Guest post by Ken:
On the morning of our journey South, I ventured off to explore on my own. I began the day by braving rush hour traffic and taking the subway to Marunouchi, the center of Tokyo. After arriving at the station, I walked to the “East Gardens of the Imperial Palace”. After waiting a few minutes at the Ote-mon Gate, the gardens opened. These gardens are free and open to the public, but government employees also work on the grounds at various cultural centers.
Ote-mon Gate, the main entrance to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace.
After seeing various guardhouses, moats, and imposing walls, I discovered just how the pine trees achieve their beautiful shaping. Each year, groundskeepers prune every tree, mostly by hand. This requires them to climb ladders and sometimes scale the tree limbs.
See if you can spot someone in the tree at top left.
After walking through the gardens, I headed towards the palace gates. The guard was changing as I arrived, and it reminded me of a trip to London many years ago. This complex is not open to the public, but it is still beautiful to view from the outside.
(L to R) Fujimi-yagura Keep from the other side, Kiyo-mon Gate, and Tatsumi-yagura Keep.
The perfectly groomed trees of the Imperial Palace Plaza (Kokyogaien).
The changing of the guard.
Sei Gate to the Imperial Palace in the foreground with Fushimi-yagura Keep in the background.