Tokyo Imperial Palace Tours and Tickets

Yes, there are tours of the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Visitors can see the complex’s sprawling grounds throughout the year, with tours offered multiple times a day on select days. Because it is still an imperial residence, the inner grounds of the palace are usually off-limits, and most buildings are not entered.

If you plan to join a tour hosted by the Imperial Palace Agency, you can visit the landmark for free—just make your reservation well in advance to avoid disappointment, as tour slots can book out. Tours that visit the palace in addition to other Tokyo landmarks cost more.

Yes, the Tokyo Imperial Palace is worth visiting. Built on the site of the Edo-jō (formerly one of the world’s largest fortresses), it’s steeped in history—and today home to the Emperor of Japan. With its pretty gardens and location in the heart of Tokyo, it’s one of the city’s top attractions.

Tours of the Tokyo Imperial Palace typically last for a little over an hour—because the place is home to the Emperor of Japan, the public can only visit select areas of its grounds. Tours are offered several times daily on visiting days and can be combined with other Tokyo sightseeing stops.

The vast Tokyo Imperial Palace complex includes parks and gardens, several buildings (including the Emperor of Japan’s official residence and other areas that the imperial family uses), museums, moats, and the iconic Nijubashi Bridge. Much of the palace complex is off-limits, but the East Gardens are well worth discovering.

The Tokyo Imperial Palace is one of Tokyo’s—and Japan’s—most famous landmarks. Home to Japan’s Emperors since 1868, the palace complex stands on the site of the former Edo-jō palace, and its foundations can still be seen. It’s also worth exploring the complex’s lush gardens and several museums.