Imperial Palace East Garden
| Imperial Palace East Garden | |
|---|---|
皇居東御苑 | |
 A gate in the Honmaru (本丸) area. | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | 1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-8111, Japan |
| Town or city | Chiyoda, Tokyo |
| Country | Japan |
| Coordinates | 35°41′12″N 139°45′26″E / 35.6868°N 139.7571°E |
| Year(s) built | 1961-68 (Modern Garden) |
| Construction started | 1961 |
| Completed | 1968 |
| Opened | October 1st 1968 |
| Owner | Imperial Household Agency |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 210,000 square metres |
| Grounds | Edo Castle (Ruins) Imperial Palace, Tokyo (Modern) |
| Website | |
| https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-event/higashigyoen02.html | |
The Imperial Palace East Gardens is a historical garden in The Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The gardens however, were first in use by the Tokugawa shogunate.
There is a bridge which leads to Sakashita-mon gate nearby is the Imperial Household Agency building and Tokyo Imperial Palace (or "kyuden")
The garden was built on the grounds of Edo Castle.[1] The Ote-mon Gate functioned as the main gate of Edo Castle.[2] It was used by the feudal lords who came to stay in the castle under the alternating attendance system of the Tokugawa shogunate, as such it was a very important gate. All the gardens areas were used as defence.[2] They are translated as “inner circle of defense” (honmaru), “second circle of defense” (ninomaru), and “third circle of defense” (sannomaru).[3] Suwa-no-cha-ya, was built by Emperor Meiji in 1912[4] and is a tea house. Emperor Meiji also lived in the Nishinomaru[1] palace near the gardens, he lived at the Nishinomaru from 1869-73.[1]
Historic Construction[edit]
The gardens were first built under the Tokugawa shogunet,[2] yet it wasn't a garden. Originally it was built as more of a palace, typically the heir to the Shogun would live here. It isn't other than that about the historical Construction, but we do know that it was destroyed multiple times, today the ruins of Edo castle can be found here.[5][6]
Construction of the garden[edit]
The building of the modern gardens began in 1961. The garden is over 210,000 square metres. The garden was complete in 1968,[5] and was opened on October 1st that same year.[7] It is been open to the public unless needed for court purposes or public holidays. The Toukagakudo (Imperial Concert Hall)[4] and Sannomaru Shozokan (Museum of the Imperial Collections), and other buildings housing the Imperial Household Agency's Music, Archives and Mausolea departments, are located within this garden.
The Honmaru (本丸) area[edit]
The Honmaru area consists of the remains of Edo castle's main tower, lawns, trees, flowers and more.[4]
The Honmaru area was luxurious, it was the innermost part of the palace and the Shōgun's main residence. It was destroyed twice, once in 1657 and again 1863. Honmaru palace was also located here and was 1 story high it included the Ōoku[2] The Ōoku was the woman's quarter. During the Tokugawa shogunate Concubines and consorts lived here. They did things like play, eat, sleep, give pleasure to the shogun, and more. Surrounding the Honmaru were curtain walls, with 11 keeps, 15 defense houses and more than 20 gates. The Honmaru area was destroyed several times due to fires and reconstructed after each fire. The keep and main palace were destroyed in 1657 and 1863, and not reconstructed. Some remains, such as the Fujimi-yagura keep and Fujimi-tamon defense house, still exist. Apparently the main keep was the biggest in Japan although only the base remains.
The Ninomaru (二の丸) area[edit]
This part of the East garden, features trees that represent, all the Prefectures of Japan.[8]
There is a slope called Bairin-zaka, the Ninomaru garden, Ninomaru grove, and an iris garden. Under the Tokugawa shogunate the Ninomaru area was made as a place for heirs, and a palace for them to live. Several fires burnt the palace and especially this area. People tried rebuilding it up until the Meiji era.
![A Depiction of the Honmaru/Ninomaru (during the [[Edo period]]) in a museum.](/wiki/File:Honmaru_and_Ninomaru_Palaces,_Edo_Castle,_in_the_last_years_of_the_Tokugawa_Shogunate,_model_scale_1_over_200_-_Edo-Tokyo_Museum_-_Sumida,_Tokyo,_Japan_-_DSC06586.jpg)
The Sannomaru (三の丸) area[edit]
This area consists of a museum the Sannomaru shozokan (the museum of imperial collections).[4] It is also a resting place.[9] During the reign of Shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada the palace went under repairs and Ōte-mon gate (located here) was made the main entrance. During World War II Ōte-mon was burnt down, but later was repaired.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Organization, Japan National Tourism. "Imperial Palace East Gardens | Travel Japan - Japan National Tourism Organization (Official Site)". Travel Japan. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
- ^ a b c d Benesch, Oleg (December 2018). "Castles and the Militarisation of Urban Society in Imperial Japan". Transactions of the Royal Historical Society. 28: 107–134. doi:10.1017/S0080440118000063. ISSN 0080-4401. S2CID 158403519.
- ^ Yvonne (2022-12-15). "Imperial Palace East Gardens: What to See & Best Times to Visit". VOYAPON. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
- ^ a b c d "Imperial Palace East Garden | Tokyo, Japan | Attractions". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
- ^ a b "Kokyo Gaien National Garden : 皇居外苑 | 一般財団法人国民公園協会". fng.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
- ^ Mansfield, Stephen (2023-01-06). Tokyo: A Cultural and Literary History. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 978-1-904955-86-3.
- ^ "The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace - The Imperial Household Agency". www.kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
- ^ "East Garden of the Imperial Palace（English）｜皇居東御苑案内｜公益財団法人菊葉文化協会". www.kikuyou.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
- ^ Yvonne (2022-12-15). "Imperial Palace East Gardens: What to See & Best Times to Visit". VOYAPON. Retrieved 2024-01-01.