Day 2 The Imperial Palace Area 皇居周辺

The Imperial Palace, where their Majesties the Emperor and Empress reside, is situated in the center of Tokyo. The palace is surrounded by a water-filled moat and tree-covered grounds - a precious taste of nature within the bustling metropolitan city.

First look at the exterior of the Imperial Palace reminded me of the Osaka Castle that I visited last November - the moot, the bridge and the huge gate; but this time, there's a barricade at the entrance, which was guarded by 2 military personnel. There wasn't any sign of 'castle' or 'palace'. The feel-and-look was... it's so heavily guarded and gave the impression of lack of 'freedom'.

Here's the steel bridge (2nd bridge) which is supposed to be the more important one, according to Jeanette.

Useful Sites:

• JNTO: The Imperial Palace Area