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Imperial Palace East Garden

Coordinates: 35°41′12″N 139°45′26″E / 35.6868°N 139.7571°E / 35.6868; 139.7571
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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by S0091 (talk | contribs) at 17:30, 29 February 2024 (bold). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

  • Comment: Well done on writing a draft, it has improved since first submitted. However the sourcing has issues: in-line citations #3 to #10 are randomly placed at the bottom of the article. They should be in-line with the text, after each statement they support.
    I would recommend the WP:INTREFVE tutorial to understand how to properly create in-line citations. Qcne (talk) 14:17, 1 January 2024 (UTC)
  • Comment: The start of the draft needs to be rewritten. Please see WP:MOSLEAD for advice on writing the lead section. DoubleGrazing (talk) 07:03, 17 September 2023 (UTC)
  • Comment: Possibly notable, but these sources aren't enough to establish that. DoubleGrazing (talk) 07:03, 17 September 2023 (UTC)
  • Comment: This is more of a travel guide than an encyclopedic article, and is almost entirely sourced to one primary source. Trainsandotherthings (talk) 12:15, 13 May 2023 (UTC)


Imperial Palace East Garden
皇居東御苑
Suwa no Chashitsu (諏訪の茶室), a tea house in the gardens
Map
General information
Location1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-8111, Japan
Town or cityChiyoda, Tokyo
CountryJapan
Coordinates35°41′12″N 139°45′26″E / 35.6868°N 139.7571°E / 35.6868; 139.7571
Year(s) built1961-68 (Modern Garden)
Construction started1961
Completed1968
OpenedOctober 1st 1968
OwnerImperial Household Agency
Technical details
Size210,000 square metres
GroundsEdo Castle (Ruins) Imperial Palace, Tokyo (Modern)
Website
https://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-event/higashigyoen02.html

The Imperial Palace East Gardens is a historical garden in The Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The gardens however, were first in use by the Tokugawa shogunate.

There is a bridge which leads to Sakashita-mon gate nearby is the Imperial Household Agency building and Tokyo Imperial Palace (or "kyuden")

The ruins of Edo Castle.
The ruins of Edo Castle.

The garden was built on the grounds of Edo Castle[1]. The Ote-mon Gate functioned as the main gate of Edo Castle[2]. It was used by the feudal lords who came to stay in the castle under the alternating attendance system of the Tokugawa shogunate as such it was a very important gate. All the gardens areas were used as defence[2]. They are translated as “inner circle of defense” (honmaru), “second circle of defense” (ninomaru), and “third circle of defense” (sannomaru)[3]. Suwa-no-cha-ya, was built by Emperor Meiji in 1912[4] and is a tea house. Emperor Meiji also lived in the Nishinomaru[1] palace near the gardens, he lived around here from 1869-73.[1]

Historic Construction

The gardens were first built under the Tokugawa shogunet[2], yet it wasn't a garden. Originally it was built as more of a palace, typically the heir to the Shogun would live here. It isn't other than that about the historical Construction, but we do know that it was destroyed multiple times, today the ruins of Edo castle can be found here.[5][6]

Construction of the garden

The building of the modern gardens began in 1961. The garden is over 210,000 square metres. The garden was complete in 1968[5], and was opened on October 1st that same year.[7] It has been open to the public unless for court purposes, public holidays,or other. The Toukagakudo (Imperial Concert Hall)[4] and Sannomaru Shozokan (Museum of the Imperial Collections), and other buildings housing the Imperial Household Agency's Music, Archives and Mausolea departments, are located within this garden.

The Honmaru (本丸) area

The Honmaru area consists of the remains of Edo castles main tower, lawns, trees, flowers and more.[4]

The Ōoku (Woman's quarter) Which is located here.
The Ōoku (Woman's quarter) Which is located here.

The Honmaru area was luxurious, it was the innermost part of the palace and the Shōguns main residence. It was destroyed 2 times, once in 1657 and again 1863. Honmaru palace was also located here and was 1 story high it included the Ōoku[2] The Ōoku was the woman's quarter. During the Tokugawa shogunate Concubines and consorts lived here. They did things like play, eat, sleep, Give pleasure to the shogun, and more. Surrounding the Honmaru were curtain walls, with 11 keeps, 15 defense houses and more than 20 gates. The Honmaru area was destroyed several times due to fire and reconstructed after each fire. The keep and main palace were destroyed in 1657 and 1863, and not reconstructed. Some remains, such as the Fujimi-yagura keep and Fujimi-tamon defense house, still exist. Apparently the main keep was the biggest in Japan although only the base remains.

The Ninomaru (二の丸) area

This part of the East garden, features trees that represent, all the Prefectures of Japan.[8]

There is a slope called Bairin-zaka, the Ninomaru garden, Ninomaru grove, and an iris garden. Under the Tokugawa shogunate the Ninomaru area was made as a place for heirs, and a palace for them to live. Several fires burnt the palace and especially this area. people tried rebuilding it up until the Meiji era.

A Depiction of the Honmaru/Ninomaru (during the [[Edo period]]) in a museum.
A Depiction of the Honmaru/Ninomaru (during the Edo period) in a museum.

The Sannomaru (三の丸) area

Ōte-mon (大手門) gate, the main gate under the Tokugawa shogunet.
Ōte-mon (大手門) gate, the main gate under the Tokugawa Shogunet.

This area consists, of a museum the Sannomaru shozokan (the museum of imperial collections)[4]. It is also a resting place.[9] During the reign of Shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada the palace went under repairs and Ōte-mon gate (located here) was made the main entrance. During world war 2 Ōte-mon was burnt down. but later was repaired.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Organization, Japan National Tourism. "Imperial Palace East Gardens | Travel Japan - Japan National Tourism Organization (Official Site)". Travel Japan. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  2. ^ a b c d Benesch, Oleg (December 2018). "Castles and the Militarisation of Urban Society in Imperial Japan". Transactions of the Royal Historical Society. 28: 107–134. doi:10.1017/S0080440118000063. ISSN 0080-4401. S2CID 158403519.
  3. ^ Yvonne (2022-12-15). "Imperial Palace East Gardens: What to See & Best Times to Visit". VOYAPON. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  4. ^ a b c d "Imperial Palace East Garden | Tokyo, Japan | Attractions". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  5. ^ a b "Kokyo Gaien National Garden : 皇居外苑 | 一般財団法人国民公園協会". fng.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  6. ^ Mansfield, Stephen (2023-01-06). Tokyo: A Cultural and Literary History. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 978-1-904955-86-3.
  7. ^ "The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace - The Imperial Household Agency". www.kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  8. ^ "East Garden of the Imperial Palace(English)|皇居東御苑案内|公益財団法人菊葉文化協会". www.kikuyou.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  9. ^ Yvonne (2022-12-15). "Imperial Palace East Gardens: What to See & Best Times to Visit". VOYAPON. Retrieved 2024-01-01.