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Feeling like Royalty at the Tokyo Imperial Palace

September 3, 2019 Meandering Moonsong Leave a comment

Interested in Japanese culture, heritage, and history? If the answer to any of these is yes, visiting the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Chiyoda Ward is a must. The Palace is situated almost at the center of Tokyo, defining the heart of the city.

Being the primary residence of the Emperor of Japan, the Imperial Palace is situated in a large park and contains a number of buildings, such as the main palace, the private residence of the Imperial family, a number of museums and administration offices, and an archive, among others. This is because the current modern palace, also called Kyuden, was designed to host court functions and receptions, as well as being the residence of the Emperor and Empress.

We grabbed the metro at Korakuen Station (our accommodation was in Bunkyo City) and took the Marunouchi Line to arrive at Otemachi Station, only a six-minute walk from the Imperial Palace.

Walking along one of the 12 moats surrounding the Palace, we were pleasantly surprised by the magnificent view of Seimon Ishibashi Bridge whose name literally means ‘Main Gate Stone Bridge’. Its twin stone arches, perfectly reflected in the crystalline palace moat, create an atmosphere of idyllic serenity, not to mention the perfect photographic background when viewed from Kyuden Plaza just in front of the Palace Main Gates. One of Tokyo’s most iconic sites, this bridge is also called Magane-bashi or ‘the eyeglass bridge’ or ‘the spectacles bridge’, due to its distinct look. Unfortunately, Seimon Ishibashi Bridge is not accessible to the public, therefore one can take as many photos as one wants, but no one can actually cross it. Pictures of the stunning double bridge soaring over the canal, leading into the fortified walls with the Imperial Palace in the background more than make up for not being able to walk on it though.

After taking a million photos, we were approaching the public facilities right next to the main gate, when we saw a tour guide and a number of people waiting nearby and realised that most of the Imperial Palace could only be visited with a tour guide! We hadn’t been aware of that at all, but we were very lucky as the walking tour in question was about to start, and it was free. There were a few open places too so we could just register and be part of the group there and then without even booking! How fortunate is that?!

So, beware. Unless you visit with a guided tour, most of the Palace and grounds, except for the Imperial Household Agency (a governmental agency building) and the East Gardens, are not open to the public. Fortunately, such free 1.5 hour walking tours as the one we encountered by pure chance are available from Tuesday to Saturday. These free guided tours are organised by the Imperial Household Agency and are available in a number of languages (there are different tour guides). English, Chinese and Spanish are among the languages catered for. Tours start at 10am and 13.00 in winter, and at 10am only in summer. Although we were lucky enough to find two available places in the tour while we were there, it is always better to book beforehand. To book this tour, and for more information, you can access the Imperial Household Agency website.

The Imperial Palace’s Main Gate – Pic Source: alamy.com

The guided tours normally start in front of the Palace’s Main Gate. It is a very good tour and the guide was very nice, providing an explanation of the history and background of the castle, and even showing us photos of the current Imperial family. At the start of the tour, we were given a badge and asked to fill a form, then we were taken to a large pavilion where there was a baggage-checkpoint. There were also lockers where, for a small price, one could leave one’s belongings in order not to be encumbered with them during the tour. I really recommend leaving your stuff in one of the lockers as the tour is quite a walk! There were literally hundreds of other people waiting in the pavilion, where the guides gave out some instructions in different languages and sorted us into groups depending on the language we preferred our tour to be in.

In this photo released by the Imperial Household Agency, Japan’s Emperor Akihito, center left, and Empress Michiko, center right, smile at Prince Hisahito, fifth from right. Also pictured are from left, Crown Princess Masako, Crown Prince Naruhito, Princess Mako, behind Akihito, Princess Aiko, Princess Kako, Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito and Princess Kiko.

The tour guide recounted how the present Imperial Palace was built on the site of the old Edo Castle, residence of the Shogun during the Edo Period (1603 – 1868). The total area comprising of grounds and castle, spans 1.15 square kilometres. In 1873 a fire consumed the old Shogun residence, and the current Imperial Palace was constructed on the same site in 1888.

The Imperial Palace grounds are divided into 6 wings, however we were not able to visit them all, not even with the guide. Of course, the Emperor’s residential area (found in Fukiage Garden) and the Emperor’s work office were out of bounds.

We started the tour by walking through the Main Gate and into the beautiful Ni-no-maru gardens at the lower level of the Palace.Then, we discovered another bridge, this one made of metal, spanning the moat right behind Seimon Ishibashi Bridge and having the same twin arches structure. This was the Nijubashi Bridge, which is accessible to the public. In fact we had to cross it, since it leads directly to the main Imperial Palace buildings.

The first building we encountered during our guided tour was the picturesque Fishimi Yagura – a turret and look-out in which weapons used to be stored, and from which archers could defend the palace against invading armies. The Fushimi Yagura Watchtower (1659) is a three-story square-shaped fort which had become the symbol of Edo Castle after the castle’s main tower was rebuilt following the great fire of 1657.

We also spotted Sakurada-Niju-Yagura Watchtower, which is the last remaining corner watchtower pertaining to the original Edo Castle.

We walked on to the Chowaden Reception Hall, which is the largest structure in the Palace, and which is the place where the Japanese Imperial family appear to give blessings to the public every new year, and on the Emperor’s birthday. It is also where official state functions and ceremonies are held. During the tour we were also taken to a number of other Halls, such as the Seiden State Function Hall and the Homeiden Banquet Hall.

Following the tour, one can freely roam through Kogyo-gaien National Park, which is situated at the southern tip of the Palace grounds. Personally, if you plan on visiting Tokyo’s Imperial Palace (and I really suggest you do), I would recommend allocating at least two or three hours for the experience, since the tour itself can take from 1.5 to 2 hours, and you’d definitely need at least another half an hour to walk around and enjoy the surroundings.

shibuya ward

Tokyo – Discovering Shibuya

August 19, 2019 Meandering Moonsong Leave a comment

The metropolis of Tokyo, formerly known as ‘Edo’, has a nucleus which is made up of 23 ‘wards’ or municipalities. Each of these is worth exploring and offers a multitude of attractions, yet of course, there are wards which are more popular than others.

Shibuya Ward, is surely one of the most popular wards in Tokyo, especially with people of a younger age (teens and tweens).

Being a major commercial, entertainment and administrative hub, Shibuya was the first spot I visited when I arrived in Tokyo, directly after depositing the luggage at our accommodation. Since our accommodation was directly next to Ikebukuro Station, it was easy to grab the Fukutoshin Line and navigate through three stops until we arrived directly at Shibuya Station. The journey took less than 15 minutes.

Although we had gone through a tiring journey, having just spent more than 17 hours travelling and waiting at the airport (2.5 hours from Malta to Vienna Airport, 4 hours of layover and then 11 more hours from Vienna to Tokyo Haneda Airport), we were so hyped and excited that we couldn’t not start our first day in Tokyo with a bang, which is why we headed to Shibuya.

We first proceeded to Harajuku to pick up the Sim card we had booked online while still in Malta. Because yes, you definitely need google maps and google translate to make your way through Japan, a country where less than a quarter of the population knows a word of English. We had also booked a shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Kyoto (online as well) from the same company, so we picked the tickets up as well.

Momentarily lost in a sea of metropolitan bustle, we made our way through the well-known Takeshita Street, landmark of quirky fashion and unique boutiques. Situated in the Harajuku District within Shibuya, it is here that Gothic Lolitas, dressed in their cute frills, lace, Victorian hats and webbed parasols, parade their particular fashion subculture, congregating on Harajuku bridge, eating crepes at one of the many candy shops or shopping for colorful wigs in appropriate costume stores, of which there are many.

We couldn’t help but stop and stare at each and every store, but I admit I was actually too overwhelmed to buy anything at first. That is, until we arrived at the amazing Alice on Wednesday – an Alice in Wonderland themed store tucked into a side-street. It is quiet large, spreading its magical wares on three floors of girly jewelery in the shape of roses, teacups and top-hats, rabbit mugs, ‘eat me’ and ‘drink me’ cookies, sweets and playing cards, and even handbags in the shape of clocks (I couldn’t help but buying one of these). One is immediately immersed into Wonderland as s/he navigates through a very tiny door to enter the store. A grinning Cheshire cat greets you at the entrance as you walk through a mirror-filled corridor. My poor six-foot boyfriend looked like an elephant in a tea-house, but I appreciated the fact that he waited while I browsed every item minutely, surrounded by other shrieking girls, teens, older women and even toddlers staining at their mothers’ restraining arms.

Beautiful items for sale at Alice on Wednesday

On the Queen’s Throne! (I prefer Alice to the foolish Queen of Hearts, but there you go)

Following our adventures in ‘Wonderland’, we made our way down the colorful streets to the official Sailor Moon store. Found in the Laforet building, this shop is quiet small and holds mostly knick knacks and items which are out of production and therefore not for sale. I admit that I was very disappointed. It was fun to window shop but there was nothing worth buying. I DID purchase a lot of Sailor Moon memorabilia later on from Mandarake (a large comic book store found in Akihabara Ward) as well as at the Universal Studios in Osaka, but that took place later on during our stay in Japan.

The Sailor Moon Store in the Laforet Building

Of course, we couldn’t visit Shibuya and NOT take a look at the very famous Shibuya Crossing, rumored to be the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world, where approximately 2,500 pedestrians cross at one time coming from all directions at once. Although the spot is interesting, it IS very hectic, so we clicked madly on our cameras for five minutes and then continued on our way.

Following all the excitement and rush of humanity prevalent at the crossing, we made our way to the quieter Meiji Jingu Shrine. A green oasis of majestic trees flanked by huge torii gates, this shrine and the adjacent Yoyogi Park offer a surprisingly large forested area within a densely populated city. The shrine, completed in 1920, is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken and is perfect for a relaxing stroll. It was our first encounter with a Shinto Shrine, and it was truly an experience.

The grounds of Meiji Jingu Shrine can be accessed through two main entrances, both marked by a huge welcoming Torii Gate. The North entrance is very close to Yoyogi Station, while the South entrance is directly next to JR Harajuku Station. As I walked beneath the Torii gate, the sounds and smells of the busy city were quickly muffled and replaced by the scent of grass and the shuffling of leaves crowding the huge green forest leading up to the shrine. The idyllic serenity and quiet prevalent at the shrine totally clashed with the previous chaos of Shibuya’s urban landscape, and served to highlight the two faces of Tokyo – modern metropolis and spiritual center.

Meiji Jingu Shrine – Tokyo’s Spiritual Core

P.S Don’t think that just because I did not buy anything at the Sailor Moon store, it is not worth visiting! It was still amazing and if you are a fan, you should definitely pop in!

Each journey is an adventure. Each adventure is an inspiration.