Edo Castle ruins (Imperial Palace East Gardens)

The ruins of Edo Castle are the historic heart of Tokyo, the place where for 260 years the political power and culture of feudal Japan was concentrated under the Tokugawa shogunate. Today, the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace open to the public the remains of the castle: moats, walls of volcanic stone, access gates and several surviving guardhouses. Although the main keep was destroyed in a fire in 1657, the platform where it stood offers a unique perspective of the magnitude it once had. The Ninomaru gardens include ponds and seasonal flower gardens in an atmosphere of serene beauty. Entry is completely free. The gardens open every day except Monday and Friday, from approximately 9:00 to 16:30. It is reached in ten or fifteen minutes' walk from Tokyo station or directly from Otemachi (Marunouchi and Tozai lines), Otemon entrance. Bring comfortable shoes for the route between the different zones of the grounds.