Tour the Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace (Kkyo), with its beautiful 17th-century parks encircled by walls and moats, is the main draw of Tokyo's Marunouchi district. The Imperial Palace, which is still in use by the Imperial family, is located on the site where Feudal Lord Ota Dokan built the first fortress in 1457, serving as the center from which the city of Tokyo (or Edo, as it was then called), gradually spread.

The Nijubashi Bridge, which leads to the palace's interior and gets its name from its double reflection in the water, is as well-known as the palace itself. The palace's two-meter-thick surrounding wall and its gates, one of which leads to the East Higashi-Gyoen Garden, are other noteworthy features. The Kikyo-mon Gate, Someikan (Visitors' House), Fujimi-yagura ("Mt. Fuji View" Keep), the East Gardens and Inner Gate, the Seimon-tetsubashi bridge, and the Imperial Household Agency Building are all part of the Imperial Palace tours that are available (pre-registration is necessary, so be sure to plan ahead).