We have ... as you have Central Park in New York and Hyde Park in London

Tokyo would be like a desert of concrete, some tourists might think.But you will be surprized to see the following pictures, a view at the central area of Tokyo, taken at a park called "the Imperial Palace East Gardens".


Please come to Tokyo Station.
Going out from the central exit of Marunouchi side and taking a straight walk for  just  ten minutes, you'll find yourselves in the ground of Imperial Palace, where evergreen pine trees, long and wide moats, and high stone walls welcome you.
<Tokyo Station>

This is a view from the ground of Imperila Palace. In the center, you see a red three-storied building
with a black roof, which is the station.






< Pine trees in the front
    garden of Imperial Palace >

Six thousand pine trees , as the symbol of longevity and eternity, are planted here. They are always pruned elegantly.




<Moats and Stone Walls>

Moats and stone walls were made to guard a castle from enimies' attack. There used to be two lines of moats in the circumference of the castle, and the moat in the picture is the inner one.




Here had been a huge castle of Tokugawa Shogunate government for 250 years, from the 17th through the mid 19th centuries. So you see several watch towers in the feudal age on the stone walls along the moats.

Main entrance of the park is also a traditional type of gate, where many samurai warriors used to enter into the Edo (the old name of Tokyo) castle.

Just inside of the gate, you'll stand in front of another gate which has a high and solid structure to attack invaders.

Please imagine how many checkpoints you have to go through to reach the oasis in heavily crowded Tokyo.
<To be continued>