kikyomon Gate, which is also where you register.
If you’re a sporty-type, you might also enjoy this cycling tour of Tokyo. It takes you not only to the Imperial Palace, but also Meiji Jingū Shrine, Roppongi, and even as far as Ginza.
There are also private guided tours of the Tokyo Imperial Palace available.
Alternatives
Instead of a tour, you can download the free Imperial Palace audio guide app, if you’re the type who prefers to wander around. You can also find free guided tours that take in the palace and other Tokyo sights. Renting a bicycle and cycling around the special 3km palace course that’s open on Sundays is also a fun idea.
Bonus attractions at the Imperial Palace
As well as the gardens and guided tours, the green escape is home to a number of additional attractions that are well worth a side-visit during your stroll. These three are positioned up in the northern area of the gardens in Kitanomaru Park.
National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Home to countless examples of Japanese and international modern art, this museum is a treasure trove for modern art lovers. There are excellent works in the permanent collection including photography by Walker Evans, abstract pieces by Willem de Kooning and works by Wassily Kandinsky. There is a focus on the effect of Western art on the Japanese scene and vice versa, and artists such as Yayoi Kusama and Ai Mitsu have pieces on display. The museum is also home to Japan’s National Film Center, which has a great collection, as well as regular screenings.
Hours: 10am – 5pm, 9pm on weekends | Closed Mondays | Free access on the first Sunday each month, otherwise entry is ¥500 for adults and ¥250 for students.
Nippon Budokan
Built to host the judo tournaments of the 1964 Olympics, the Budokan is a large sports arena that still hosts martial arts events as well as other sporting events. The national championships of judo, kendo, aikido and karate are still held here annually and can be a great opportunity to see traditional sports in action. If you like Japanese sports, then be sure to check out our guide to seeing sumo while you’re in town!
It has also become a popular music venue; the first music performance was the Beatles in 1966 and since then hundreds of performers have take to the stage, including Diana Ross, Prince, AKB48 and Morning Musume. The venue is still popular and is a great place to check out events while you’re in the area! Take into consideration though that if there is an event on the day you visit, you may want to avoid Kudanshita Station.
Science Museum
This museum is mainly for the kids and their adults, as it is a family-friendly educational mainstay that has been entertaining the Tokyo youth since 1964. It is a bit of an “all-in-one” museum and includes displays on computer technology, transport, space, the future, life sciences and more.
Hours: 9:30am – 4:50pm (last entry 4pm) | Closed Wednesdays (check their website for exceptions) | Entry is ¥950 for adults and ¥500–¥600 for children, free for those under 3.
Special dates at Tokyo’s Imperial Palace: Seeing the Emperor
They may be few, but they are not far between: the three special entry days for the Imperial Palace all take place in winter, from the 1st of December to the 23rd of February. Offering glimpses of the palace and even of the Emperor himself, these days are incredibly busy due to their rarity, so be prepared for crowds and queues!
Note: Currently, you have to pre-register for these events.
January 2nd – New Year Greeting
This is a rare chance to see the Imperial Family as the Emperor, Empress, and family appear on the balcony of the Chowaden Hall to greet well-wishers. The event is hugely popular, and crowds are immense, so be prepared. There are five appearances , with the first two including the adult family members and the remaining three including the younger members too. The times are: 10:10am, 11am, 11:50am, 1:30pm and 2:20pm. You can enter the grounds at the main gate from 9:30am until 2:10pm but it is advisable to arrive early. More information.
February 23rd – The (new) Emperor’s Birthday
To celebrate his birthday, the Emperor and his family are expected to continue tradition and make three appearances from the balcony of the Chowaden Hall. The day is also a national holiday, so it is a whole new level of busy. In the afternoon, a guestbook is opened to all visitors, and tents are set up allowing everyone to write a message to the Emperor. From 12:30pm to 3:30pm, the book is in front of the Imperial Household. The appearance times are 10:20am, 11am, 11:40am, and you can enter the grounds from 9:30am until 11:20am at the main gate. Note that the East Gardens are closed on this day, but visitors can exit through them. More information.
December 1st-9th – Visit of the General Public to Inui Street
Between 9am and 3pm on these days, you can walk straight through the palace grounds from the Sakashitamon Gate to the Inuimon Gate. This route will mean you have the Fukiage Gardens and Imperial Residence on your left, and the East Gardens to your right, with a good portion of the walk following the Hasuikebori moat. More information.
Rules and considerations
The process for seeing the Emperor and Imperial Family is relatively straightforward. Nearby stations are flooded with well-wishers being directed by police, so just follow the crowds to the main palace gate (Nijubashi), which opens at 9:30am and is only entrance open that day. Once you reach the gate, there is a brief security check before you are handed a small Japanese flag made of paper and sent off on a brief walk to Chowaden Reception Hall. The Emperor and his family appear in a glass-enclosed viewing gallery above the crowd as everyone cheers and waves their flags wildly. The Emperor gives a brief speech, and then the crowd is shuffled in the direction of well-marked exits.
Getting to the Tokyo Imperial Palace
If you’re heading straight over from Tokyo Station, it’s a simple 10-minute walk from the Marunouchi Central Exit (not Yaesu), heading out onto Gyoko-dori and heading straight down to the Wadakura-mon Gate.
If you’re wanting to register for a palace tour, you need to head to the Kikyomon gate, which is a 10-minute walk from Nijubashimae Station or Otemachi Station via the Otemon Gate, or 15 minutes from Tokyo Station.
For the northern area, you can head to Kudanshita Station for the Nippon Budokan and Science Museum or Takebashi Station for the National Museum of Modern Art.
Imperial FAQ: All Your Questions Answered
There’s a lot of information about the palace, so if you’re looking to have your simple questions simply answered, then look no further.
How old is the Tokyo Imperial Palace?
Technically the Imperial Palace buildings are all modern, but the use of the site as a castle is over 550 years old.
When was the Tokyo Imperial Palace Built?
While the current buildings are a modern creation, the site was home to the Edo Castle, built in 1457. The castle changed hands and was destroyed and rebuilt over the centuries, becoming the Imperial Palace after the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
What is inside Tokyo Imperial Palace?
There are outer grounds which are open to exploration with museums and gardens, inner gardens which are only open on specific days, and the palace itself, which is never open to the public.
Who Lives in Tokyo Imperial Palace?
Emperor Naruhito lives in the Imperial Palace with his wife Empress Masako and his only child, Princess Aiko. He is the 126th monarch of Japan and took over when his father Emperor Akihito abdicated in 2019.
Can you go Inside Tokyo Imperial Palace?
While some of the grounds and gardens are open daily, the inner section is only open on certain days (see above) and the actual building is never open to the public.
Keen on Exploring Other Historical Sites? See our guide to the best castles in and around Tokyo. Also read about the Kyoto Imperial Palace.
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Post first published in January, 2018. Last updated May, 2022.
