The Kōkyo is the Imperial Palace of Japan and the residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is located in Marunouchi Chiyoda, Tokyo.

After the Meiji Restoration and the resignation of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last Tokugawa shogun, the Imperial court moved from Kyoto to Tokyo and the former Tokugawa stronghold of Edo castle became the residence of the emperor. From 1888 to 1948, it was called kyūjō (宮城, "palace castle"). The palace precincts include the Three Palace Sanctuaries Kyuchusanden (宮中三殿)

Most of the palace is generally off-limits to the public, but the Imperial Household Agency conducts tours. Also, the East Gardens are usually accessible to tourists. The inner palace is open to the public on only two days during each year, the Emperor's birthday and at the New Year (January 2).

The Kōkyo is close to Tokyo Station.

The buildings of the Imperial Palace were constructed by Takenaka Corporation.

During the height of the 1980s Japanese property bubble, the palace was purportedly valued by some as equivalent to the value of all the real estate in the state of California

[Source: Wikipedia]

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