The Imperial Palace Plaza in front of the Imperial Palace is 5 minute walk
from Hibiya station
of Chiyada, Hibiya and Mita, Sakuradamon station of Yurakucho subway line.
The main gate of the Imperial Palace is only open on 23 February, emperor's birthday,
and 2 January, new year holiday when the emperor, empress and his families
greet to
the public, while the eastern garden of the Palace is open except on Mondays
and Fridays.
The Imperial Palace was originally Edo castle from which Tokugawa shoguns
had ruled
all over Japan for 264 years since 1603 after having defeated his rival
feudal lords
in Sekigahara battle in 1600. TOKUGAWA Ieyasu, great feudal load started
constructing
a big castle and new city around it in 1590, and named new city Edo having
taken
a few decades for completion.
He became the first shogun of the Tokugawas in 1603 and is now enshrined as main deity
at Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Tochigi together with MINAMOTONO Yoritomo and TOYOTOMI
Hideyoshi of great Samurai heroes as sub-deity.
Meiji emperor and young samurai of four southwestern feudal clans overthrew
Tokugawa regime in 1868 and moved the capital to Edo from Kyoto in 1869,
renaming Edo Tokyo (eastern Kyoto). Then Edo castle turned to be the Imperial
Palace.
Meiji emperor realized so-called MEIJI RESTORATION and established a central government
so as to catch up with the level of then European countries rapidly.
Since then the emperor and empress have lived in the Imperial Palace, of which area is 115h.
Now the emperor NARUHITO and empress MASAKO live there with princess AIKO,
whereas the other imperial families live in other palaces one mile away
in the west in
the eastern Palace.
This is view of Sakurada-mon gate,
which remains intact. In Edo period
the main vassals of Tokugawa's shoguns
passed the gate to execute their jobs and/or
serve Shoguns.
This is Tomoe-Yagura tower.
Panoramic view of the Imperial Palace
This is the main gate to the Imperial Palace,
which faces north. Only the Imperial Palace
in Kyoto have a main gate facing south.
On the way to the Plaza we see a big parking lot
where many sightseeing buses park. Usually
tourists get off bus here and walk to the Plaza.
This is a big moat along Hibiya street.
We walk along the moat some 200 meters first
and turn to the left crossing the moat second.
Beyond the bridge Fushimi-Yagura tower
is seen.This is an original tower of the
castle, which remains intact.
This is a statue of KUSUNOKI Masashige,
samurai leader, who died at Minatogawa battle
in 1336 fighting for GODAIGO emperor.
