Imperial Palace East Garden
Build a trip to Tokyo
About
This public garden occupies the former site of Edo Castle's innermost circles of defense, the 'Honmaru' and 'Ninomaru'. While the main castle tower was destroyed by fire centuries ago, the massive stone foundations, moats, and formidable gates remain as a testament to the power of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The 'Ninomaru Garden' is a beautiful reconstruction of an Edo-period garden, featuring diverse trees representing every prefecture in Japan. It is a quiet, historically rich space where the silence is only broken by the distant hum of the nearby Otemachi financial district.
Highlights
- Historic Edo Castle ruins
- Traditional Japanese Ninomaru Garden
- Massive stone foundation walls
- Panoramic Tokyo skyline views
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
Tokyo Station (Marunouchi Side)
The grand red-brick facade of Tokyo Station was originally built in 1914 and meticulously restored to its pre-war glory in 2012. It stands as a magnificent example of European-style architecture in Japan, featuring two massive domes with intricate interior carvings. The station is not just a transit hub but a destination itself, housing the Tokyo Station Hotel and the 'Character Street' underground mall. The Marunouchi plaza in front of the station provides a vast, open space that is particularly beautiful at night when the building is classically lit, contrasting with the surrounding modern skyscrapers.
Rokurinsha (Tokyo Station)
Located in the famous 'Tokyo Ramen Street' underground, Rokurinsha is the pioneer that sparked the national 'Tsukemen' (dipping ramen) craze. Their broth is an incredibly dense, hyper-concentrated reduction of pork bones, chicken, and dried seafood, topped with a signature 'Gyofun' (fish powder) on a piece of nori. The thick, chewy noodles are designed to grab as much of the savory soup as possible. Even with a 100-seat turnover, the line is almost constant. It is the gold standard for a hearty, umami-packed dipping noodle experience.
.jpg)
Sukiyabashi Jiro
Immortalized by the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, this legendary three-Michelin-star omakase restaurant run by 99-year-old master Jiro Ono in a Ginza subway station has redefined what sushi can be, with each piece of nigiri representing decades of obsessive refinement and the finest seasonal fish from Tsukiji. The 20-minute experience costs over ¥40,000 per person and reservations must be made months in advance through a hotel concierge, yet it remains the most coveted dining reservation in the world. The counter seats only ten guests who experience each piece served at precisely the right temperature and must eat immediately upon being placed before them.
Tempura Kondo
Chef Fumio Kondo is a legend who revolutionized tempura by making vegetables the star of the show. His two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Ginza is famous for its ultra-thin, light batter that preserves the natural moisture and flavor of the ingredients. The signature dish is his 'Carrot Shreds'—a towering nest of julienned carrots—and the 'Sweet Potato,' which is thick-cut and fried for over 30 minutes to achieve a cake-like texture. Dining here is an elegant, sensory experience where you watch each piece being fried with surgical precision at the counter.
Reviews
Visited this place? Share your experience and help other travelers.