Science Museum

Science Museum is located in Kitanomaru Park of Imperial Palace.
Exhibitions start from 2nd floor through 5th floor.

Each floor has several rooms with unique theme of science.
Most of exhibitions are hands-on type exhibitions.
Work shops and theater are available, too.

This place is playground for kids to learn about science without feeling that they are studying about science and technology.

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<The Nearest Station>

Takebashi station on Tozai Line (T08/Tokyo Metro)

<Admission>

720 yen

9:30 - 16:30     Closed on Wednesdays, Dec. 28 - Jan. 3

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Imperial Palace - East Garden - Hirakawamon Gate

Hirakawamon Gate is the back yard gate close to Ooku.
The wooden bridge still remains.

These gates and bridge is the original and these are the oldest ones made in 1457.

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<The Nearest Station>

Otemachi station on Mita Line (I09/Toei Subway) /
Chiyoda Line / Tozai Line (C11/T09/Tokyo Metro)

Gate open
Mar. 1   through Apr. 14  9:00 - 16:30
Apr. 15 through Aug. 31  9:00 - 17:00
Sep. 1  through Oct. 31   9:00 - 16:30
Nov. 1  through Feb. 28   9:00 - 16:00

Closed on Mondays and Fridays, Dec. 28 through Jan. 3

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Imperial Palace - East Garden - Kitahanebashimon Gate

Kita means North, Hanebashi means Drawbridge and Mon means Gate.
So, Kitahanebashimon means North Drawbridge Gate.

This gate was important because it's the closest to the main buildings.
And stone walls are the largest and the moats are the deepest.

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<The Nearest Station>

Otemachi station on Mita Line (I09/Toei Subway) /
Chiyoda Line / Tozai Line (C11/T09/Tokyo Metro)

Gate open
Mar. 1   through Apr. 14  9:00 - 16:30
Apr. 15 through Aug. 31  9:00 - 17:00
Sep. 1  through Oct. 31   9:00 - 16:30
Nov. 1  through Feb. 28   9:00 - 16:00

Closed on Mondays and Fridays, Dec. 28 through Jan. 3

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Crafts Gallery

Crafts Gallery is an annex of the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo.
This place is focused on ceramics, lacquer ware, textiles, glass works, wooden crafts, bamboo crafts and metal crafts.

This beautiful brick building used to be the Headquarter of the Imperial Guard Division.

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<The Nearest Station>

Takebashi station on Tozai Line (T08/Tokyo Metro)

<Admission>

210 yen

10:00-17:00   Closed on Mondays

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Free beautiful picture cards of crafts are available.

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo is located in Kitanomaru Park of Imperial Palace.
Collections are over 12,000 works of modern Japanese arts like paintings, sculptures and other artistic works.

You'll find many familiar arts which are on school books in Japan.

You can request a Camera Sticker at the reception counter which allow us to take pictures of arts unless it's prohibited.

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<The Nearest Station>

Takebashi station on Tozai Line (T08/Tokyo Metro)

<Admission>

430 yen

10:00-17:00  Closed on Mondays

Free of Charge on the 1st Sunday

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Imperial Palace - Higashi Gyoen

Higashi Gyoen in Imperial Palace is eastern part of the palace and open to public for free.
Three gates are available. Ote-mon gate, Hirakawa-mon gate and Kita Hanebashi-mon gate.

Higashi Gyoen consists of Honmaru (main enclosure), Ninomaru (2nd enclosure) and Sannomaru (3rd enclosure) of the castle.
Ote-mon gate is a main entrance which is near Tokyo station.
You'll get into the 3rd enclosure of the castle from Ote-mon gate.

Stop by an exhibition room near Ote-mon gate.
There're old guard houses, too.

You may hear striking sounds and shouting loudly from the other side of the hedge.
Don't worry. It's just a Kendo (Sword fighting) training hall.

2nd enclosure has a Japanese garden with a pond and a waterfall.
Wild forest is maintained as is, too. It's interesting to compare well trimmed Japanese garden to wild nature.

Main enclosure is on the high side of the park.
There's a stone mound ruin of castle tower.

Wide open space is in front of it. There used to be main buildings on this wide open lawn.
All buildings including castle tower suffered fire in early Edo era.
Castle tower hasn't been rebuilt after the fire.

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<The Nearest Station>

Otemachi station on Mita Line (I09/Toei Subway) / Tozai Line (T09/Tokyo Metro) etc.
JR Tokyo station to Ote-mon gate

Takebashi station on Tozai Line (T09/Tokyo Metro) to Hirakawa-mon gate

<Admission>

Free of Charge
9:00-17:00 (-16:00 in Nov. through Feb / -16:30 in Mar, Apr, Sep & Oct)
Closed on Mondays and Fridays

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Edo castle has many episodes.
There's a monument to show where Matsu no Roka was.
Mastu no Roka is a hallway with pictures of pine trees on the wall in the main building of Edo castle. Famous incident known as Chushingura drama happened here.

Also famous O-oku was here, too. It's a kind of Shogun's harem.
O-oku was the area with only females. There were more than 1000 women working in this area.
Only male who was allowed to get in here was Shogun.