Within couple minutes of walk from the Science museum stands Nippon Budokan. It is known to hold the Judo games in Tokyo Olympics. The octagonal roof and the golden ornamental railing top is its symbol.

A koma-inu : imperial guardian lion sitting next to Tayasu-mon Gate near Budokan.

Yasukuni Shrine

Right in front of the Tayasu-mon Gate is Yasukuni Shrine.

The large Torii, a gateway to a Shinto shrine, has a height of 25 meters.

Past the second Torii, there stands a Shinmon: Main Gate with a chrysanthemum crest and you can see the Haida: Main Hall.

There were many foreigners visiting as well.

From Chidorigafuschi to Hanzo-mon Gate
Walk out of Yasukuni Shrine and along Chidorigafuchi.

Chidorigafuchi is famous for its Sakura.
You can ride a boat.

There was a cat sleeping soundly.

Along Chidorigafuchi, there is Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery. It is a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

On Uchibori-dori Street, a street behind Chidorigafuchi, there is Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Tokyo. The red outer wall is its symbol but since it is located near the Imperial Palace, there was an argument that it is distracting the view. The architect Gae Aulenti wanted to express the color of Japan, lacquer ware red and chose this color. In the end, the color was toned down than it was initially planned.

Along the moat, England Embassy stands before you.

A Hanzo-mon Gate, which is the name of Hanzomon line originate. It is located on the opposite side of Ote-mon Gate.
This gate is used especially for the emperor and the member of the Imperial family.

I want you to compare the water level of the moat on the side of Ote-mon Gate and Hanzo-mon Gate. Hanzo-mon Gate is located above the water level. Edo-jo was built on the hill of a plateau so there is a difference in sea level between the Ote-mon Gate side and Hanzo-mon Gate side.

Sakurada-mon Gate Nijyu-bashi Bridge Kokyogaien

You will reach Sakurada-mon Gate as you walk along the moat while sightseeing National Theatre of Japan and the Supreme Court.

Sakurada-mon Gate consist korai style gate outside and watariyagura style gate inside. Both of the gate isin a shape of masugata: square so Sakurada-mon Gate is masugata style gate.

Ninjyu-bashi Bridge is right near Sakurada-mon Gate.

The name of Nijyu-bashi Bridge comes from the fact that you can see both stone bridge in the front and the iron bridge in the back. To be more specific, Nijyu-bashi Bridge is the name of the bridge in the back.

When the iron bridge was made of wood, the bridge girder was in two layers so it was called Nijyu-bashi Bridge (Nijyu means double).

The gate following the stone bridge is usually closed. It opens only in special occasions such as enthronement of the emperor.

Yet, if you have an arrangement in advance to visit the Imperial Palace, you can cross the bridge. Also, you can cross on days of the General Public to the Palace for the New Year Greeting・the General Public to the Palace for His Majesty’s Birthday.

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*Let’s walk around the Imperial Palace Part1