The stunning residence of the Japanese emperor located on the former site of Edo Castle. It is an absolute must-see in the city centre - the palace and the large gardens surrounded by moats and stone walls are simply breath-taking. Come and enjoy a taste of nature within the bustling city.
The palace occupies the site of an old castle, which used to be the seat of the shogun in the 15th century. It only became the seat of the imperial family in the 19th century, when Emperor Meiji moved the imperial household from Kyoto to Tokyo. Most of what remains of the palace today is only about 50 years old though, as the majority of the old buildings were destroyed during the Second World War.
The beautiful palace gardens, opened to the public in 1968, are freely accessible at all times. They are especially worth the visit in spring when the cherry trees in the gardens start blossoming.
The interior of the palace can be visited as well, but only with prior reservation or with one of 300 tickets that are given out every day. There are only a few headsets with information in English though.
It is recommended to make a reservation in advance. Reservations are accepted from the first day of the preceding month to the tour date up to four days before the tour date. They can be made over the Internet.
Tours: Mon - Fri: 10 am, 1:30 pm
East Gardens of the Imperial Palace:
9 am - 4:30 pm (closes at 5 pm April - Aug, at 4 pm Nov - Feb). Last admission 30 minutes before closing.
Free admission.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Palace,_Tokyo
Official Website http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/
Phone 0332131111
Address 1-1 Chiyoda, Tokyo 100-8111, Japan
Coordinates 35°40'56.754" N 139°45'10.807" E
