# Tokyo Imperial Palace > The Imperial Palace (Kokyo) is the Japanese emperor's residence on the site of Edo Castle, 10–15 minutes' walk from Tokyo Station. From the Kokyo Gaien plaza you see the stone bridge over the moat. The East Gardens are free except Mondays and Fridays, with the base of the castle keep. A free tour of the grounds runs by booking. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/tokyo-imperial-palace - City: [Tokyo](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo), Japan - YesGo score: 62/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Entry: free - Opening hours: East Gardens: 9:00 to 16:00–18:00 by season; closed Mon and Fri - With kids: Fine with kids - East Gardens: Free; closed Mondays and Fridays - Garden hours: From 9:00; closes 16:00–18:00 by season, last entry 30 min before - Palace tour: Free, by booking; twice a day, not Sun or Mon - Tour route: ≈ 2.2 km, about an hour, little shade - Kokyo Gaien plaza: Always open — views of the bridge and moat - From Tokyo Station: 10–15 minutes on foot from the Marunouchi exit - Coordinates: 35.68250, 139.75210 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1868** — since then the palace has been the emperors' residence (source: kunaicho.go.jp) - **Edo Castle** — the palace stands on the site of the shoguns' castle (source: en.wikipedia) - **≈ 1.15 km²** — area of the palace grounds and gardens (source: en.wikipedia) - **1968** — since then the East Gardens have been open to all (source: kunaicho.go.jp) - **Tenshudai** — the base of Edo Castle's keep — in the East Gardens (source: kunaicho.go.jp) - **≈ 2.2 km** — the palace grounds tour route (source: sankan.kunaicho.go.jp) - **¥0** — for the East Gardens and the tour (source: kunaicho.go.jp) - **Bag checks** — at the garden entrance — bring as little as possible (source: kunaicho.go.jp) ## What is the Imperial Palace? The **Imperial Palace** (Kokyo) is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan, home to the emperors since **1868**. It sits in the centre of Tokyo, in **Chiyoda**, on the site of the old **Edo Castle**, seat of the shoguns. The palace grounds and gardens cover about **1.15 km²**, ringed by stone walls and moats. The emperor's quarters are closed, but visitors can enjoy three things: the **Kokyo Gaien** plaza with views of the stone bridge over the moat and Fushimi turret, the free **East Gardens** on the site of the castle's main compounds, and a free **tour of the palace grounds** by booking. > **Opening days and bag checks** The East Gardens are closed on Mondays and Fridays (if a public holiday falls on a Monday, they close on the Tuesday), and from 28 December to 3 January. Bags are checked at the entrance — bring as little as possible and leave large bags in a station locker. Tours don't run on Sundays, Mondays or public holidays. ## The East Gardens The **East Gardens** (Higashi Gyoen) have been open to all since **1968**. They occupy part of Edo Castle's former Honmaru, Ninomaru and Sannomaru compounds. Here you can see the **Tenshudai** — the stone base of the castle keep — old guardhouses, the Fujimi turret and the Ninomaru Japanese garden with its pond and teahouse. Entry is **free**, via the Ote-mon, Hirakawa-mon or Kitahanebashi-mon gates. Hours depend on the season: opening at 9:00, closing at 16:00 from November to February, 17:00 in spring and September, and 18:00 from mid-April to August; last entry 30 minutes before closing. ## The palace grounds tour The Imperial Household Agency runs a **free tour** of the palace grounds twice a day, morning and afternoon. The route is about **2.2 km**, roughly an hour on foot with little shade. You don't enter the buildings, but you pass the main palace and bridges that are only visible from afar from the plaza. Book online — from the 1st of the previous month until 4 days before — or on the day: numbered tickets are handed out at **Kikyo-mon** gate from 9:00 for the morning tour and from 12:30 for the afternoon one. Bring your passport. There are no afternoon tours from July to September. ## What to see - **Seimon Ishibashi bridge** over the moat — the view from Kokyo Gaien. - **Fushimi turret** on the wall above the bridge. - **Tenshudai** — the base of Edo Castle's keep. - **Ninomaru garden** with its pond and teahouse. - **Old guardhouses** by the castle gates. - **Moats and stone walls** around the palace. ## How to get to the Imperial Palace 1. **From Tokyo Station** — Marunouchi exit, 10–15 minutes on foot across the Kokyo Gaien plaza. 2. **From Nijubashimae station** (Chiyoda line) — exit 6, about 5 minutes to the plaza and 10 minutes to Kikyo-mon gate. 3. **From Otemachi station** (Mita line) — exit D2, about 10 minutes to the gate. 4. **From Haneda airport** — Keikyu line or monorail with a change, 30–40 minutes to the centre. 5. **From Narita airport** — Narita Express to Tokyo Station, about an hour. ## East Gardens or palace tour | | East Gardens | Palace tour | | --- | --- | --- | | Booking | Not needed | Online or a same-day ticket | | What you see | Keep base, gardens, guardhouses | The grounds near the main palace | | Closed | Mon and Fri | Sun, Mon and holidays | | Price | Free | Free | ## How long do you need? Allow **1.5 hours** for the plaza and East Gardens, or about 3 hours with the tour. It's easy to start the day at the palace and then walk to **Ginza** — 15–20 minutes. In spring the cherry trees bloom in the gardens; in autumn the maples turn red. A popular running route circles the palace — about 5 km. ## Is the Imperial Palace worth visiting? Yes: it's the heart of Tokyo — moats, stone walls and quiet amid the skyscrapers, and both the East Gardens and the tour are free. The YesGo take: you'll see little of the palace itself — it's a residence, not a museum. Come on a day the East Gardens are open, and book the tour in advance if you want to get closer. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Not a Monday or Friday — for the gardens - [ ] Tour booked or a Kikyo-mon ticket - [ ] Passport for the tour - [ ] Minimal bags — there's a bag check - [ ] Water and a hat — little shade on the route ## Tokyo palaces and gardens: compare and choose Palaces, gardens and historic sites in Tokyo rated by YesGo. - [Tokyo Imperial Palace](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/tokyo-imperial-palace) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · free - [Hamarikyu Gardens](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/hamarikyu-gardens) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥300; over-65s ¥150 ## Central Tokyo in a day The Imperial Palace and East Gardens in the morning, a stroll through Ginza in the afternoon, and a show at the Kabuki-za in the evening. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Tokyo Imperial Palace](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/tokyo-imperial-palace) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · free 2. [Ginza](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/ginza) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · free 3. [Kabuki-za](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/kabuki-za) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · single act ¥1,600–10,800 (Nov 2026) ## Good to know The Tokyo Imperial Palace is not the Kyoto Imperial Palace, nor Beijing's Forbidden City. ## Tips - The gardens close Mon and Fri — check the calendar. - Same-day tour tickets at Kikyo-mon from 9:00. - Leave large bags at the station. - The best bridge view is from Kokyo Gaien plaza. - Next: [Ginza](https://yesgo.io/japan/tokyo/ginza), 15–20 minutes on foot. ## Questions ### Can you go inside the Imperial Palace? Not into the residence, but there's a free booked tour of the grounds. ### How much is entry to the East Gardens? Entry is free. ### When are the East Gardens closed? On Mondays and Fridays and from 28 December to 3 January. ### How do I book the tour? Online on the Imperial Household Agency site, or a same-day ticket at Kikyo-mon gate. ### How long is the tour? About an hour, on a ≈ 2.2 km route. ### How do I get there? 10–15 minutes on foot from Tokyo Station or 5 minutes from Nijubashimae. ### Do I need a passport? For the tour, yes — an original ID. ### How long do you need? 1.5 hours for the gardens and plaza, about 3 hours with the tour. ## How we checked East Gardens days and hours, free entry, bag checks, and the tour schedule and booking rules are from the Imperial Household Agency's official sites. The booking page doesn't state outright that the tour is free, but booking involves no payment. The grounds' area is from Wikipedia. The walking time from Tokyo Station is from guides; from metro stations, from the booking site. ## Sources - Imperial Household Agency (kunaicho.go.jp) — East Gardens: days, hours, entry, bag checks (official, checked 09.11.2026) - Tour booking site (sankan.kunaicho.go.jp) — schedule, booking, route, Kikyo-mon gate (official) - English Wikipedia: Tokyo Imperial Palace — area, Edo Castle - Wikidata Q500681 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.