The Scenery Before the Opening of the Gardens

The year 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace.
Before the Gardens were created, this area had been interspersed with various constructions, such as the residence of unmarried sisters of the then Crown Prince, who is now His Majesty the Emperor, warehouses, workshops, and a riding ground.
This page presents rare photographs which captured the scenery of the bygone days along with the current photographs. We should be glad if you could appreciate the contrast between the past and present.

"The Scenery Before the Opening of the Gardens" Catalogue（PDF：4,922KB）

History of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace（PDF：413KB）

Photo:Maintenance and Works Department, Imperial Household Agency except for * and **

*The Imperial Household Archives

**Geospatial Information Authority of Japan Website

皇居東御苑整備前
Aerial photograph Before the Creation of
the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (1963)＊＊
 皇居東御苑（現在）
Aerial photograph of
the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Present)＊＊
大手門渡櫓跡昭和40年（1965）撮影
Remains of the Ote-mon (Gate) (1965)＊
 富士見多聞
The Ote-mon (Gate) restored (2018)
大手門渡櫓跡昭和40年（1965）撮影
The Doshin-bansho (Guard house) (ca.1961-1964)＊
 富士見多聞
The Doshin-bansho (Guard house) (2018) 
百人番所
The Hyaku-nin-bansho (Guard house) (ca.1961-1964)＊
 百人番所
The Hyaku-nin-bansho (Guard house) (2018)
中之門跡
The Naka-no-mon (Gate) site (ca.1961-1964)＊
 中之門跡
The Naka-no-mon (Gate) site (2018)
呉竹寮
The Kuretake-ryo (ca.1961-1964)＊
 呉竹寮
The Kuretake-ryo site (2018) 

The Kuretake-ryo
The residence for the four sisters of His Majesty the Emperor. According to the Imperial custom at that time, the princesses, while unmarried, lived and studied in the Kuretake-ryo away from home of their parents, the Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun.

　　　　 　　　　 　　　　 　　　　 　　　　
天守台
The Tenshu-dai (1968)
 天守台
The Tenshu-dai (2018)
天守台
The Tenshu-dai (ca.1961-1964)＊
 天守台
The Tenshu-dai (2018) 
中之門跡
Kita-hane-bashi-mon (Gate) (ca.1961-1964)＊
 中之門跡
Kita-hane-bashi-mon (Gate) (2018)
梅林坂
The Bairin-zaka (Slope) (ca.1961-1964)＊
 梅林坂
The Bairin-zaka (Slope) (2018)

梅林坂
The Hirakawa-mon (Gate) (ca.1961-1964)＊
 梅林坂
The Hirakawa-mon (Gate) (2018)

梅林坂
Riding ground (ca.1961-1964)＊
 梅林坂
The Ninomaru Grove (2018)

白鳥濠
The Hakucho-bori (Moat) (ca.1961-1964)＊
 白鳥濠
The Hakucho-bori (Moat) (2018) 

梅林坂
Entrance to the Ninomaru (ca.1961-1964)＊
 梅林坂
Entrance to the Ninomaru (2018)
Go to top of the page