Imperial Palace
The Emperor still lives here, so most of it is closed — but the moat, the pine-studded lawns and the old castle keep foundations are open and quietly extraordinary.
Edo Castle, and what remains of it
This was Edo Castle, the seat of the shoguns and once the largest fortress in the world, and the Imperial family moved in after the capital shifted from Kyoto in 1868. The palace buildings themselves are closed except on two days a year, but the East Gardens — the former inner citadel — are open free, and they contain the enormous stone base of a keep that burned in 1657 and was never rebuilt. Standing on it, in the middle of the financial district, is the clearest sense you can get of the city Tokyo used to be.
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City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What is open
The distinction between the grounds and the palace catches people out — most of what is worth seeing is free.
🌳 East Gardens
- Free, open most days, and the main visit
- The Honmaru keep foundations and the Ninomaru garden
🌉 Nijubashi
- The double bridge and the outer plaza — the classic view
- Free and always accessible
🎫 Inner grounds
- Guided tours of the inner precinct, booked in advance and free
- The palace opens to the public only on 2 January and the Emperor’s birthday
Getting to the palace
It sits directly beside Tokyo station, which makes it the easiest sight in the city to reach.
🚇 By train
- Tokyo station, a ten-minute walk to the outer plaza
- Otemachi and Takebashi are closer to the East Gardens entrance
🚶 On foot
- The five-kilometre moat loop is a popular running route
- Flat and step-free throughout
🕒 Hours
- East Gardens closed Mondays and Fridays — check before travelling
When to visit
An outdoor visit in a city that gets very hot, so the season and the hour both matter.
🌸 Season
- Late March for blossom along the moat at Chidorigafuchi
- November for colour in the Ninomaru garden
🕘 Hour
- Morning, before the heat and before the tour groups
- Little shade on the Honmaru lawn
📅 Closures
- Mondays and Fridays for the East Gardens
- Check for imperial ceremonies, which close the grounds at short notice
Visitor intelligence
This is the one Tokyo sight where a guide genuinely changes the visit.
🗣 Language
- Signage is bilingual but sparse
- Free audio guides and printed maps at the entrance gates
🎎 Guide value
- High. The grounds are large, empty and unlabelled — the history is invisible without it
- The free official inner-grounds tour must be booked ahead
📷 Photography
- Nijubashi from the outer plaza is the standard image
- Photography is restricted near the inner gates and guard posts
♿ Access
- Mostly flat and step-free; the keep foundation involves steps
- Gravel paths throughout
Close by
Central Tokyo, all within a short walk.
Frequently asked
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