Private Tour - History, Art and Nature at the Imperial Palace
Description
Enjoy a tour in the heart of Edo (one of the former names of Tokyo) The Imperial Palace has been located in the center of the great metropolice since the Edo (1603-1868) period where Tokugawa "Shogun" had lived. You may have seen photos of its exterior; the moat, bridges, stone walls and gates, but did you know that you could go inside, too? In this tour, you will visit the art gallery with displays of Japanese art and craft, the ruins of the Edo Castle and a beautiful park full of greenery, all within the grounds of the palace. You can also enjoy the views of the contrast between the modern Marunouchi office buildings and the traditional and historic grounds of the Imperial Palace. Learn about the history behind all the locations you visit at the Imperieal Palace and its surrounding area.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Tokyo Station Marunouchi Station Square： The tour departs from Tokyo Station. As you exit the station from the central exit you can admire the station building from the front in the station square. Let's enjoy its dignified appearance!
Wadakura Fountain Park： This is located inside the Imperial Palace grounds. This is built to commemorate the marriage of the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita, and will be remodelled on the marriage of the Emperor and Empress. The 3 water fountains are very impressive!
The East Garden of the Imperial Palace： A Japanese Garden made along with the Imperial Garden, here you can enjoy the seasonal changes. There are also historical sites where you can feel the remains of the former castle. One of the popular spots is Hirakawa Bridge located just outside of the garden.
National Museum of Modern Art： The first National Art Museum in Japan, located inside the Imperial Palace. Many artworks from around the 20th century in Japan and overseas are on display. Make sure to see the artworks by the Japanese masters.
CAFÉ 33：Located in Kitanomaru Park, this is a cafe where you can enjoy a meal while feeling the nature. Local fresh ingredients from the Tohoku area and Tokyo are widely used.
Kitanomaru Park： There is a spacious and open lawn. There are a wide variety of plants and trees around the lawn creating a unique ecosystem within the Imperial Palace.
Chidorigafuchi： Feel the nature that remains in Tokyo on this road. Make sure to take pictures of this spectacular view.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- All transportation costs, entrance fees, food and drink costs, etc. incurred at the visited spots, will be borne by the customer.
- There will be a lot of walking during the tour, so please wear comfortable shoes.
- If the weather is bad on the day, there is a possibility that the destinations and routes may be changed.
Reviews(24)
We took this walking tour in our first day in Tokyo. Yumi contacted us and made sure we found the meeting place. She gave us a lot of history about Japan and Edo along the walk. The tour included an hour in the modern art museum - after a great introduction by Yumi. She also arranged a stop for lunch. We got to learn about Japanese garden layout and uses. We did visit in January, so the gardens were a little bleak- I am sure it would have been truly amazing in the summer or spring (with cherry blossoms).
Would recommend Ayaka highly! We saw all that we asked for and more. Very knowledgeable and included pictures on her iPad for more details. So happy we took the tour with her!
Well as a start , our tour guide didn’t know that the imperial palace garden was closed for the holiday. Hectooonus to the Meiji shrine instead which was overly crowded .
Keiko was an amazing tour guide. She told us so much about Tokyo Station and about the Imperial Palace. She took us to a lovely lunch spot. The museum was also amazing with art by famous artists. Very excellent tour experience!!
Lovely stroll to see imperial palace and gardens . Keikof was very knowledgeable and easy to talk with . We learnt a great deal about Tokyo station buildings . The imperial palace history . To end a beautiful walk through the imperial gardens . Keikof even walked us to the Pokeman shop for my daughter Would highly recommend this trip and always great to have your private guide to take your photos
Yoriko was an absolutely amazing tour guide! She led us with grace and gave us great, detailed information about the history of Japan and the history of the imperial palace! She was kind and so funny! We would absolutely recommend this and would do it again!!
Yoriko was incredibly sweet, very knowledgeable, and quite entertaining. I would recommend her to everyone I know who plans to come to Japan!
Our guide (I have regrettably lost her name) was fantastic. She was knowledgeable, kind and generous. We were very lucky as it was the start of the cherry blossom season and she took us to special places from which to get the best views. A wonderful way to start our stay in Tokyo.
Thank you Nak the tour of the Imperial Palace was incredibly informative and fun. After we enjoyed the views of the Imperial Palace he brought us to a amazing sushi restaurant
Keiko was an excellent guide. She tailored our experiences according to our preferences. She was very knowledgeable. We enjoyed our time with her tremendously.
