The current Imperial Palace is located on the former site of Edo Castle which during its time (early 1600's to mid 1800's) was the largest castle in the world. Some of the moats, walls and non-castle buildings from the Eido Period still exist. The Eido Castle was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the late 1800's. The castle was rebuilt again after it was bombed and destroyed during World War II.
The emperor and his family live in the Palace located in the western part of the grounds. The only part of the castle complex regularly open to the public is the East Garden which is seen in this photo. The East Garden is a beautiful park-like area and is an oasis in the middle of the tumult of Tokyo.
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