Imperial Palace East National Gardens

#tokyospots Edo Castle's Enduring Legacy (★★★★★) The East Gardens are the former site of the mighty Edo Castle's inner defensive circles (Honmaru and Ninomaru), once the seat of the Tokugawa Shogunate. While the palace keep was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt, you can walk atop the massive Tenshu-dai (castle tower foundation), offering a grand view and a powerful sense of history. The imposing stone walls, original guardhouses, and deep moats remain, allowing you to vividly imagine the power of feudal Japan in the heart of modern Tokyo.