This time I invite you to walk around the grounds of the former Edo Castle and part of the current Imperial Palace in Tokyo, i.e. the Imperial Palace East Garden, also called Kōkyo Higashi Gyoen. It is located about 10-15 minutes from Otemachi Station subway station in Chiyoda. On the way I passed many skyscrapers that can be seen from the garden.
This is the only garden in which I was, in which I had a search before entering. Each of the entrants had to show the guards the contents of his backpack or bag. Something what somebody wanted to take inside. The presence of security controls at the entrance caused a queue. Fortunately, these were the only difficulties that I encountered when visiting the garden.
As you can see, powerful gates are an integral part of the Japanese landscape.
Admission to the garden was free. Everyone who entered the Imperial Palace East Garden received a tin ticket that had to be returned when leaving.
At the beginning, beautiful conifers appeared.
Then I entered a typical Japanese garden. With trees with rounded branches and shrubs cut into ball shapes. The whole looked engaging. It was evident that people caring for the garden do it with great meticulousness, every detail is important.
There was also a small bridge and a pond in this part of the garden.
One could take a close look at the plants growing there.
Ah those colors! Wonderful green!
The descriptions on the information boards in the garden were fortunately partly translated into English.
I was impressed with this building - Suwa No Chaya Teahouse. This is a reconstruction of a tea house that was built in 1912 at Fukiage Gyoen.
There was also the exotic part. The Japanese climate is warm enough that palm trees can easily grow there.
