Tokyo Attraction | East Gardens of Imperial Palace

Interesting...

Written by Shirley T

Sunday, 10 October 2010 00:00

As the name suggests, East Garden sits on the eastern bound of the present Tokyo Imperial Palace - the official residence of Japanese Emperor and Empress.
Chiyoda East Gardens Main Entrance

Occupying 210,000 square meters in Chiyoda, East Gardens of Imperial Palace is open to public daily except Monday and Friday. Free access pass can be obtained via Ote-Mon or Ote Gate (nearest to Otemachi Subway Station) prior to entry.

If one happens to visit during spring, East Gardens offers a good spot to catch the sight of blooming Sakura or cherry blossom. Over 30 species of cherry trees live here. Besides cherry blossom, plenty of other plants such as bamboo, peony, willow also made this place their residence.
Blooming Sakura at East Gardens

A walk into East Gardens provides some insight of Japanese history as well. Quite a number of historic remains are found on the ground of East Gardens and indeed worth than a peek.
1. Danshin bansho Guardhouse - the remain of samurai guardhouse to to watch and inspect every entry at Ote-Mon.

2. Hyakunin-bansho Guardhouse - the largest guardhouse, placed after Ote-Mon prior to Honmoru (inner citadel) and Ninomaru (second citadel). It used to house 100 chosen samurai guard men and served as a quarter to work on shift of day and night.

3. Stonewalls of Honmaru-Nakanomon Gate - they are designated as a National cultural asset, boasting the architecture of the former Edo Castle. Over the years, deformation occurred and some stonewalls had been restored which displayed a lighter shade compares to the original stonewalls which had experienced burning during Tokyo raid.
Inner citadel is surrounded by moats

4. Moats - visible from Honmaru-Nakanomon Gate until Shiomi-zaka Slope. Acts as separators between inner citadel and second citadel.

5. Tenshudai Donjon Base - The first Tenshukaku donjon of Edo Castle completed in 1638 during the 3rd Shogun Iemitsu. Standing 58 meters, it was a five-storied building with 6 levels contained within the castle. As the tallest donjon or castle tower ever built in Japan, it symbolized the reign of Tokugawa Shogunate. Burned down in 1657 and had never been reconstructed since then. The base remains with evidence of darken crevices between the stones. Take a stroll to the tallest spot of this remain, it offers a fabulous lawn view of East Gardens contrasting the skyscraper of Tokyo.
The remain of Tenshudai Donjon

6. Ishimuro Stone Cellar - An area of 20 square meters, it was located behind the rear room of royal palace. Claimed to have been used as an emergency storage area despite rumor said it was an underground passage.
Tokagakudo Music Hall

The East Gardens are quiet and not congested with visitors. Indeed a comforting oasis amidst the bustling Tokyo. We were charmed by the beauty of this place and stayed longer than a couple of hours as we formerly planned.

Opening Hours: 09:00 to 16:30
(until 17:00 from mid April through August; until 16:00 from November through February). Entry possible until 30 minutes before closing.
Closed: Mondays, Fridays, New Year (Dec 28 to Jan 3) and some special occasions. If Monday or Friday is a national holiday, the gardens are closed on the following day instead.
Admission: Free

Getting there?
Less than 5 minutes walk from Otemachi Subway Station (Chiyoda, Tozai, Marunouchi, Hanzomon and Mita Subway Lines)

Did not find what you are looking for? Do a search...
(Type what you are looking for in the textbox below)