Tokyo's Imperial Palace & Nihonbashi Tour
Visit Japan’s Imperial Palace, the home of the Emperor & the ground of the former Shogun's castle, the political center of Japan until the mid-19th century. Then explore the commercial district of Nihonbashi, with many long-standing businesses for over 400 years. *Reminder:
- Do note that we cannot visit the Imperial Palace as this is off-limit for guests. Instead, we will visit the ground of the former Shogun's castle.
Highlights of this tour: ◆ Palace's East Gardens and see beautiful seasonal flowers and the ground of former Shogun's castle. ◆ Stroll around Nihonbashi, major commercial district in Tokyo for over 400 years ◆ Try delicious dashi soup stock shop with 300-year old history ◆ Take a lookt at Japanese seaweed being roasted ◆ Try Japanese knife sharpening by yourself. ◆ Visit a century-old washi shop, and see traditional Japanese paper. ◆ Taste a variety of sake at Toyama-kan prefectural store
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Tokyo's Imperial Palace & Nihonbashi Tour
What's included in Tokyo's Imperial Palace & Nihonbashi Tour
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Imperial Palace
To begin your tour, you will walk a beautiful ginkgo tree-lined avenue to the Imperial Palace. Once you reach the palace, you will walk its vast grounds, which are dotted with cherry and pine trees and enclosed by deep, formidable moats. The palace buildings themselves are typically closed to visitors, but there is still plenty to explore on the palace outskirts. The most famous of these sights is the Nijubashi bridge, a double bridge that forms the entrance to the palace’s inner grounds. Together with the towering Sakuradamon Gate beside it, the view has long been considered one of the most iconic in Tokyo.
The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace - Edo Castle Ruin
After exploring the outer grounds, you will walk through Otemon Gate into the Imperial Palace’s East Gardens. This massive gate was once the main entrance to Edo Castle, the home of the Tokugawa shoguns, who ruled Japan for over 250 years, and the city's political center from the early 17th to the 19th century. In the gardens, you will visit the old ruins and foundations of the castle that remain, while learning about the fascinating politics and culture of the time. In the gardens’ outer ring, you can also walk through a serene Japanese garden, where seasonal flowers like camellia, iris, and hydrangea can be enjoyed depending on the time of year.
NihonbashiPass-by Only
A short journey from the palace will then take you to Nihonbashi, a major commercial district and the start of Japan’s national highway network since the early seventeenth century. For hundreds of years, this was Japan’s main commercial area and it has long been packed with shops, roads, and waterways that connect trade throughout the country. Many of these stores still remain today, and as you tour the area, you will visit some of them.
Inclusions
- Sample of Dashi soup stock
- Japanese sake set
- Nationally accredited tour guide-interpreter
- Entrance into The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace
- Any other food or beverages
- Transportation to the meeting point
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting Points
- Please meet your guide at the Marunouchi North Exit of Tokyo Station.
End Points
- The tour ends in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo. The nearest stations to Nihonbashi are Nihombashi Station (serving the Toei Asakusa Line, the Metro Ginza Line, and the Metro Tozai Line) and Mitsukoshimae Station (serving the Metro Ginza Line and the Metro Hanzomon Line).
