Tokyo Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace, Tokyo (in Japanese皇居, Kogyo, literally " Imperial Residence" ) is the residence of Tennō, the Japanese emperor. The imperial residence is located on the former site of Edo Castle in today's Chiyoda Ward of the district in the center of Tokyo.

Formation

After the Meiji Restoration and the disempowerment of the Shogun of the Imperial Court of Kyoto was moved to Edo, which in Tōkyō and then also Tokei ( " Eastern Capital " ) has been renamed. The castle of the city, until then the seat of the Tokugawa shoguns, was visited on November 26, 1868 by the Emperor and in Tokei - jo (东京 城, dt " stronghold of the Eastern Capital " ) renamed. On 9 May 1869, he made ​​the last Shogun occupied residence in the West District ( Nishi -no- maru ) to its tight fit and named it in Kojo (皇城, dt " Imperial castle " ) around. On May 5, 1873, this residence was burned down. Until the completion of the new residence at the same point in Japanese- Western mixed style 1888 KYUJO (宫城, dt " castle palace " ), called the imperial family took advantage of 15 years, the Imperial Residence Akasaka. Its present name from the palace in 1948.

On the grounds of the palace also houses the Imperial Household Agency.

During World War II, the buildings were destroyed by bombs and built up in 1968 in a modern style.

Access

The largest part of the palace is the public generally, of the " imperial palace police " ( Kogu keisatsu ) guarded, inaccessible. Only the eastern gardens are open to the public. The inner palace is accessible to the people of only two days of the year: the Emperor birthday (December 23 ) and New Year (January 2 ).

To the Imperial Palace can be reached via two bridges: the public ahead of you cross on special occasions (see above) from right to left, the stone double arch bridge, through the gate, Nishi -no- maru Ote-mon, then crosses from left to right, the short, high-altitude iron bridge, Nijubashi called. This bridge was the German Wilhelm Heise (1846-1895) designed the was awarded by the Japanese government with a medal. [NB 1] You pass another goal and then in front of the palace.

Kyūchūsanden

In the palace there are the Kyūchūsanden (宫中 三 殿), the "three shrines in the palace ," as a personal Shinto shrines of the emperor and his family. These are:

  • Kashiko - dokoro (贤 所, "place of Awe" ), also dokoro Naiji (内侍 所) and the Unmei - (温 明 殿) called in which a replica from the time of Emperor Sujin mythological ( 1 / 2 century BC), the mirror Yata no Kagami is one of the three throne regalia of Japan,
  • Korei - the (皇 霊 殿, " hall of the imperial ancestral souls " ), in which the ancestors of the emperor and the imperial family are worshiped,
  • Shinden (神殿, " Gods Hall " ) where the Tenjinchigi that are worshiped kami of heaven and earth.
Chiyoda, Tokyo Tokugawa clan Imperial Guard (Japan)
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