Attraction
Senso-ji
Tokyo's oldest and most visited Buddhist temple, reached through the Kaminarimon gate and the shop-lined Nakamise approach in historic Asakusa.
Imperial Palace East Gardens
The public gardens of the Imperial Palace, laid out on the Honmaru and Ninomaru grounds of the former Edo Castle in central Tokyo.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic garden
- Area
- Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
- Official site
- kikuyou.or.jp
Good to know
- Free entry
- Three entrance gates
- Bag check at entry
- Free audio guide app
Why we recommend it
The East Gardens are the part of the Imperial Palace grounds that anyone can walk into, and they offer a calm, green counterpoint to the office towers around Tokyo Station. They occupy the innermost precincts of Edo Castle, the seat of the Tokugawa shoguns who ruled Japan for more than two and a half centuries. The modern gardens were laid out in the 1960s and have been open to the public since 1968, managed by the Imperial Household Agency.
Entering through the Ote-mon, once the main gate of the castle, you pass the Hyakunin Bansho, a long guardhouse where a hundred samurai are said to have stood watch in shifts, before climbing to the Honmaru, the site of the main castle compound. Today it is a wide lawn, but at its northern end you can climb the Tenshudai, the massive stone base of the castle keep, for a view across the grounds. The three-storey Fujimi-yagura watchtower survives on the southern edge. Below, the Ninomaru Garden is a traditional Japanese stroll garden with a pond, stepping stones and seasonal planting, including irises in early summer.
Entry is free. Opening hours change through the year: the gardens open at 9:00 and close at 16:00 from November to February, 16:30 in October, 17:00 in March, early April and September, and 18:00 from mid-April to August, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. They are closed every Monday and Friday, from 28 December to 3 January, and on occasional days for court functions, though most national holidays are open days. Bags are inspected at the gate, so travel light.
It suits history lovers, walkers and anyone needing a break between sights, and it is a good free option for families. Allow an hour to an hour and a half. Paths are mostly flat but some gravel and slopes lead up to the Honmaru. The free audio guide app from the Imperial Household Agency explains the castle remains as you walk.
The Ote-mon gate is a few minutes' walk from Otemachi Station, which is served by several metro lines, and around fifteen minutes from the Marunouchi exits of Tokyo Station. The Hirakawa-mon gate is closer to Takebashi Station. The Kitanomaru Park area, with the Nippon Budokan, lies just to the north.
Imperial Palace East Gardens FAQs
Which days are the gardens closed?
Mondays and Fridays (except most national holidays), 28 December to 3 January, and on occasional days for court functions.
Is there an admission fee?
No, entry is free.
What are the opening hours?
From 9:00, closing between 16:00 in winter and 18:00 in summer depending on the month; last entry is 30 minutes before closing.
Where do you enter?
Through the Ote-mon, Hirakawa-mon or Kitahanebashi-mon gates.
Can I bring luggage?
Bags are inspected at the gate, so it is best to leave large luggage in a station locker or at your hotel.
What is there to see?
The stone base of the Edo Castle keep, the Fujimi-yagura watchtower, the Hyakunin Bansho guardhouse and the Ninomaru Garden.
How long should I allow?
About an hour to an hour and a half.
What is the nearest station?
Otemachi Station is a few minutes from the Ote-mon gate; Tokyo Station is around fifteen minutes' walk.