Tokyo Imperial Palace Tour 2026
Palace grounds including Edo Castle ruins & East Gardens | Reserve now & pay later
About Tokyo Imperial Palace Tour
Explore the home of Japan’s mighty rulers on our Tokyo Imperial Palace Tour! A local tour guide will show you around the site where the military commander of Japan (shogun) lived. As you wander the Imperial Palace East Gardens, you’ll see moats, grand gates, and stone walls. Then enter Ninomaru Garden, a landscaped garden next to Edo Castle ruins. As you walk, your knowledgeable guide will teach you the site’s full history.
See moats, grandiose gates, stone foundations and more. Discover the remains of the residence of the mighty shoguns and imperial family.
Visit the remains of the base of Edo Castle’s main tower. A monumental structure, you can easily see how it used to be one of Japan's largest castle towers.
Walk through a peaceful green oasis. You’ll see seasonal plants and flowers, and delightful ponds filled with koi fish.
Enjoy a walking tour of the palace grounds with a local expert. Learn the history of Japan’s imperial family, the shoguns, and their time spent here.
Japan’s Imperial Household Agency welcomes all visitors, including wheelchair users. The Tokyo Imperial Palace Tour is fully wheelchair accessible.
If your plans change, cancel up to 24 hours in advance to get a refund. Alternatively, book your spot without paying. Only pay once you know you’re attending.
RESERVE NOW & PAY LATER!
Keep your travel plans flexible - book your spot without any upfront payment!
This was such a low-key, intimate tour, I’d recommend it to everyone. There are a lot of visitors, but the Japan Imperial palace is hugeeee. There’s so much open space, so it’s a really calm, relaxed atmosphere. Complete opposite from like touring the Louvre, let’s say. Plus, our guide Michi was amazing. Very friendly, amazing English, and was a very good storyteller. Just walking around the site would have been much more boring; she really made all the old ruins come to life. One of the better guided tours I’ve been on.
I loved the tour! But especially the second half of it, when we were in the traditional Japanese garden. It’s just gorgeous. They have these ponds filled with koi, adorable stone pathways, very well-manicured lawns. It’s all very taken care of and very serene. Gotta say, those shoguns had a great place to stay. The other stone ruins were also cool to see. Although to be honest without our guide their significance would have been lost on me. Big thanks to Tony for being an incredible tour guide and answering all our questions!
DESCRIPTION
Imperial Palace Tokyo Tickets
- Admission to the Imperial Palace East Gardens
- Admission to Ninomaru Garden
- Live tour guide
- Walking tour
- Seeing the remains of Edo Castle
- Seeing a traditional Japanese garden
- English
DISCOVER THE RESIDENCE OF SHOGUNS AND THE EMPEROR
Step inside the Tokyo Imperial Palace, and see where Japan’s shoguns once lived! Your tour guide will lead you through vast gardens full of remnants of the past. You’ll see the stone foundations of ancient buildings and grand, free-standing gates. There are also wide moats - you’ll cross over one of them via the stately Nijubashi Bridge. As you walk, your guide will explain the site’s significance. The Imperial Palace stands on the former site of Edo Castle, where Japan’s shoguns once lived as the country’s de facto military rulers. Now, the emperor and empress reside there. In fact, you’ll also see the Imperial Household Agency - the government body managing imperial affairs.
ENTER THE HISTORIC EAST GARDENS
The Tokyo Imperial Palace Tour continues into the East Gardens. This portion of the palace is constantly open to the public. As your guide will explain, the East Gardens are the site of Edo Castle’s innermost circles of defense. They’re called honmaru (‘main circle’) and ninomaru (‘secondary circle’). Here you’ll see the remains of Edo Castle, which was the residence of the Tokugawa shogun from 1603 to 1867. The highlight is the massive base of the castle’s main tower. The tower was at the time the tallest castle tower in Japan, so you can imagine how huge it is! If you want, you can even climb to the top of it.
WALK THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL NINOMARU GARDEN
Your Imperial Palace Tokyo Tickets include admission to the gorgeous Ninomaru Garden. This is a sprawling traditional Japanese garden. Here you’ll see beautiful vegetation any time of the year, thanks to seasonal flora. In the spring and summer, you’ll see iris fields, azalea blossoms, and cherry blossoms. In the winter plum trees bring spots of color. The garden also features a collection of regional tree species donated from all 47 prefectures of Japan. While you stroll through cobblestoned paths, you’ll see serene ponds filled with koi. These carps are colored a multitude of colors - white, red, yellow, and more. Try to count all the different types!
FREE CANCELLATION UP TO 24H IN ADVANCE!
Receive a complete refund if you cancel your booking 24 hours before the selected date!
Tokyo Imperial Palace Interesting Facts
- Japan’s current emperor and empress live in the Imperial Palace even today.
- Visitors can only enter the inner circle of the Imperial Palace on two days. These are January 2 (New Year’s Greetings) and February 23 (the Emperor’s Birthday).
- Tokyo became the country’s capital after the emperor moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. To the Tokyo Imperial Palace, to be precise. This is because the capital was traditionally considered the city where the emperor lived.
- There are approximately 260 cherry blossom trees in the gardens.
- There are bonsai trees in the garden that are several centuries old.
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
- Since this is a walking tour, we strongly suggest wearing comfortable shoes.
- If visiting in the summer, it’s a good idea to wear sunscreen, a sun hat, and sunglasses.
- If visiting in the autumn or winter, make sure to wear layers, as most of the tour takes place outside.
- Make sure your phone is charged, so that you can take lots of photos.
- All visitors are required to carry a photo ID with them. This can be a passport, an identity card or a driver’s license.
- The Tokyo Imperial Palace Tour is selling out soon, so make sure you get your place on time.
Meeting Point
Meet your tour guide in front of the Starbucks Coffee at Kokyo Gaien. The Starbucks is right in front of the Imperial Palace Grounds, so the tour can begin right away.
FUN FACT
Why is this Tokyo Imperial Palace Tour the best choice?
Discover the ancient castle
Walk through the massive Ote-mon Gate, the historic main entrance for samurai lords. Your local guide will lead you past giant water moats to the Hyakunin Bansho Guardhouse, where elite samurai warriors guarded the castle.
See the historic watchtower
Enjoy the stunning views of Fujimi-yagura, a grand three-story defense tower that has survived centuries of earthquakes and fires. Climb up the East Gardens to stand right on top of the giant stone base where Japan's largest castle tower once stood.
Relax in a scenic garden
Stroll through the peaceful Ninomaru Garden to enjoy colorful flowers and green trees. Watch the pretty koi fish swimming around the traditional ponds.
Flexible booking
Reserve your Imperial Palace tour today without up-front payment. If something changes, you can always cancel for free up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund.
FAQ - Tokyo Imperial Palace Tour
What to do around Imperial Palace Tokyo?
- Yasukuni-jinja Shrine - where 14 Japanese Class A war criminals from World War II are enshrined
- Yushukan Museum - World War II museum
- Kitanomaru-koen Park - park north of the Imperial Palace
- Tokyo Dome City - shopping, dining, and entertainment complex
What part of the Imperial Palace is open to the public?
- The Imperial Palace East Gardens (where the tour mostly takes place)
- The Kokyo Gaien National Garden or Outer Gardens
- Inui Street
Is there a dress code at the Tokyo Imperial Palace?
What else should we not miss in Tokyo?
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- Reserve now & pay later
- Expert tour guide
- Small group
- Easy booking process
- Free cancellation
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