Visiting Imperial Palace East Gardens

About Imperial Palace East Gardens

The East Gardens occupy the site of the inner citadel of Edo Castle, the shoguns' fortress. Massive stone walls, moats, guardhouses and the foundations of the main keep surround lawns and a traditional Japanese garden with a pond. Entry is free, though the gardens close on some weekdays.

Tip: Climb the keep foundations for a view over the gardens, then follow the moat to the Nijubashi bridge viewpoint.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 1–1.5 hours.
• Cost: Free — no ticket needed for the main area.
• Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
• Where: Marunouchi, department stores, polished boulevards and Tokyo Station.

Best time to visit Imperial Palace East Gardens

Imperial Palace East Gardens is outdoors, so weather matters most. The driest, most comfortable months are:

• October: 22°C (72°F) highs, about 10 rainy days, busy crowds.
• December: 12°C (54°F) highs, about 5 rainy days, moderate crowds.
• November: 17°C (63°F) highs, about 8 rainy days, busy crowds.

When to visit Tokyo has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Imperial Palace East Gardens is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen Senso-ji Temple and Meiji Jingu Shrine.

• No. 12 of the 20 sights in our Tokyo things-to-do list.
• Listed in free things to do in Tokyo.
• One of the picks in outdoors in Tokyo.

If you like Imperial Palace East Gardens

• Senso-ji Temple — Asakusa, 1–2 hours
• Meiji Jingu Shrine — Harajuku, 1–1.5 hours
• Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden — Shinjuku, 1.5–2 hours
• Ueno Park — Ueno, 2–3 hours

Staying near Imperial Palace East Gardens

Stay in Ginza and Marunouchi ($$$$) to walk here: department stores, polished boulevards and Tokyo Station. All areas to stay in Tokyo.

Questions travellers ask