Tokyo

Imperial Palace Listen to the Japanese term!

Moats ~ East Garden ~ Ote-mon ~ Sannomaru Shouzou-kan

Visit the moats surrounding the Imperial PalaceVisit the Imperial Palace East GardenVisit the Ote-monVisit Sannomaru Shouzou-kan

On July 5, 2003 we divided into groups to visit the different parts of Tokyo. Makoto and Sue guided Melissa, Travis, John, Marion, and Linda to the Imperial Palace (Kokyo) grounds. Other NCTA participants also visited the Imperial Palace area during our stay in Tokyo.

Imperial Palace Moats

The Imperial Palace is built on the site of the former Edo Castle. The grounds are surrounded by moats (hori Listen to the Japanese term!or -bori Listen to the Japanese term!), one of the protective measures utilized during feudal Japan. The bridge Niju-bashi is probably the most popular landmark in the Imperial Palace grounds. Niju Bridge, built in the late 1800s, is now the major entrance into the Imperial Palace, which is open twice a year to the public.

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Partial panorama of Niju-bashi on Nijubashi-bori, Imperial Palace
July 5, 2003

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Guard House on Kikyo-bori, Imperial Palace
July 5, 2003
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Imperial Household Agency on Hamaguri-bori
July 5, 2003
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Niju-bashi on Nijubashi-bori, Imperial Palace
July 5, 2003 (Photo by Travis Heggem)
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Ote-bori, Imperial Palace
July 5, 2003 (Photo by Travis Heggem)

East Garden

The East Garden occupies about one-third of the palace grounds and is the only area open to the public on a daily basis.

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Pond in East Garden
July 5, 2003 (Photo by Travis Heggem)
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Marion observing Hyaku-nin Basho, which housed samurai during the Tokugawa era
July 5, 2003
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Bridge in East Garden, Tokyo
July 5, 2003
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Pond and touro in East Garden, Tokyo
July 5, 2003
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Hirakawa-mon, East Garden's north gate
July 5, 2003
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Honmaru, former keep of Edo Castle
July 5, 2003
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John walking towards Honmaru
July 5, 2003 (Photo by Travis Heggem)
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Melissa and Makato gazing at Budokan Hall
July 5, 2003 (Photo by Travis Heggem)

Ote-mon

Ote-mon, or Big Hand Gate, used to be the main entrance into Edo Castle. It is now the main entrance into the East Garden.

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Ote-mon, Tokyo
July 5, 2003
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Marion, Makato, John, and Travis at Ote-mon
July 5, 2003

Sannomaru Shouzou-kan Listen to the Japanese term!

Sannomaru Shouzou-kan is the Museum of the Imperial Collections (of the Showa emperor), located just inside Ote-mon. We were very fortunate because July 5, 2003 was the first day of the second exhibition of the series "Regional Features of Japanese Crafts." This exhibition focused on wood, bamboo, and lacquer crafts. What a treat! We weren't allowed to take photographs. The images below are from the exhibition catalog I purchased at the museum.

Image copyright Sannomaru Shozokan - permission requested for use
Bamboo and rattan vase, 1928
Image copyright Sannomaru Shozokan - permission requested for use
Lacquer box, Showa era
Image copyright Sannomaru Shozokan - permission requested for use
Wooden inlay, 1958
Images property of the Sannomaru Shouzou-kan (Museum of the Imperial Collections).
Permission for use requested.

Tokyo ~ Image Gallery ~ NCTA Japan 2003

© Linda Freeman 2003