Vast Property of Edo Castle Many Traces Remains in Tokyo

江戸城の門

Well, – I went to visit Edo Castle (now the Imperial Palace)! I thought most part of Edo Castle may not be shown to public because it is the Imperial Palace these days. However, quite a big area was open to public and some places you can enter if you send an application for the tour. http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/guide/koukyo.html

Brief History of Edo Castle

Tokyo used be a remote wetland about 400 years ago and called Edo. Edo castle was built on a stand ground and it was not too big. However, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved into Edo and he developed Edo into one of the biggest cities in Japan. He rebuilt Edo castle and continuously expand it. After Tokugawa Ieyasu became the ruler of Japan, the total area of the castle was about 2,300,000㎡. Tokugawa regime lasted for about 250 years. When Tokugawa regime ended Edo started to call Tokyo. Tokugawa family was kicked out from Edo Castle and the emperor moved in instead. Since then Edo castle was called Imperial Palace.

The Palace Viewing Tour

桔梗門裏手
Now Admission of visits – from Kikyo Gate Edo castle is the only castle still uses its security features. (other castles are all ruins) The guards look soooo board, and that is so realistic. I imagine it was exactly the same in time of samurai period. Stone wall behind the Kikyo Gate. Carved seals of clans are on stones to identify who built it. (In Tokugawa regime funeral loads are in charge of building Edo castle and they did the construction work in tight schedule and the cost was on them. Pretty harsh..eh? So they left the mark to say “I did it!”)

Fujimi tower

富士見櫓After the donjon was burned out, this tower was used as donjon (for what?) Survived many great earthquakes.

Hasuike moat and stone wall

蓮池濠と石垣
Hasuike moat surrounding Honmaru (main section of castle).

Fushimi tower

伏見櫓Moved from Fushimi Castle. It is close to Nijyu Bridge. The tour is total of one hour and you have to walk with a group so not much freedom.

Open Area of Edo Castle

百人番所
Next, I went to the East Gardens to see the traces of the castle tower! Everywhere in the in the Edo Castle, there are many guard station “Bansho”. Here is a hundred people guard station that had been packed 100 people full-time.

江戸城天守閣の跡地
The base of donjon. Several donjons burned out and never rebuilt.

江戸城天守台When I went up, I was disappointed I could not see the cornerstones.There was a clean pavement.

大奥跡
There was palace’s ladies chambers here.

平川門手前の中濠

平川門

平川門橋

The East Gardens and walking around about three laps, it was time to go home became I was so tired. You can exits from the Otemon gate, Hirakawa gate and Kitazume Hashikado gate, but I came out from Hirakawa gate. Here is the moat in front of the gate. And It says it was also called unclean Gate because Hirakawa gate was a gate to issue a sinner or dead. Well, please tell me before I used it.. Outside the gate, there was a board looking guard again. May be he is a police officer.

Stone Wall 石垣

打込み接ぎ
Implantation grafting (implanting Hagi) loading
This is under the Fujimi tower.
It says Ishigaki was built by Kiyomasa Kato.

Cut grafting loading

切り込み接ぎ
Here towards the East Gardens. Cut grafting is unable to drainage, so it needs drainage ditches.
Since the individual parts have been repaired, some white stones are here and there. Light colored stones are newly replaced ones.

Edo Castle Summary

Edo castle is accessible from central Tokyo. You can walk from Tokyo station. The whole property is well maintained and large parks are nice walking or jogging area. If you have time, you should visit Edo Castle.

Profile for Castle

 
1-6 Chiyoda, Chiyoda-ku, Tōkyō-to 100-0001
Name of Castle
Edo Castle(江戸城)
Overview
Edo Castle was the Japan's largest castle, the Tokugawa castle. Nowadays, it is an imperial palace.
Lord of a castle
Dokan Ota
Location
1-6 Chiyoda, Chiyoda-ku, Tōkyō-to 100-0001
Hour
9:00 - 16:30 (Apr.15 to Aug 31 close at 17:00 and Dec. 1 to Feb 28 at 16:00)
定休日
Monday, Fraiday, December 26 to January 3
If Monday is a holiday, following tuesday will be closed.
ガイド施設・ガイド
Tours of Visiting the Imperia Palace
https://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/sankan/servlet/recept/initCourse
電話
03-3213-1111
オフィシャルサイト

Related Articles

弘前城 外堀と満開の桜

Cherry Blossoms Festival in Hirosaki Aomori

大阪城サムネイル

Osaka’s Symbolic Monument: Osaka Castle’s Donjon was the First Restored Donjon in Japan.

和歌山城紅葉

Wakayama Castle will be in the Best Autumn Season in 2 weeks.

鬼ノ城

Tips of Enjoying Japanese Castles: Its Location and History

小田原城 馬出門

The Ocean View from Odawara Castle is Great But…

八王子城 入り口

Hachioji Castle – the prominent mountain Castle near Tokyo

お城・遺跡現地説明会一覧

  • 登録されているイベント情報はありません。

歴史イベント

  • 登録されているイベント情報はありません。

最新の記事

TOP