December 23 was the birthday of His Majesty Emperor Akihito. I and two nice guys from Belgium who are interested in the history of Japan visited the Imperial Palace to celebrate. It was one of the special days we can visit the west area of the imperial palace where the main palace building is located. When we arrived in front of the palace, the Emperor and Imperial family members appeared on the balcony. The Emperor made a brief speech.
Then, we walked to the Imperial Palace East Garden. The garden is open to the public. Imperial Palace in Tokyo is the former Edo Castle. The castle was built in the 17th-century feudal era by samurai military government. It was the largest castle in Japan. It was not only a military fortress but also the government office and residence of the shogun who was the top of the government. Therefore, it was built big and strong to show the power and dignity.
Most of all buildings which include the castle main tower were lost by fire, earthquake, and war. Some of the towers, gates, stone walls, and the moat have remained. Those are impressive. It is one of the best places to visit for who are interested in history.
After that, we visited the Fukagawa Edo Museum and Asakusa Senso-Ji temple. We had sushi lunch. We enjoyed Japanese tradition and history very much.
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