CastleFlatland castle (hirajiro)Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 14
What makes this castle distinctive
After its 58-meter keep burned in 1657, it was never rebuilt; only the huge stone base remains, in a garden of the Imperial Palace.
Why?
The keep completed under the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, stood about 58 m tall including its stone base. When it burned in the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657, Hoshina Masayuki, the young fourth shogun's guardian, argued that a keep was unnecessary in an age of peace, and it was never rebuilt. Its stone base still stands in the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, which the Imperial Household Agency opens to the public.[3]
The north end of the former main enclosure (honmaru) in the East Gardens, close to the Kitahanebashi Gate entrance
What to look at
The massive platform of cut stone and the lawn of the main enclosure spreading out from it
Why it's interesting
The shogunate's keep once rose from here. Completed in 1638, it stood about 58 m tall including the base, but it burned in the great fire of 1657 and was never rebuilt. The base is what lets you picture the scale of the Tokugawa keep.[3][4]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsideVisible on East Gardens open days during opening hours (free, no reservation; closed Mondays, Fridays and some other days).
The south end of the former main enclosure in the East Gardens; look up at it from the south side of the honmaru lawn
What to look at
The 16 m white turret with three roofs standing on a tall stone wall
Why it's interesting
The Imperial Household Agency describes it as the only surviving three-roofed turret of Edo Castle. It burned in 1657 and was rebuilt in 1659. Shoguns are said to have viewed Mount Fuji, the sea off Shinagawa and fireworks from here, and it is said to have stood in for the keep after the keep was not rebuilt.[3][14]
Can you see it?
Partly visibleThe exterior can be seen from the East Gardens; no interior opening is announced. It is lit up on nights of state banquets and over the New Year.
The southwest side of Kokyo Gaien, facing Sakurada Moat, near Sakuradamon subway station
What to look at
The square courtyard (masugata) between the outer gate and the larger inner gatehouse
Why it's interesting
This gate design traps attackers inside a square courtyard where they can be shot at from all sides. The Ministry of the Environment says Sakuradamon has the largest masugata of any surviving castle gate. It was rebuilt in 1636, damaged in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and repaired, and became an Important Cultural Property in 1961.[7]
Can you see it?
Visible from outsidePart of Kokyo Gaien; you can walk through the gate.
At a glance for visitors
Nearest station
5 min walk from Otemachi Station, Exit C13a
Climb
No climb
Time neededEditors' estimate
Allow 1.5–2 hours for the keep base, Fujimi Yagura and Hyakunin Bansho in the East Gardens, or half a day if you add Sakuradamon and the palace plaza.
Admission
Free (no reservation needed)
Hours
Mar 1–Apr 14 9:00–17:00; Apr 15–Aug 31 9:00–18:00; September 9:00–17:00; October 9:00–16:30; Nov 1–end of Feb 9:00–16:00 (last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Access
Partly open
Because Edo Castle is still the Imperial Palace, the open and closed areas are clearly divided. Always open: Kokyo Gaien (the palace plaza, Sakuradamon, Wadakura Fountain Park and more) and Kitanomaru Park (Tayasumon and Shimizumon gates). The Seimon Ishibashi bridge and Fushimi Yagura can only be viewed from the plaza. Open on set days and hours only: the East Gardens (parts of the former main, second and third enclosures, including the keep base, Fujimi Yagura and Hyakunin Bansho); free, no reservation, but you collect an entry token at the gate and return it when you leave; closed Mondays, Fridays and some other days. By application: the Imperial Palace tour, led by agency staff (about 1 hour, about 2.2 km, passing the palace's East Garden, Nijubashi bridge and Fushimi Yagura). Seasonal only: Inui-dori street, opened each spring and autumn. Closed: the rest of the palace grounds, including the palace area and the Fukiage gardens.
Edo Castle began in 1457, when the warrior Ota Dokan built a fortress here. In 1524 it became a branch castle of the Hojo clan of Odawara. Until the early Edo period, an inlet of the sea called the Hibiya Inlet reached close to the castle, and the area around today's Tokyo Station was low land called Edo Maejima. Shiomi-zaka ("Tide-viewing Slope") in the East Gardens is named for the sea view it once had.[6][3]
02
Historical record
Three generations of shoguns build a giant
When Toyotomi Hideyoshi destroyed the Hojo clan at Odawara in 1590, Tokugawa Ieyasu was moved to the Kanto region and made Edo Castle his base. At first the castle had received only emergency repairs, but under the second and third shoguns, Hidetada and Iemitsu, it was greatly expanded, and the great castle was complete by 1636.[6]
03
Historical record
Guarding the shogun's castle
For more than 260 years, Edo Castle was the shoguns' home and the center of government. At the Hyakunin Bansho guardhouse, just before the way into the main enclosure, four units of guards, including the Koga and Iga groups, took turns on watch day and night. The main enclosure held the shogun's palace, and at its innermost end lay the Ooku, the women's quarters.[3]
04
Historical record
The Meireki fire and the keep that never returned
In the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657, the keep burned down. Hoshina Masayuki, who was guiding the young shogun, argued that a keep served no purpose in an age of peace, and it was never rebuilt. Fujimi Yagura, which also burned in the fire, was rebuilt in 1659 and is said to have served in the keep's place.[3][14]
05
Historical record
From shogun's castle to Imperial Palace
In 1868 Edo Castle was handed over to the new government without a fight, and after Emperor Meiji moved in it became the Imperial Palace. The palaces of the main enclosure and the Ooku are gone, but the stone walls and moats remain, along with gates such as Sakuradamon, Tayasumon and Shimizumon, turrets such as Fujimi Yagura and Fushimi Yagura, and guardhouses such as the Hyakunin Bansho. The famous Pine Corridor and the Ooku survive only as marked sites.[3][7][8][10]
06
Historical record
A Special Historic Site, partly opened to all
In 1960 the castle site was designated a Special Historic Site. Parts of the former main, second and third enclosures were landscaped as gardens attached to the palace when the new palace was built, and have been open to the public since 1968 as the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. The northern enclosure opened as Kitanomaru Park in 1969. The Ministry of the Environment manages Kokyo Gaien and Kitanomaru Park; the Imperial Household Agency manages the East Gardens.[4][6][9]
Tokugawa Ieyasu moves to the Kanto region and makes Edo Castle his base[6]
The keep, about 58 m tall, is completed under the third shogun Iemitsu[3]
The keep burns in the Great Fire of Meireki and is never rebuilt[3]
The castle is handed over to the new government and later becomes the Imperial Palace[14]
"Edo Castle ruins" designated a Special Historic Site[6]
The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace open to the public[4][5]
Buildings and remains
The keep today
Keep lost
A keep is recorded as having been built three times (1607, 1623 and 1638). The last burned in the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657 and was never rebuilt; only its stone base remains.
The site today
The heart of the castle is now the Imperial Palace. Parts of the former main, second and third enclosures are open as the East Gardens (Imperial Household Agency); the area around the palace plaza and Sakuradamon is Kokyo Gaien, and the northern enclosure is Kitanomaru Park (both Ministry of the Environment). The rest of the palace grounds, including the former western enclosure where the palace stands, is normally closed. Parts of the outer moat also survive.
Main buildings
OriginalImportant Cultural Property
Sakuradamon Gate
Masugata gate rebuilt in 1636; damaged in the 1923 earthquake and repaired.[7]
OriginalImportant Cultural Property
Tayasumon Gate
Built in 1636; the Ministry of the Environment calls it the oldest surviving structure of Edo Castle. The north entrance of Kitanomaru Park.[8]
OriginalImportant Cultural Property
Shimizumon Gate
The east gate of Kitanomaru; the present gate was rebuilt in 1658.[8]
Original
Fujimi Yagura (turret)
Rebuilt in 1659; the only surviving three-roofed turret of Edo Castle, per the Imperial Household Agency. Repaired after the 1923 earthquake. Exterior only.[3][14]
Original
Fushimi Yagura (turret)
A turret in the former western enclosure, visible across the Seimon Ishibashi bridge from the palace plaza. You can see it up close only on the Imperial Palace tour.[5][14]
Original
Hyakunin Bansho (guardhouse)
A guardhouse about 45 m long, before the Nakanomon gate on the way to the main enclosure.[3]
Original
Oobansho (guardhouse)
An Edo-period guardhouse that was converted into a workshop after the castle became the palace, then returned to its Edo-period form when the East Gardens opened in 1968.[3]
Flatland castle (hirajiro)built on flat ground, defended by moatsEditorial article
Period
Medieval (c.1185–1570s), Early modern (1570s–1871)Editorial article
Keep (tenshu)
Keep lostthe castle had a keep, but it no longer stands (its stone base may remain)Editorial article
Built by
Ota Dokan, Tokugawa Hidetada, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Tokugawa IemitsuJapan Castle Foundation
Built
1457Japan Castle Foundation
Main lords
Tokugawa clan, Later Hōjō clan, Ōta clanJapan Castle Foundation
Remains to see
Turrets or turret bases, Gates, Stone walls, Earthen ramparts, Moats, Baileys / enclosures (kuruwa), Keep base (tenshudai), Fortified gateways (koguchi)Editorial article
Designation
Special Historic Site (Edo Castle ruins) (1960); Important Cultural Properties (Sakuradamon, Tayasumon and Shimizumon gates) (1961)Editorial article
Selection
Japan's 100 Fine Castles No. 14Japan Castle Foundation
Visiting
Access
Partly open
Because Edo Castle is still the Imperial Palace, the open and closed areas are clearly divided. Always open: Kokyo Gaien (the palace plaza, Sakuradamon, Wadakura Fountain Park and more) and Kitanomaru Park (Tayasumon and Shimizumon gates). The Seimon Ishibashi bridge and Fushimi Yagura can only be viewed from the plaza. Open on set days and hours only: the East Gardens (parts of the former main, second and third enclosures, including the keep base, Fujimi Yagura and Hyakunin Bansho); free, no reservation, but you collect an entry token at the gate and return it when you leave; closed Mondays, Fridays and some other days. By application: the Imperial Palace tour, led by agency staff (about 1 hour, about 2.2 km, passing the palace's East Garden, Nijubashi bridge and Fushimi Yagura). Seasonal only: Inui-dori street, opened each spring and autumn. Closed: the rest of the palace grounds, including the palace area and the Fukiage gardens.
Address
1-1 Kokyo Gaien, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0002 (Kokyo Gaien)[11]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Nearest stations and how to get there
Otemachi Station, Exit C13aTokyo Metro and Toei subway lines
about 5 min walk · No climb
About 5 minutes to Otemon Gate of the East Gardens.[4]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Takebashi Station, Exit 1aTokyo Metro Tozai Line
about 5 min walk · Not confirmed
About 5 minutes to the Hirakawamon and Kitahanebashimon gates of the East Gardens; Kitahanebashimon is closest to the keep base. For Kitanomaru Park use Exit 2, which has a wheelchair lift.[4][12]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Nijubashimae Station, Exit 6Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
about 9 min walk · No climb
About 9 minutes to the palace plaza viewpoint for Nijubashi, and about 10 minutes to Otemon Gate.[4][11]
Checked: 2026-10-03
JR Tokyo Station, Marunouchi North ExitJR lines and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
about 15 min walk · No climb
About 15 minutes to Otemon Gate of the East Gardens.[4]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Kudanshita Station, Exit 6Tokyo Metro Tozai and Hanzomon lines, Toei Shinjuku Line
Not confirmed
To the Tayasumon entrance of Kitanomaru Park. No official walking time is given.[12]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Hours and admission
East Gardens of the Imperial Palace
Hours
Mar 1–Apr 14 9:00–17:00; Apr 15–Aug 31 9:00–18:00; September 9:00–17:00; October 9:00–16:30; Nov 1–end of Feb 9:00–16:00 (last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Closed
Mondays and Fridays (open on national holidays except the Emperor's Birthday; if a Monday holiday is open, the following Tuesday is closed), December 28 – January 3, and days with palace events
Twice a day, morning and afternoon; about 1 hour over about 2.2 km. Meet at Kikyomon Gate.
Closed
Sundays, Mondays, national holidays (except Saturdays), afternoons from July 1 to September 30, December 28 – January 4, and event days
Admission
No fee is listed on the official page (not confirmed). Apply in advance online, by post or in person, or on the day with numbered tickets handed out at Kikyomon Gate (300 per tour, first come, first served). Bring photo ID; bags are checked.[15]
Checked: 2026-10-03
By car / parking
Vehicles are not allowed in the East Gardens. For Kokyo Gaien parking, check the Ministry of the Environment's guide (not confirmed here).[5]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Grounds opening hours
Opening hours of Kokyo Gaien and Kitanomaru Park not confirmed.Checked: 2026-10-03
Time neededEditors' estimate
Allow 1.5–2 hours for the keep base, Fujimi Yagura and Hyakunin Bansho in the East Gardens, or half a day if you add Sakuradamon and the palace plaza.
Steps, slopes and footing
The East Gardens are large, and reaching the main enclosure means walking up slopes such as Shiomi-zaka and Bairin-zaka. Kokyo Gaien is flat and open.[3][4]
Wheelchairs and strollers
Takebashi Station Exit 2 has a wheelchair lift (toward Kitanomaru Park). Wheelchair access within the East Gardens not confirmed.[12]Checked: 2026-10-03
Toilets and rest
Not confirmed (the Honmaru Rest House in the East Gardens is closed for renovation October 1–26, 2026)[16]
English signs / audio guide
The Ministry of the Environment's Kokyo Gaien site has English pages. The Imperial Household Agency offers an audio-guide app for visits (languages not confirmed).[4][11]
Seasons
Inui-dori street opens to the public each spring and autumn (spring 2026: March 21–29). Fujimi Yagura is lit up on state banquet nights and over the New Year. The Imperial Household Agency posts seasonal flower updates for the East Gardens.[3][4][17]
Photography
In the East Gardens you may take photos and videos for personal use without permission, as long as you do not occupy a spot for long or block paths. Drones are generally not allowed. Shooting for profit, including posting to YouTube or live streaming, is generally not permitted.[18]
Works, closures and restrictions
The Honmaru Rest House in the East Gardens is closed for renovation October 1–26, 2026. Otemon Gate was closed September 22–23, 2026 due to typhoon flooding and reopened as usual on September 24.[16][19]Checked: 2026-10-03
A museum inside the East Gardens displaying art and treasures handed down in the Imperial family. Check its official site for opening days and fees.[4]
Checked: 2026-10-03
Editors' guide
An editorial guide based on sources and confirmed information — not a first-hand visit report.
Who will enjoy it
For anyone who wants to see one castle in Tokyo. It suits people who want to feel the size of the shoguns' castle through its walls and moats, and those who want to walk the settings of Edo-era stories such as the 47 Ronin. Most areas are free.
What makes it interesting
In the East Gardens, stand on the keep base to take in the size of the main enclosure, then look up at Fujimi Yagura from its south end. Don't miss the Hyakunin Bansho guardhouse on the way up from Otemon, or the sites of the Pine Corridor and the Ooku. In Kokyo Gaien, walk through the masugata of Sakuradamon and view the Seimon Ishibashi bridge and Fushimi Yagura from the palace plaza to see the castle's formal face.
Before you go
The site is still the Imperial Palace, and only set areas are open. The East Gardens close on Mondays, Fridays and some other days, so check the calendar. To see the palace area you must join the Imperial Palace tour. There has been no keep since 1657; only the base remains.
Ways to enjoy it
Enter at Otemon, pass the Hyakunin Bansho, climb into the main enclosure and leave from the keep base by Kitahanebashimon or Hirakawamon to follow the castle's layers of defense in order. At Shiomi-zaka, picture the sea that was once visible from the top. Time your visit with the spring or autumn opening of Inui-dori to walk a little of the palace grounds that are normally closed.
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Open questions
The Imperial Household Agency dates the keep base to 1638, but other accounts (such as Wikipedia) say the present base was rebuilt after the 1657 fire in preparation for a new keep that was never built.
The keep's height of about 58 m is from the Imperial Household Agency; the three construction dates (1607, 1623, 1638) are from Wikipedia and similar sources.
The idea that Fujimi Yagura stood in for the keep is a commonly told account. Fujimi Yagura and Fushimi Yagura were dismantled and repaired after the 1923 earthquake.
The Japan Castle Foundation lists six Important Cultural Properties; this article names the three gates described by the Ministry of the Environment. How the count of six is made up was not confirmed.
Opening hours of Kokyo Gaien and Kitanomaru Park, Gaien parking, East Gardens toilets and accessibility, the Imperial Palace tour fee (not stated officially), and the autumn 2026 Inui-dori dates could not be confirmed.
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