Imperial Palace East Garden in Tokyo, Japan

What comes to mind when you think of Japanese gardens? Zen, simplicity, serenity, tranquility, meditation are a few things that come to mind. The best time to visit the Imperial Garden in Tokyo is anytime but if you want to see sprawling pink then come when it is cherry blossom season.

When my wife wanted to visit the Imperial Gardens, I was worried about what to see in the Imperial Palace garden. Until you have experienced it, you won't know what you've missed. For me, it's always the Imperial Garden history and facts I want to know. For my wife, it's the flowers and plants that grow in Japan and not at home. 


Outside the gates, the moat protects the Imperial Palace buildings. The gardens were first used by the Tokugawa Shogunate. This area was not a garden then but the site of where the Edo Castle stood. 

Moats were built as defences to the Edo Castle. The most famous moat is the Chidori-ga-fuchi which is Tokyo's top viewing spot for cherry blossoms between late March and early April. You can rent a boat and drift among the canopy of cherry blossoms. And at night, the trees are illuminated for a magical experience. Great for romantic after-dinner strolls.


The Ote-mon was the main gate of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Ote-mon was the main gate of the Tokugawa Shogunate.


There are ponds, waterfalls, bamboo forests and large grassy areas.




Serene pond with koi carp swimming in it. Koi carp symbolizes good fortune and prosperity in Japanese culture.

Serene koi carp in pond.

The Suwa no Chaya Teahouse was built in 1912 under the order of Emperor Meiji.


There are remnants of the Edo Castle that reminds us of the shogun days. 















Location: Imperial Palace, 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-8111, Japan

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Coldest Frap at the Tallest Starbucks in Busan, South Korea

Image
If you're headed to Busan, South Korea, don't miss one of the world's most stunning Starbucks location - where modern architecture meets breathtaking ocean views.Whether you're a caffeine-loving traveler chasing that perfect expresso or a digital nomad scouting instagrammable cafes in Busan, this Starbucks delivers more than just coffee - it's an experience at the tallest Starbucks in the world. When we were in Busan, South Korea, we visited the highest or tallest Starbucks in the world. It was on the 99th floor of the Busan X The Sky Building near Haeundae Beach. To get there, we had to pay to get on the observation floor then walk up a set of stairs to Starbucks.  The elevator was fast. Inside, they showed a video on the walls and on the ceiling of a hot air balloon. I think that was a distraction and it worked. In seconds, our ears plugged and we were up on top. The elevator opened and we were on the observation floor of the Busan X. Nothing out of the ordinary w...
Read more

Best Fish and Chips in a Small Town, Picton, New Zealand

Image
Picton was one of the smallest port we had ever visited but it was more than quaint. When we looked outside our port window, we saw piles and piles of logs. These logs were stacked up high and there were plenty of them.  A shuttle was provided to take us into town. The explanation of the logs were that these logs were going to be sent to China to be used to create toothpicks, chopsticks and matches. That was surprising to hear.  After being dropped off, we walked along the shoreline until we found this bridge that spanned the marina. This was the Coathanger bridge. Originally built in 1907 as the Victoria Domain bridge, it was replaced in 1950 as the Coathanger bridge.  The Picton marina was peaceful and really fun to walk through. It was hard to imagine the population was only 7,990 and with us visiting, the population was close to 10,000 for the day. We kept walking along the shoreline, occasionally glancing into the water because the water was so clear. On one glance, ...
Read more

Palace of the Grand Master in Rhodes, Greece

Image
When we left the ship to explore Rhodes, we walked along a road that had the ocean on the right and the city wall on the left.  It was a quiet day like if it was a holiday or something. We crossed the road and walked up to a cathedral that was in ruins. There were a lot of feral cats there and nothing else. We continued to explore the area and found a large square and a long cobblestone road that led to a large medieval castle. The Palace of the Grand Master is where the administrative center of the Order of the Knights of Saint John were. It was built in the 7th century as a Byzantine citadel but in 1856, lightning strucked a gunpowder magazine and exploded. It killed many people and caused the upper floors of the palace to collapse. The lower floors survived but nothing on the upper floors did. It wasn't until 1937 and 1940, the upper floors were rebuilt without knowledge of historical significance or design.  History buffs think the Colloso of Rhodes used to stand on top of...
Read more