Imperial Palace Tokyo hours and closed days

When the Tokyo Imperial Palace is closed is mostly a matter of two weekdays: the East Gardens are closed every Monday and every Friday.³ They stay open on a national holiday, with one exception: the Emperor's Birthday, February 23.³ The Agency adds a rule for long weekends, saying that if a national holiday falls on a Monday, the garden is closed on the Tuesday immediately following the holiday.¹¹

That rule catches many visitors. A Monday holiday does not make Monday a visiting day: the gardens are open on the holiday itself, and the next day, a Tuesday that would normally be open, is the closure. Anyone planning a trip around Golden Week, Marine Day or autumn holidays should check the calendar for Mondays that are holidays and move the visit away from the Tuesday that follows.

GO TOKYO describes the gardens as open daily except Mondays, Fridays and designated holidays, which is a shorter, slightly different way of saying the same thing.¹² When sources read differently, trust the Agency's own calendar, which also states that the garden may close because of Imperial Court functions or other occasions.¹³ Those closures are announced, not predictable.

Do not assume the tour runs whenever the gardens are open. The Agency runs two tours a day, morning and afternoon, but suspends them on Sundays, Mondays and national holidays, unless the holiday falls on a Saturday.^17,5,21 That means Tuesday to Saturday are the days to aim for.

From July 1 to September 30 the afternoon tour does not run at all.⁶ A summer visitor has the morning slot only, and hot weather makes the single slot even more valuable, because the route is about 2.2 km on foot with limited shade.²² Booking details sit on our tickets page, and the walk-in tickets begin at 9:00 AM for the morning tour.²³

The tour office has a calendar of its own as well. It takes calls from 8:45 AM to 12 noon and from 1 PM to 5 PM, and it is closed on Sundays, Mondays and over New Year.²⁴ If a question about availability can only be answered by a person, call during those hours, ideally early in the week, and have your date and group size ready.

Mornings win on three counts: cooler air, softer light and fewer people. The gardens open at 9:00 in every season, and a walk that starts at the gate on opening makes good use of the early hours.⁸ In summer the heat builds fast, and the closing time of 18:00 only helps those who can enjoy a long evening light.¹

Late afternoon has its own appeal on a clear day, when the stone walls take on a warm color and the office towers behind them catch the sun. It works from April 15 to August 31, when entry runs until 17:30.¹ In autumn and winter you would have a short window, so pair a late visit with a nearby stop for the evening instead, such as the restaurants around Tokyo Station, which is about 15 minutes on foot from Ote-mon Gate.²⁷

Weather also plays a part. June to mid-July can be wet and humid, with humidity often above 80%, and typhoon season begins in August.^28,29 Rain does not close the gardens, but it does soften the stone paths. Carry a compact umbrella, and treat a wet Tuesday as a good day for the museum near Ote-mon Gate.³⁰