Most viewed - Imperial Palace and Edo Castle in Tokyo 皇居・江戸城 |
In Japanese, the Imperial Palace is called "Kokyo" (皇居). This term begun to be used from 1948. Until then, it was called "Kyujo" (meaning palace castle 宮城)from the time Emperor Meiji took up residence.811 views
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Nijubashi Bridge, the symbol of the Imperial Palace and Tokyo. One of Japan's most famous bridges. There is another bridge behind this one. 二重橋523 views
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Fushimi Turret as seen from Nijubashi Bridge. Edo Castle was first built by Ota Dokan (太田道灌) in 1457 when Tokyo/Edo was still a small fishing village. Ota Dokan is thus regarded as one of Tokyo's forefathers. 伏見櫓423 views
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Fujimi Turret, Edo Castle 富士見櫓399 views
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Otemon Gate, Edo Castle's main gate. 大手門348 views
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Chidorigafuchi with the roof of Budokan visible.348 views
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Foundation of castle tower or donjon. In 1657, there was a great fire in Edo and a stray ember set the castle tower on fire and destroyed it only 19 years after it was built. It was never rebuilt. 天守台333 views
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Map of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace327 views
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Crown Prince Hiro, Emperor Akihito, and Empress Michiko behind bulletproof glass on the veranda of the Chowaden Hall on the Emperor's Birthday. See more [url=http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=158]photos of the Emperor's birthday[/url281 views
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260 views
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The Imperial Palace's Chowaden Hall where formal banquets and meetings are held. This modern complex was built in 1968. In front is the Kyuden Totei plaza 長和殿、宮殿 東庭250 views
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Chidorigafuchi 千鳥ヶ淵240 views
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Fushimi Turret. This is what you see when you see Nijubashi Bridge. No one lives in this building. The Emperor's actual residence is not visible from the outside. 伏見櫓221 views
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At one end of the Chowaden is Kitakuruma-yose entrance for Japanese dignitaries. 北車寄220 views
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Crossing Nijubashi Bridge to enter the Seimon Gate. 正門214 views
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The Emperor and Empress appear on the veranda of this building on his birthday (Dec. 23) and Jan. 2. Well-wishers wave flags in the Kyuden Totei plaza. Also see the video at YouTube.213 views
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Japanese flag and Fujimi Turret213 views
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View from Nijubashi Bridge. The public can cross the bridge on the Emperor's Birthday (Dec. 23) and Jan. 2 for New Year's.206 views
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Fujimi Turret. Since Edo Castle had lost its castle tower which was never rebuilt, this turret served the functions of a castle tower. 富士見櫓205 views
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Chidorigafuchi192 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓183 views
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182 views
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Imperial Household Agency is the government agency which controls and manages the affairs of the Imperial family (Emperor, Empress, etc.). 宮内庁179 views
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The Museum of the Imperial Collections (Sannomaru Shozokan), museum of Imperial Family gifts and artifacts. 三の丸尚蔵館177 views
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Moat173 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓173 views
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Moat169 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓166 views
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Otemon Gate 大手門164 views
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Behind Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓163 views
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Hyakunin Bansho Guardhouse where 100 samurai guards guarded the entrance to the Honmaru, the castle's main keep. 百人番所163 views
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162 views
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The original castle tower or donjon was completed in 1607 and later renovated in 1638 under Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu as Japan's tallest castle tower at 58 meters (5 stories high).162 views
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Kitahane-bashimon Gate. Right behind the castle tower foundation. 北桔橋門161 views
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Sakuradamon Gate 桜田門161 views
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Daibansho Guardhouse 大番所160 views
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156 views
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Sakuradamon Gate, near here was where Lord Ii Naosuke from Hikone was assassinated. 桜田門154 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓153 views
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153 views
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150 views
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Behind Fujimi Turret149 views
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Doshin Bansho Guardhouse where guards kept watch on the entourage of daimyos visiting the castle. 同心番所148 views
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Cherry blossoms on Inui-dori, Imperial Palace148 views
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147 views
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Sakuradamon Gate 桜田門147 views
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Sakashita-mon Gate, closest to the Imperial Household Agency and entrance to Inui-dori, a 600-meter path lined with cherry blossoms. 坂下門坂下門147 views
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145 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓145 views
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Honmaru, Edo Castle's main keep. See the castle tower's foundation on the lower right. 本丸145 views
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Going up the castle tower foundation.145 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓144 views
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Sakuradamon Gate 桜田門144 views
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Sakuradamon Gate144 views
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143 views
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143 views
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Tatsumi Turret was used for defense with holes to drop stones and windows to shoot arrows. 翼櫓(桜田二重櫓)143 views
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Otemon Gate 大手門142 views
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Ninomaru Garden142 views
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141 views
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141 views
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Tatsumi Turret, also called Sakurada-Niju Turret 翼櫓(桜田二重櫓)141 views
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View of Kitahanebashi-mon Gate140 views
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140 views
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Suwa-no-Chaya Teahouse 諏訪の茶屋140 views
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Suwa-no-Chaya Teahouse 諏訪の茶屋140 views
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Cherry blossoms on Inui-dori, Imperial Palace140 views
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Moat as seen from Kitahane-bashimon Gate139 views
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Tatsumi Turret 翼櫓(桜田二重櫓)139 views
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138 views
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Going up the castle tower foundation.138 views
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Corner of castle tower foundation.138 views
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Tatsumi Turret 翼櫓(桜田二重櫓)138 views
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Ninomaru Garden in the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace138 views
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Castle tower's foundation on the lower right.137 views
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Moat behind castle tower foundation.137 views
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137 views
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Top of castle tower foundation.137 views
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View of Hakucho moat from Shiomizaka Slope 汐見坂 白鳥濠136 views
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135 views
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135 views
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View from castle tower foundation.134 views
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134 views
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East Gardens of the Imperial Palace 皇居東御苑134 views
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Imperial Palace Fujimi turret and Marunouchi office buildings. Tradtional vs. modern.133 views
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Corner of castle tower foundation.132 views
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132 views
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132 views
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Corner of moat132 views
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Sakuradamon Gate132 views
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皇居東御苑132 views
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Cherry blossoms on Inui-dori, Imperial Palace132 views
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Cherry blossoms on Inui-dori, Imperial Palace132 views
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131 views
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130 views
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130 views
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Sakuradamon Gate, rear view130 views
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129 views
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129 views
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Ninomaru Garden 二の丸庭園128 views
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Side view of castle tower foundation.127 views
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127 views
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桔梗門127 views
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Prefectural trees from all prefectures 都道府県の木127 views
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Sakashita-mon Gate 坂下門126 views
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126 views
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124 views
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124 views
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Miyazaki Prefecture's official tree 都道府県の木(宮崎県の木)124 views
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Moat near Sakashita-mon Gate121 views
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120 views
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119 views
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There were two horse-drawn carriages and I correctly assumed she was riding in the first one. No one waved Japanese and American flags though.96 views
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So I stuck around for about 15 min. and sure enough, at around 4 pm, her horse-drawn carriage appeared after she had shown her credentials to the emperor. I whipped out my camcorder and still camera and started shooting.96 views
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96 views
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Rear of Nijubashi Bridge.95 views
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Hanzo Moat94 views
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Fortunately, she was sitting on the right side of the carriage facing my side of the street. You can see her in this photo. Wish she waved to us. As soon as she passed, the crowd dissipated.94 viewsWe haven’t had such a star ambassador to Japan in a long time, not perhaps since Edwin Reischauer in 1960s or the beloved Mike Mansfield in the 1980s. Welcome to Japan, Sweet Caroline!
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Second Nijubashi Bridge.94 views
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Police were on guard for crowd control. Although we could enter the palace until 3 pm, the crowds proved to be too much so they stopped entry by 1:30 pm.94 views
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Remains of Ushigomi Mitsuke Gate along Sotobori Moat near Iidabashi Station.93 views
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93 views
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Mexican monument92 views
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Weeping cherry blossoms near Otemon gate.92 views
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They plan to open Inui-dori to the public again in autumn for the fall leaves.92 views
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Sakurada Moat91 views
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91 views
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Hanzo Moat with Hanzomon Gate in the distance.90 views
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On Nov. 19, 2013, I took a friend around Tokyo and when we headed for the Imperial Palace, we saw this large crowd on the streets. Most were middle-aged and older people. The palace was closed off to tourists as well. 90 viewsCouldn’t see the famous Nijubashi Bridge.
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Insane crowds at Imperial Palace on April 4, 2014.90 views
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Remains of Ushigomi Mitsuke Gate along Sotobori Moat near Iidabashi Station.89 views
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Hanzomon Gate, Imperial Palace, Tokyo89 views
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Sakurada Moat89 views
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I asked a bystander what was going on. She said they were waiting for “Caroline.” No mention of the last name. “Caroline” in Japan automatically means “Kennedy.”89 viewsAlthough I always think of Neil Diamond’s song which coincidentally is about the Caroline they were waiting to see.
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View of Marunouchi office buildings from Imperial Palace.89 views
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89 views
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What happened was, tens of thousands of people showed up. On the first day April 4, 2014, over 55,000 people came to see the Inui-dori sakura.89 views
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Hanzo Moat, near Hanzomon Gate.88 views
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88 views
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88 views
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People waited 2-3 hours to get in and underwent body searches. I arrived at 2 pm and it was too late to get in.88 views
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88 views
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87 views
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87 views
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87 views
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Hanzomon Gate is guarded. This is the closest gate to the Emperor's residence. This is where they normally enter and leave the palace.87 views
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For the first time, they allowed the public to enter the Imperial Palace to view cherry blossoms along a short path called Inui-dori during April 4-8, 2014.87 views
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It was worse during the weekend.87 views
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A total of 360,000 people visited Inui-dori during the period it was open to the public.87 views
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87 views
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Hanzo Moat, near Hanzomon Gate.86 views
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86 views
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Marker for an old high school.86 views
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86 views
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Hanzomon Gate85 views
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Maihime cherry blossoms 舞姫85 views
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Hanzomon Gate85 views
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Hanzomon Gate85 views
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Cherry blossoms in front of British Embassy near Hanzomon.85 views
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On this fine day on March 31, 2016, 66,950 people visited Inui-dori. During March 25–April 3, 2016, a total of 508,010 visited Inui-dori.85 views
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Cherry blossoms along Hanzo Moat.84 views
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The exit at Inui Gate84 views
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83 views
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Inui-dori is a somewhat narrow paved path along a moat. It has small cherry trees and autumn foliage.83 views
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Long house83 views
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Fujimi Tamon, defense house. 富士見多聞82 views
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82 views
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Sakashita Gate on the other side.81 views
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Pass by the Imperial Household Agency. They control the lives of the Imperial Family.81 views
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Fujimi Tamon, defense house. 富士見多聞81 views
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Lots of people, but very civil. No pushing or shoving. No time limit either. I took my time, taking pictures.81 views
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They will do major gardening work from this year, so Inui-dori will not be open this fall and next spring. Have to wait until fall 2017 to see this again.81 views
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81 views
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81 views
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Inui Gate81 views
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Long line to enter Inui-dori, a 600-meter path lined with cherry trees along a palace moat. 皇居乾通り一般公開80 views
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They started another line of people.80 views
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Policeman was shouting that people with no bags to be checked can go through a different (faster) line.80 views
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After waiting for about 15 min. in the heat, just when I seriously thought about giving up and going home, the line moved forward to the checkpoint where they checked our bags and gave us a body check. It was quick and easy.80 views
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Imperial Palace Chowaden, where formal banquets are held and where the Imperial family appears in public for New Year's and Emperor's Birthday.80 views
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80 views
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80 views
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Weeping cherry tree, too early.80 views
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Dokan Moat, named after the founder of Edo Castle.80 views
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Dokan moat80 views
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80 views
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Inui-dori is overrated. But because it's the Imperial Palace and the path is not normally open to the public, it has the image of exclusivity so lots of people want to see it.80 views
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Inui Gate from the outside.80 views
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After Inui-dori, turn left and walk to Chidorigafuchi to see more cherry blossoms.80 views
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People going to Inui-dori. Since 2014, they opened the path to the public for only several days during the sakura and fall foliage periods. 79 views
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Police vans during cherry blossom season when they opened Inui-dori to the public in late March to April 3, 2016. 皇居乾通り一般公開79 views
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I looked at this line and thought it would take at least an hour to get in. It was a hot, sunny day at 20 C on March 31, 2016 at 10:15 am.79 views
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Wow, amazing that we could get in so quickly. This was the entrance to Inui-dori, Sakashita Gate.79 views
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It was still too early, about 2-3 days before full bloom. But this was the last sunny day before clouds and rain that were forecast.79 views
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Midway, there is a bridge to go to the garden area.79 views
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79 views
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79 views
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Sakashita Gate78 views
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In spring 2016, cherry blossoms in Tokyo took 9 days to reach peak bloom due to the warm winter. Longer than usual. So they extended the days when the public can see Inui-dori.78 views
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78 views
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It seemed that it was going to take forever to get in.77 views
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Fujimi Tamon, defense house. 富士見多聞77 views
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Blizzard of white plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.75 views
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Plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.73 views
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Plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.52 views
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Hirakawa Gate at the Imperial Palace.40 views
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Plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.39 views
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Plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.39 views
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The Imperial Palace also has some plum blossoms near Hirakawa Gate. Blooming in Feb.37 views
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37 views
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Plum plossoms near Hirakawa Gate.37 views
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Hirakawa Gate at the Imperial Palace.37 views
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