Tokyo · IMPERIAL PALACE & SHOGUN TOURS
Good imperial palace & shogun tours book out well ahead in cherry season and over the New Year break. The 15 best sit below, priced and timed, with a line on who each suits.
Walk Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens, Edo Castle ruins, and Ninomaru Garden with a guide who brings Japan’s royal past to life.
“Wonderful experience with the knowledgable Michi. A thoughtful and informative tour in the peaceful grounds of the imperial palace.”
Walk through Tokyo’s Imperial Palace Eastern Gardens, trace Edo Castle and samurai history, and learn from a friendly English-speaking guide for $32.
“We had Mika as our tour guide and she was amazing! She provided some mosquito spray which was much needed inside the Imperial palace as it's full of nature and also full of mosquito. Mika was very informative during the tour and answered all of our questions!”
Explore Edo Castle, Ninomaru Garden, koi ponds, and massive stone walls on a guided two-hour Imperial Palace walk in Tokyo.
“Tony our guide for the tour was fantastic. Thank you Tony for the memorable experience. He was really knowledgeable, explained the history in a straightforward way, answered all the questions and provided additional suggestions on where to eat nearby and what else to do this weekend! I really enjoyed the tour, and it makes such a difference when you have a guide who explains the details. Highly recommend it to others especially if you’re just starting your visit to Tokyo and Japan!”
Explore Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens and Edo Castle ruins with a small-group guide, clear history, scenic paths, and useful local context.
“A wonderful tour walking around the gardens of the Imperial Palace. Glenda was fabulous and very knowledgeable about the history. The gardens were so stunning. A really enjoyable experience”
Walk Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens, tracing Edo Castle ruins, shogun stories, stone defenses, and elegant seasonal gardens.
“Miko was a very nice tour guide and manager to keep us happy during the rain”
See Tokyo’s Imperial Palace outer grounds, Sensō-ji Temple, and Tokyo Tower in four hours with an English-speaking guide and hybrid bus.
“Wish I had started with this tour. Knowledgeable and friendly, Junko kept us informed and on time. Stops had enough variety and time. The bus was perfect. Stop reading, sign up for this tour!”
Walk Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens, Edo Castle ruins, and Ninomaru Garden with a small group guide for history and photo tips.
“Good tour off the east side of the imperial palace grounds. For those not familiar with the palace the place is huge (so walking in the summer heat or cold are not recommened for the unprepared) and split into east and west sides AND the Read more”
Walk through Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens, hear Edo Castle stories, spot unusual koi, and learn from an English-speaking guide.
“The tour was super awesome! Naoko, our guide was really good and we got to learn some really interesting things about Japan and the Imperial Garden. We also liked the pictures and visual explanations along with our guided tour. We explored everything and also had a great time! She even made us some farewell gifts which we truly appreciated. All in all this was a great tour and thanks to our tour guide it was an even better one”
Walk Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens with a private guide, Edo Castle ruins, Ninomaru Garden, history, photos, and practical entry tips.
“The guide spoke very little English. She was extremely difficult to understand and did not understand us. We stopped the tour after a miserable 45 minutes of not understanding her and finished touring the gardens by our selves.”
Explore Kamakura’s shrines, temples, Great Buddha, coastal views, and local food on a 3.5-hour small-group walking tour.
“Maki was our excellent tour guide. Very energetic, fun, happy, personal and very knowledgeable etc..”
A friendly guide to Tokyo for first-timers — written by someone who remembers exactly what it felt like to walk out of Shinjuku Station for the first time.