I selected our lodge, The Palace Resort Tokyo, due to its proximity to the Imperial Palace and its view of the backyard. It was really easy and enjoyable to cross the road to the east gate (Ote-mon) and enter the courtyard. Free to the general public, the sprawling grounds cowl 280 hectares and have extensive open areas, bamboo groves, forest areas, cherry timber and components of the unique fort. The reconstruction of the unique buildings was trustworthy to their authentic kind (if not their perform).
It dates again to 1590, the place Edo Citadel, the house of the Tokugawa Shogun, was positioned. Initially, the citadel had 36 gates, out of a complete of 99, within the outer wall, 21 guardhouses and 28 armories. In 1868, the imperial household moved from Kyoto and took over the place.
BTW – for those who’re not watching Shogun (on FX and streaming on Hulu) you need to and you will not be upset. I learn James Clavell’s e book many years in the past and keep in mind the earlier two broadcast variations of the e book. However this conceptualization is one thing particular. Produced by a well-known Japanese actor/director, they corrected lots of the cultural inaccuracies within the e book to extra precisely painting the previous. It’s superbly filmed and acted. The primary 4 episodes dropped earlier than we left and I am unable to wait to see the remaining six.
The palace is a working complicated and homes the Japanese emperor and his household. Though the unique buildings have lengthy since disappeared, the partitions, some gates, three guardhouses and no less than one guardhouse nonetheless stand throughout the spectacular outer moat. The gardens are open most days, however public entry to the palace is proscribed to only two days a yr.
Each Japanese and Western panorama types are evident and I feel I used to be most shocked by the extensive open areas and relaxed really feel. Different guests, locals and tour teams dispersed far and extensive, and though you could possibly hear many various languages being spoken upon coming into, quickly the one sounds you heard have been your personal.
We arrived mid-morning and by the point we left round midday, crowds have been lining as much as undergo the scanners (safety officers have a look at any luggage, backpacks, or purses they carry).
That is the place we noticed our first cherry blossoms on this journey. We hope there will likely be many extra.