Edo Castle
江戸城 · 지요다구
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation2:15
Welcome to the grounds of Edo Castle, arguably the most significant site in Japanese political history. For 265 years, from 1603 to 1868, this was the headquarters of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the military government that unified…
Listen in the app2Wadakura Fountain Park and the Outer Perimeter1:55
We begin our exploration at Wadakura Fountain Park, which sits just outside the Imperial Palace's inner moat. This area is essential for understanding the castle's relationship with the city. …
Listen in the app3Otemon Gate — The Formal Entrance to Samurai Authority1:55
We now approach the Otemon Gate, the main entrance to the inner castle. In the Edo period, this was where the Daimyo would arrive for their mandatory audiences with the Shogun. …
Listen in the app4Hyakunin Bansho — The Guardhouse of a Hundred Men1:51
Continuing inward, we encounter the Hyakunin Bansho, or the Guardhouse of a Hundred Men. This long, wooden building is one of the few original structures surviving from the Edo period. …
Listen in the app5The Honmaru Base and Tenshu-dai — The Phantom Keep1:57
We now stand on the high ground of the Honmaru, the primary circle of the castle. The vast lawn before you was once occupied by the Honmaru Palace, a massive complex where the Shogun lived and conducted the business of state. …
Listen in the app6The Ninomaru Garden — A Shogun's Private Oasis1:56
Descending from the heights of the Honmaru, we enter the Ninomaru Garden. While the Honmaru was for business and high ceremony, the Ninomaru was often the residence of the Shogun's heirs or retired Shoguns. …
Listen in the app7Sakuradamon Gate — The Site of Historical Rupture1:54
To conclude our tour of the castle's perimeter, we move to the Sakuradamon Gate. This is perhaps the most famous gate in Japanese history, not just for its architecture, but for the event that took place outside its doors in 1860. …
Listen in the app8Closing1:50
As we conclude our tour of Edo Castle and the Imperial Palace grounds, I hope you have gained a scholarly perspective on the layers of history that define this site. We have walked from the high foundations of a vanished keep to…
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What is Edo Castle?
Edo Castle is a place in 지요다구 with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | 지요다구 |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Total length | 15 min 33 s in all |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 35.6883, 139.7544 |
| Last updated |