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Imperial Palace Tour: Tokyo's Historic Heart
4.9
85 Ratings
Chiyoda City
Enter the realm of the Shogun, where his aspirations laid the groundwork for contemporary Japan! Discover how Japan evolved into its current form while touring the Eastern Gardens with our English-speaking guide!
Enter the realm of the Shogun, where his aspirations laid the groundwork for contemporary Japan! Discover how Japan evolved into its current form while touring the Eastern Gardens with our English-speaking guide!
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Edo Castle Ruin) - Begin your walking tour by meeting your guide at starbucks in the Wadakuramon park! Together, stroll toward the grand main gate (otemon) of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. As you step through, follow your guide on a captivating journey, circling the palace grounds/eastern garden! (The…
- The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Edo Castle Ruin) - Begin your walking tour by meeting your guide at starbucks in the Wadakuramon park! Together, stroll toward the grand main gate (otemon) of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. As you step through, follow your guide on a captivating journey, circling the palace grounds/eastern garden! (The actual main castle does not exist anymore..BUT for a very good reason your guide will tell you all about on the tour! You will also get to see a miniature structure of how the palace used to look like in the past as well) Explore the history embedded in old soldier barracks, encounter special koi fish, and marvel at trees brought from various prefectures of Japan. Delight in the serenity of the palace while gaining insights into its past, including a visit to the old base where the palace once stood over 350 years ago. While the palace can be tricky to navigate, your guide will ensure you don’t get lost and help you take photos throughout the tour :)

What's Included
- Guided walking tour explaining the history of Japan
- Interactive and friendly English-speaking guide
- Great photo spots
- Beautiful garden
- One-of-a-kind royal koi fish
- Bamboo forest
- Guide who can help with other travel tips
- Guided walking tour explaining the history of Japan
- Interactive and friendly English-speaking guide
- Great photo spots
- Beautiful garden
- One-of-a-kind royal koi fish
- Bamboo forest
- Guide who can help with other travel tips
What's Not Included
- Access to the Inner Palace (note: not open to the public)
- Access to the Inner Palace (note: not open to the public)
Location
Starbucks Coffee - Kokyo Gaien Wadakura Fountain Park
Take the train to Tokyo station, from there it is only a 5-10 minute walk to the Wadakuramon fountain park. In the park, head to the Starbucks where your guide will be waiting for you. The guide will be holding a sign with "Sunrise Adventure´s" logo :)
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(85 Ratings)
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Ammar_a
May 16, 2025
Pleasant and calm - Nice and calm walk through the imperial palace grounds. Perfect for an easy stroll on a not so busy day.
Review provided by Viator
Jorge_t
May 9, 2025
Entertaining and... - Entertaining and informative tour; guide was very knowledgeable, professional and engaging. A positive experience.
Review provided by Viator
Nzfamilyo
Apr 27, 2025
Informative and beautiful - One of the best of our trip to Japan. Grounds were beautiful and Japanese history covering Edo and Meiji periods was covered very well, told progressively so we could fully grasp it. Lakki our guide did a great job. Really worthwhile
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gabriel_s
Apr 11, 2025
Incredible tour! - Our guide was super knowledgeable and gave us an incredible tour filled with very interesting facts! We loved getting to know about the history of the place!
Review provided by Viator
Janice_w
Apr 8, 2025
Great tour - Lakki was a great tour guide. He has a wealth of knowledge about shogun history. We learned so much. The Imperial Palace gardens are beautiful! This tour is worth taking.
Review provided by Viator
Reece
Apr 6, 2025
A great experience - I would no hesitation in recommending this tour especially if you are interested in Japanese history. Lakki was an excellent guide & his history knowledge was remarkable. As well he is a cricket fan so what’s not to like!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_t
Apr 5, 2025
Great tour and history of the Imperial Palace grounds and garden - We really enjoyed our tour with Natsumi of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. In spite of it being a rainy day, the grounds were spectacular and Natsumi was very knowledgeable about the history of Japan and how Tokyo and the Imperial Palace become the center of leadership for the country. We enjoyed learning about how the emperor intersected with the shogunate structure and the design of the original palace, Edo Castle. On the Imperial Palace grounds there are beautiful views everywhere you look and Natsumi was great about finding great spots for perfect pictures and happily took photos for group members. We loved our time on this tour with Natsumi!
Review provided by Viator
Isobel_a
Apr 3, 2025
Beautiful Cherry Blossom Tour - Perfect day for our trip round the beautiful Imperial Palace gardens in Cherry Blossom time Lakky is very knowledgeable and informative so was able to engage our interest in the history of this beautiful place
Review provided by Viator
Wscjr
Apr 1, 2025
Absolute must do tour! - Although you can walk around the grounds of the Imperial Palace without a guide, the insight you will gain with a great tour guide is immense. You will also gain insight into the Japanese way of life and culture. Natsumi was the great guide on our tour. Thanks Natsumi!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thomas_n
Apr 1, 2025
Imperial Palace garden tour - Knowledgeable guide. I thought this tour included the palace, but it did not. Only reason I booked the tour was to see the palace as palace tours were sold out on the palace website.
Review provided by Viator