Tokyo · Marunouchi, Ginza and the Imperial Palace
Imperial Palace Outer Garden (Nijubashi and Kokyo Gaien Plaza)
How to get there and what to see · facts checked 2026-10-24
Photo: Toshihiro Gamo・CC BY 2.0
The pine-dotted plaza in front of the Imperial Palace, with surviving Edo Castle turrets and gates. This is where you see the Nijubashi bridge from the famous photos.
- Nearest station
- 2 min walk from Nijubashimae Station
What to see
- Nijubashi: the most popular sight. The stone bridge in front is the Seimon Ishibashi; the iron bridge behind it is the one properly called Nijubashi.
- Fushimi Yagura: the turret is said to be named after Fushimi Castle, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, from which part of it was reused.
- Sakurada Tatsumi Yagura: the first turret you see when walking from Tokyo Station along Gyoko-dori avenue.
- Sakuradamon Gate: the outer Sakurada gate of old Edo Castle, an Important Cultural Property that shows the traditional square-court gate design.
History
In the Edo period samurai residences stood here, in an area called Nishinomaru-shita. They were cleared in the Meiji era to make a plaza, and after the war it became a national park.
Getting there
About 2 minutes on foot from Nijubashimae Station (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, exit B6 or 2). It is about 8 minutes from Sakuradamon Station (Yurakucho Line) and about 10 minutes from JR Tokyo or Yurakucho stations.
Address：1-1 Kokyo Gaien, Chiyoda, Tokyo
Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace
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Nearby sights
← Tokyo guide: trains from Tokyo
Sources
Hours, prices and history come from the official websites and public tourism pages listed here. They can change, so check the official site before you go.
- 国民公園協会 皇居外苑（歴史遺構）（checked 2026-10-24）
- 国民公園協会 皇居外苑（アクセス）（checked 2026-10-24）
Map data：© OpenStreetMap contributors