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.822 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530 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434 views
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Fujimi Turret, Edo Castle 富士見櫓406 views
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Otemon Gate, Edo Castle's main gate. 大手門358 views
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Chidorigafuchi with the roof of Budokan visible.354 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340 views
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Map of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace333 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[/url290 views
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267 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258 views
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Chidorigafuchi 千鳥ヶ淵247 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229 views
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At one end of the Chowaden is Kitakuruma-yose entrance for Japanese dignitaries. 北車寄227 views
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Crossing Nijubashi Bridge to enter the Seimon Gate. 正門223 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.223 views
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Japanese flag and Fujimi Turret223 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.217 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215 views
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Chidorigafuchi198 views
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189 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓188 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186 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184 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓181 views
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Moat180 views
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Moat176 views
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Otemon Gate 大手門172 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓171 views
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170 views
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Sakuradamon Gate 桜田門169 views
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Behind Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓168 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168 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).167 views
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Daibansho Guardhouse 大番所167 views
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Kitahane-bashimon Gate. Right behind the castle tower foundation. 北桔橋門167 views
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165 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓161 views
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Sakuradamon Gate, near here was where Lord Ii Naosuke from Hikone was assassinated. 桜田門160 views
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158 views
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157 views
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Doshin Bansho Guardhouse where guards kept watch on the entourage of daimyos visiting the castle. 同心番所156 views
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Behind Fujimi Turret155 views
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Cherry blossoms on Inui-dori, Imperial Palace155 views
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153 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153 views
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152 views
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Sakuradamon Gate 桜田門152 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓151 views
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Honmaru, Edo Castle's main keep. See the castle tower's foundation on the lower right. 本丸151 views
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Fujimi Turret 富士見櫓150 views
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Going up the castle tower foundation.150 views
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Tatsumi Turret, also called Sakurada-Niju Turret 翼櫓(桜田二重櫓)150 views
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Sakuradamon Gate 桜田門150 views
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149 views
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Otemon Gate 大手門149 views
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149 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)149 views
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Sakuradamon Gate149 views
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Cherry blossoms on Inui-dori, Imperial Palace149 views
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Ninomaru Garden148 views
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147 views
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View of Kitahanebashi-mon Gate147 views
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147 views
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Suwa-no-Chaya Teahouse 諏訪の茶屋147 views
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146 views
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Corner of castle tower foundation.146 views
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145 views
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Going up the castle tower foundation.145 views
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Moat as seen from Kitahane-bashimon Gate145 views
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Tatsumi Turret 翼櫓(桜田二重櫓)145 views
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Suwa-no-Chaya Teahouse 諏訪の茶屋145 views
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Castle tower's foundation on the lower right.144 views
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144 views
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Moat behind castle tower foundation.144 views
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View of Hakucho moat from Shiomizaka Slope 汐見坂 白鳥濠144 views
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Ninomaru Garden in the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace144 views
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Tatsumi Turret 翼櫓(桜田二重櫓)142 views
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141 views
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141 views
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141 views
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Top of castle tower foundation.141 views
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141 views
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Imperial Palace Fujimi turret and Marunouchi office buildings. Tradtional vs. modern.141 views
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Corner of moat140 views
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East Gardens of the Imperial Palace 皇居東御苑140 views
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Corner of castle tower foundation.139 views
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Sakuradamon Gate139 views
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皇居東御苑139 views
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Cherry blossoms on Inui-dori, Imperial Palace139 views
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View from castle tower foundation.138 views
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138 views
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138 views
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137 views
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Cherry blossoms on Inui-dori, Imperial Palace137 views
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136 views
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136 views
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135 views
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135 views
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135 views
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135 views
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Sakuradamon Gate, rear view135 views
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Prefectural trees from all prefectures 都道府県の木135 views
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Side view of castle tower foundation.134 views
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134 views
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桔梗門134 views
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Sakashita-mon Gate 坂下門134 views
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Ninomaru Garden 二の丸庭園134 views
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131 views
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Miyazaki Prefecture's official tree 都道府県の木(宮崎県の木)131 views
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131 views
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130 views
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Moat near Sakashita-mon Gate127 views
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126 views
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126 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.104 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.102 views
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101 views
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Hanzo Moat100 views
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100 views
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Rear of Nijubashi Bridge.100 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.100 views
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Sakurada Moat99 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.99 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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Remains of Ushigomi Mitsuke Gate along Sotobori Moat near Iidabashi Station.98 views
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Mexican monument97 views
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Second Nijubashi Bridge.97 views
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Hanzo Moat, near Hanzomon Gate.96 views
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96 views
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96 views
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They plan to open Inui-dori to the public again in autumn for the fall leaves.96 views
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Remains of Ushigomi Mitsuke Gate along Sotobori Moat near Iidabashi Station.95 views
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95 views
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Hanzo Moat with Hanzomon Gate in the distance.95 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. 95 viewsCouldn’t see the famous Nijubashi Bridge.
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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.”95 viewsAlthough I always think of Neil Diamond’s song which coincidentally is about the Caroline they were waiting to see.
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Weeping cherry blossoms near Otemon gate.95 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, 2014.95 views
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Insane crowds at Imperial Palace on April 4, 2014.95 views
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94 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.94 views
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It was worse during the weekend.94 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.94 views
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93 views
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93 views
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Hanzomon Gate93 views
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93 views
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Hanzomon Gate, Imperial Palace, Tokyo93 views
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Sakurada Moat93 views
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View of Marunouchi office buildings from Imperial Palace.93 views
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93 views
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A total of 360,000 people visited Inui-dori during the period it was open to the public.93 views
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Hanzo Moat, near Hanzomon Gate.92 views
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Marker for an old high school.92 views
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The exit at Inui Gate92 views
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Maihime cherry blossoms 舞姫91 views
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91 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.91 views
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91 views
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91 views
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Inui-dori is a somewhat narrow paved path along a moat. It has small cherry trees and autumn foliage.91 views
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91 views
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Cherry blossoms in front of British Embassy near Hanzomon.90 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.90 views
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Hanzomon Gate89 views
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Cherry blossoms along Hanzo Moat.89 views
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89 views
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89 views
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Long house89 views
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Weeping cherry tree, too early.89 views
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Inui Gate from the outside.89 views
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Hanzomon Gate88 views
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Sakashita Gate on the other side.88 views
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88 views
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They started another line of people.87 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.87 views
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Dokan moat87 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.87 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.87 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86 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86 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.86 views
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Pass by the Imperial Household Agency. They control the lives of the Imperial Family.86 views
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86 views
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86 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.86 views
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Dokan Moat, named after the founder of Edo Castle.86 views
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86 views
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After Inui-dori, turn left and walk to Chidorigafuchi to see more cherry blossoms.86 views
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Blizzard of white plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.86 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. 85 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.85 views
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Fujimi Tamon, defense house. 富士見多聞85 views
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Fujimi Tamon, defense house. 富士見多聞85 views
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85 views
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Inui Gate85 views
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It seemed that it was going to take forever to get in.84 views
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Policeman was shouting that people with no bags to be checked can go through a different (faster) line.84 views
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Wow, amazing that we could get in so quickly. This was the entrance to Inui-dori, Sakashita Gate.84 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.84 views
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Fujimi Tamon, defense house. 富士見多聞84 views
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Midway, there is a bridge to go to the garden area.84 views
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Sakashita Gate83 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.83 views
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Plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.82 views
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Plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.61 views
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Plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.50 views
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Plum blossoms at the Imperial Palace.48 views
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Hirakawa Gate at the Imperial Palace.45 views
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The Imperial Palace also has some plum blossoms near Hirakawa Gate. Blooming in Feb.44 views
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Plum plossoms near Hirakawa Gate.44 views
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Hirakawa Gate at the Imperial Palace.43 views
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