Imperial Palace East Gardens
Place · Marunouchi / Ginza
Free gardens on the old castle grounds, a 10-minute walk from Tokyo Station; check the closing days before you go.
- Free entry
- Closed some weekdays: check
- Works with kids
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8Avoid moving large bags on trains 07
- East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
- East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
- Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
- Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
- Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.
- Kanto ↗Suica/PASMO is the default IC card; ICOCA also works.
- Kanto ↗Tokyo stands on the left side of escalators.
- Tokyo ↗Avoid moving large bags on trains 07:30–09:30 and 17:30–19:30; rush-hour cars are packed.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours not on file: check the official site.
- Crowds
- MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Quietest Mon–Fri · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: Free
- Time to spend
- 50–70 min · up to 90 min if you linger
Best time to go
Calm on weekday mornings.
By weekday: quietest Mon–Fri, busiest Sat, Sun.
Opening hours
- Closed
- Mon, Fri
- Note
- Closed on some weekdays; last entry and closing vary by season; not printed until verified.
Which month is quietest
- Janlight
- Feblight
- Marheavy
- Aprpacked
- Maybusy
- Junlight
- Jullight
- Auglight
- Seplight
- Octbusy
- Novheavy
- Declight
Quietest Dec–Feb · Jun–Sep · busiest Apr.
Estimate: desk reasoning from school-trip, weekend, season and holiday patterns; not counted. Holidays and events move these weeks.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Ōtemachi (subway) or Tokyo Station Marunouchi side, to the Ōte-mon gate
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- none of note
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Accessibility
- PartialStep-free entrance · Gravel paths and a steady slope up from Ōte-mon to the former keep base.
- NoLifts
- Check firstAccessible toilet
- PartialWheelchair · Passable with help; the slope to the Honmaru lawn is the hard part.
- PartialStroller · caution
Sensory load
- Sensory load1/5 Very low
Exposure: high
What to bring and the rules
- A small bag · Bags may be inspected at the Ōte-mon gate.
- Water, a hat and sun or rain cover · Rated high exposure: little shelter while you walk.
- Bags may be inspected at the Ōte-mon gate.
- Banned; the palace area is a no-fly zone.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- heat: KITTE lobby (AC)
- rain: Tokyo Station Marunouchi concourse
Nearest rescue anchor: A — Tokyo Station Marunouchi concourse
Problem
Red lines
- Bags may be checked at the gate.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
The pin marks the centre of Marunouchi / Ginza: this place has no exact entrance point on file.
Eat in Marunouchi / Ginza
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- No ticket needed.
- Free days
- Always free — East Gardens close Mondays and Fridays.
Free entry days in Tokyo (pick Tokyo in the tool; check)
- Bags & lockers
- Bags may be inspected at the Ōte-mon gate.
- Photos
- Banned; the palace area is a no-fly zone.
- What's closed
- WeeklyClosed on Mondays and Fridays; when a national holiday falls on those days the rules change (check the official calendar).
- New Year (28 Dec–3 Jan)Closed; the palace opens for the public New Year greeting on 2 January (check).
- State eventscheckClosed at short notice for official events.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free | Take a plastic token at the gate and return it when you leave. |
| Imperial Palace grounds guided tour | Free | Separate tour of the inner grounds; book online in advance or queue for same-day places (check). |
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
40min
Worthwhile
50min
Typical
70min
p95
90min
How much time do you have?
Room to linger: a typical visit is 70 min, people who stay on take up to 90.
With the other 20 min, these are a walk away (their own visit time is on their page):
- Tokyo Station Marunouchi buildingRed-brick façade; KITTE rooftop garden next to it.10 min on foot · 10 min spare
- Nijūbashi bridge viewpointThe classic palace view from the outer plaza.15 min on foot · 5 min spare
- Tokyo Ramen StreetUnder Tokyo Station, Yaesu side.15 min on foot · 5 min spare
- GinzaOr one stop on the Marunouchi line.20 min on foot · 0 min spare
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
In the park
On here this week
- Opening hours
- Closed on Mondays and Fridays; when a national holiday falls on those days the rules change (check the official calendar).
- New Year (28 Dec–3 Jan): Closed; the palace opens for the public New Year greeting on 2 January (check).
- State events: Closed at short notice for official events.
- Gates and entrances
- From Ōtemachi (subway) or Tokyo Station Marunouchi side, to the Ōte-mon gate.
- Bags may be checked at the gate.
- Kids and playgrounds
- Wide lawn on the Honmaru to run on and stone walls to explore; toilets near the gates.
- Events and seasonal blooms
- New Year greeting at the Imperial Palace (2 January): The one day the public enters the inner palace plaza; security queues from early morning.
- Rules
- No picnics with alcohol, no ball games; stay on the paths in the Ninomaru garden.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partlyGravel paths and a steady slope up from Ōte-mon to the former keep base.
- Lifts: no · no
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Wheelchair: partly · partlyPassable with help; the slope to the Honmaru lawn is the hard part.
- Stroller: partly · partlycaution
Gravel paths and a steady slope up from Ōte-mon to the Honmaru lawn; passable with help.
Rules on site
- conduct
- No picnics with alcohol, no ball games; stay on the paths in the Ninomaru garden.
With kids
- with kids
- Wide lawn on the Honmaru to run on and stone walls to explore; toilets near the gates.
- child price
- free (entry is free)
Combine with
Combine with
- 10 minTokyo Station Marunouchi building — Red-brick façade; KITTE rooftop garden next to it.
- 15 minNijūbashi bridge viewpoint — The classic palace view from the outer plaza.
- 15 minTokyo Ramen Street — Under Tokyo Station, Yaesu side.
- 20 minGinza — Or one stop on the Marunouchi line.
Walk the Marunouchi / Ginza area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Can I see the palace itself?
No, only the East Gardens and the old castle foundations. Guided palace-ground tours need booking with the Imperial Household Agency.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Which days is it closed?
Usually Mondays and Fridays, plus some special days (check the official calendar).
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Photos
Photos
Imperial Palace East Gardens Photo: Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0
Deep dive
Sources
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Taken from the desk crowd estimate by hour. It is not a count of visitors.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.