infomapJAPAN Free Travel Guide. Maps, Sightseeing, Access Guide, Accommodation, Events, Japanese Trends, Gifts

The Imperial Palace is where the Imperial family resides in and their residence in the inner side is surrounded by gardens and is guarded by moats. The palace stands on the site where the Edo castle used to be during the Edo Period. The site was given to the Imperial Family when the last Edo Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu gave back the political power to the Emperor and the Edo era came to an end. The original palace completed in 1888 was destroyed due to the air raids during the World War II; however, structures of the present palace were completed in the same forms and styles on the same ground in 1968. Visitors can only walk around the outer area of the palace to enjoy the view of famous bridges and greeneries. Strolling around and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, you will forget that you are in the central area of Tokyo. In addition to the views, there's also a museum where you can learn more about the Imperial Family.

Tokyo Station is the central railway station in Tokyo near the Imperial Palace. It is a busy station functioning as one of the main gateway to Tokyo by hosting many commuters' lines in the Marunouchi side, the eastern side of the building, housing shinkan-sen (bullet train) lines in the Yaesu side, the western side of the building. The Marunouchi side building made of redbrick was modeled after the Amsterdam's central station, has been the landmark of this station by presenting the essence of European appearance since 1914, and houses the Tokyo Station Gallery opened in 1988 to display Japanese culture. Numerous commuters and trains including bullet trains and subways pass through this station daily. The Daimaru department store and Yaesu Chikagai, one of Japan's largest underground shopping center, which provides restaurants, cafe, and many stores, are located in the Yaesu side. The station is one of the busiest stations in Tokyo and is always bustled with commuters and travelers.

Marunouchi OAZO located near the JR Tokyo Station is a new commercial complex consisting of five main buildings. As recent urban development in Tokyo tends to gather all kinds of facilities in a building designed in the contemporary style, Marunouchi OAZO is no exception. Shop & Restaurant OAZO is a building lying in the middle and connecting Marunouchi and Oote-machi sides, houses various restaurants, hotel, and one of Japan's largest bookstore occupying from the 1st to the 4th floors. One of the main features of this complex, the large bookstore is the head store of Maruzen and provides 1.2 million books including both Japanese and foreign books and book advisors working on each floor will assist you to find a book you are looking for. The store also houses a gallery, seminar room, and a cafe. In the cafe, you can try some "Hayashi Rice" that is said to start from what Mr. Hayashi who is the founder of Maruzen cooked.

Tokyo International Forum designed by an architect, Rafael Vinoly opened in 1996. Vinoly attempted to capture and incorporate venerable traditions seen in Japanese forms and interiors into his western design by using glass and stone. You will see the best part of the design when you come closer to the building and when you enter the atrium - beautiful curves of the roof with a high sealing providing open space and narrow walkways reaching the other side of the building. The four venue halls in various sizes and event rooms comprise this forum to host concerts, conferences, performing arts, cinemas, exhibitions, and conventions. The largest hall can accommodate more than 5,000 people. Cafes, a gallery, gift shops, and a variety of restaurants are also available inside of the building. The Tokyo International Forum is located just a few minutes walk from the Tokyo Station.

A public park located on the north of the Imperial Palace is a very greeny space created by a combination of vast forested area and lawn area that has a pond in the center. The moat, Chidoriga fuchi is surrounding the park is a remaining from the Edo Period. Kitanomaru means the northern part of castle and it used to be a part of castle; however, it turned into a park when the site where the castle used to stand was returned to the imperial family. Two remaining properties from the Edo Period are two gates that are Tayasumon and Shimizumon, and both of them are Important Cultural Properties. In this park stand the Nippon Budokan in the northern end, the craft gallery in the southwestern end, the Science Museum in the eastern end, and the National Museum of Modern Art in the southeastern end. Some 1,000 cherry trees by the moat make picturesque scenery when they are in full bloom.

The central bank of Japan was established in 1882 after the Meiji Restoration brought modernization and western thinking in 1868, and the head office built at that time still stand at the same site in Akasaka. The Old Building, the New Building, and the Annex are three buildings comprising the head office of the Bank of Japan. The Old Building that has preserved the architecture built in the western-style and dates from the Meiji Era is designated as an Important Cultural Property. The Bank of Japan was built to be able to dominate the control over money supply that was also controlled by the national banks in prefectures till then. In 1897, Japan adopted the gold standard and the banknotes issued by the national banks officially became obsolete The Bank of Japan still has a monopoly on money supply and their important roles controlling the money supply were revealed during and after the collapse of bubble economy n 1997.

Established in 1903, Hibiya Park is famous for the first western-style park built in Tokyo. Being closed to the office, the park has been serving as an oasis to those office workers who come here to be away from the office environment and just enjoy the sun, fresh air, and nature during the week. The park is also located near the Imperial Palace and a shopping district, and the Hibiya Library, public tennis courts, restaurants, and the Hibiya Public Hall are in the grounds and bring in more people coming for the live concerts and events. The area used to be a residential area for feudal lords who had to come to stay in Tokyo for a cretin period of time during the Edo Period and it was used as the parade ground for the military until this park was built. The large area of this park is covered with different kinds of trees and flowers, which are keeping the park cherishing to both locals and visitors.