Tokyo Imperial Palace Inui Street and other special openings

Most days the palace is a closed world behind a moat. On special days, such as New Year's and the Emperor's birthday, the public is allowed to visit the palace and congratulate the Emperor.⁷ The third kind of opening is a walk along Inui Street, which the agency holds every spring and autumn.⁴

The three openings are quite different in character. The first two are ceremonial, with the Imperial Family appearing on a balcony, while the third is a long walk along a road through the grounds. Each has its own gate, hours and rules, and none needs a booking. What they share is the security check at the entrance, so a light bag and a patient attitude are the best preparation.

This page gives the facts the Imperial Household Agency publishes. Dates change from year to year, so read its notice for the year you travel before you plan around any of them. A guide or hotel desk can confirm the dates, but the agency's own page is the authority.

The agency asks visitors not to stay for more than one appearance, so that as many people as possible can take part.¹⁷ Exits include Sakashita-mon, Kikyo-mon, Ote-mon and Inui-mon.²³

Practicalities matter. The courtyard in front of the palace is graveled and there are slopes inside the grounds,²⁴ so the agency asks visitors to avoid high-heeled shoes or other footwear that is difficult to walk in.²⁵ Sharp objects such as knives and scissors must not be brought, and baggage is inspected.²⁶

The East Gardens are closed on the day, although departing visitors may walk through them and leave by Ote-mon.⁵ Arrive well before the entry time, since the queue and the security check take time. Station lockers help: the notice suggests leaving carry-on bags and large items there, and a light load makes the line move faster for everybody.

Inui Street is the road through the western part of the palace grounds. The agency's current notice gives an autumn opening from Saturday, November 28 to Sunday, December 6, nine days in all.³² A similar opening is held each spring.⁴

Entry runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with exit by 3:30 p.m.¹⁸ You enter at Sakashita-mon Gate and leave at Inui-mon Gate,¹⁹ a distance of about 750 meters.²¹ The walk itself is short, but the queue can be long. Because the street runs through the western grounds, you see parts of the compound that never appear from the plaza, with stone walls and moat banks close beside the path.

The agency warns that it may take as much as 30 minutes from nearby stations to reach the entrance.²² Inui Street cannot be entered from Inui-mon Gate or through the East Gardens.³³ The East Gardens stay open during the period, with Ote-mon used for exit only.³⁴