Japanese Palaces Castles Mansions & Houses

[mandyy]

A Rare Peek Into Tokyo's Imperial Palace
Young people who live in Tokyo might think that the Imperial Palace, in the heart of the cosmopolitan city of Tokyo, is just a symbol of an old-fashioned monarchy system, fulfilled with a serial of controversy. For others, the East Garden, which is open for public everyday except on national days, might be a nice jogging track or a suitable choice for strolling in a lazy afternoon.

But for the older generation and foreign tourists, the palace is still a popular destination to visit and tour.

On one sunny day last month, I joined a group tour -- made up mostly of those over 65 -- to enter the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Household Agency organizes a regular 90-minute tour inside the complex, but everyone who is interested should apply three or four months in advance. As for my group, a Japanese volunteer arranged the tour way back in 2004. In fact, there is always a long queue for this popular tour..........
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=Princess+Masako&ei=UTF-8&fl=0&datesort=1


Photos from Ohmy news
#1: A corner in the complex with police box
#2: Emperor Akihito prepares to greet the crowd on his birthday on Dec. 23, 2004
#3:Fujimi-gayura, this watchtower was reconstructed in 1569 and is one of the oldest remnants of Edo Castle.
#4:Fushimi-yagura, this was moved to the Imperial Palace complex from Fushimi Castle in Kyoto.
#5: Map of Imperial Palace situated in downtown Tokyo
#6: The Chowaden Hall is a part of the Imperial Palace. In front of this building, the Emperor and his family stand on a balcony to greet people on bis birthday (Dec. 23) and on New Year's.
#7: Moat in front of the Kikyo-mon Gate
#8: The head office of the Imperial Household Agency. It was used as the temporary Imperial Palace for some years after World War II until the new Imperial Palace was built.

 

[mandyy]

Cover Story/ Quest for truth: What secrets did Japan's ancient emperors take to the grave? And will we ever know?

This is the fourth in a series on issues and topics facing Japan's imperial family.
A new challenge is being mounted that may eventually put the Imperial Household Agency in something of a tight corner.
Academics have long called on the agency to open imperial tombs to full inspection to resolve riddles of Japan's ancient past and put to rest lingering doubts about the authenticity of some of the final resting places of emperors.
All this time, the agency, the guardian of imperial tombs and all matters concerning the imperial family, has never accepted these requests on grounds that the "tranquillity and dignity of imperial ancestors" must be respected.
But now, a new twist is being added to the debate over imperial tombs.
It stems from Mayor Keisuke Kihara of Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, who believes he has a game plan to put his city of 830,000 people on the map. In a nutshell, he wants to promote a fifth-century burial mound that is said to hold the mortal remains of Emperor Nintoku. The keyhole-shaped mound is one of the largest burial monuments in the world................
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200601050119.html

 

[ropura]

Lanternlamp by night and day at the Imperial Palace garden.



Photo by R.Ismangil.

 

[ropura]

Inside Imperial Palace at Tokyo.


Photo by R.Ismangil.

 

[ropura]

Japanese public visiting the Imperial Palace at Tokyo for one ''our'' tour with a guide.


Photo by R.Ismangil.

 

[HRHAmy]

previously posted by Hans-E on GREMB: State Guest House of Akasaka Palace

Wow! That is a beautiful palace, that's one of the nicest I've seen.

 

[mandyy]

The Imperial Palace is covered with snow on January 21, 2006 in Tokyo, Japan. It is the Tokyo's first snow this winter despite the fact that Japan has been suffering from the record snow across the country that has killed over a hundred people.

#1-3hotos from Getty images
#4: JIJI press

 

[ropura]

Himeji Castle at Himeji City.

Photo by R.Ismangil.

 

[mandyy]

Wooden heritage of Prince Shotoku
Buddhist Monuments in the Horyuji Area

Prince Shotoku (574-622), the famed statesman of the Asuka period (late 6th century to mid-7th century), is one of the best-known figures in Japanese history.
No other historical person has appeared on banknotes as often as Prince Shotoku, whose portrait has graced notes seven times--three times before World War II and four times since. The term "Shotoku-taishi"--as he is known in Japanese--was once a byword for Japanese banknotes................
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/columns/0005/lens173.htm

 

[mandyy]

Historic castle likely to collapse in quake
The Asahi Shimbun

HIMEJI, Hyogo Prefecture--For centuries, majestic Himeji Castle withstood attacks, fires and natural disasters. Now it appears the so-called White Heron Castle may have been less tough than just plain lucky. A new report suggests the impressive six-story main tower dating back to the 17th century could collapse in an earthquake with an intensity of upper 5 on the Japanese scale of 7..............................
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200602230149.html

 

[fraxales]

the tomb has an area of about 464,000 square meters and is in Osaka, Japan. Since it's the biggest class of world, people visit expecting it. but,,, we can see only huge woods...

Domo arigato, kei893265! (Correct, I hope...?)

It's a bit late but thanks very much for the information. This is something about Japanese history I didn't know about (not that I know much!). Fascinating to see such complexes and you are lucky to have such things at your disposal.

 

[monica17]

I like their castles, mansions and palaces. They are not that imposing as the Western ones (not to say I don't find the others beautiful).

I enjoyed going through this thread. Thanks, everyone!

 

[mandyy]

For those interested in Japanese art
(released from Kunaicho website)
The 40th Exhibits,
The Museum of the Imperial collections, Sannomaru Shozokan

Flowers and Birds
-the spirit of appreciation and the art of painting <Focusing on Jakuchu＞
Foreword
　The Doshoku Sai-e (Colorful Realm of Living Beings), 30 scrolls, is the representative work by Ito Jakuchu(1716-1800), the mid-Edo period painter still popular today. Because of the charm of its beautiful colors, exquisite depiction and unconventional composition, it is one of the most admired pieces among our collection. In order to pass down all of the 30 scrolls of this piece in good condition to the future generations, we have undertaken a six year restoration project from 1999. In this exhibition, we will introduce the wonderful depictive expressions of Jakuchu and his Doshoku Sai-e, based on the results of this restoration, along with an introduction of the development of kachoga (flower and bird paintings) around the era of Jakuchu.
　The Edo period when Jakuchu was active, was the era of peace when an affluent culture was created by various expressions of the interests of not only nobles and samurai classes, but also townspeople and common classes. Within this era, interest in natural objects such as animals and plants increased, and a large number of natural history journals were published developing the study. At the same time horticulture prospered in Japan, to what is said to be top level worldwide. Furthermore, books and art works were imported from China and western countries, and the elephant imported in the 18th century surprised the people greatly.
　On the other hand, Japanese kachoga that had developed under the influence of old Chinese paintings passed down in temples, showed a new development since Shen Nanpin conveyed his painting method of highly realistic and richly colorful kachoga. Under this situation, the painters active during the 18th century produced unique kachoga adding new expressions to the former expressions and techniques, contriving realistic and colorful expressions.
　In this exhibition, we will introduce the skillful expressive depiction by Jakuchu, and the works of the same and nearby eras. We hope our visitors will be able to appreciate the unchanging feelings of those who continuously appreciated nature and its flowers and birds, through the various exhibited works by Jakuchu and other artists of the same era.

Photos from Kunaicho
http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8396/4021hc.jpg
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/4905/4046vk.jpg


More info in the link below
http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/11/40-list-e.html

 

[mandyy]

Does anyone have photos of Prince Akishino's residence????

Thx in advance!!!

 

[mandyy]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]China asks Japan to return artifact[/FONT]
...........According to the Asahi Shimbun on May 28, Chinese historians have recently called for the exhibit and return of the Hongryojeongbi, currently held at the Japanese imperial palace................
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-05/29/content_602263.htm

_____________________________________________________________________

Shinto objects at Imperial Palace moved ahead of anti-quake work

...............During the renovation, imperial family members will perform their regular rituals in the temporary room located inside the palace. On Monday, the "hosen-no-gi" ceremony was held to move the five sacred objects that symbolize imperial ancestors and various gods....................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060529/kyodo/d8ht9lhg0.html

Photo of the ritual from JIJI press

 

[tete]

wow, the palaces are much more different from what i thought.

 

[mandyy]

Palace officials fret over high-rises
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Imperial Household Agency officials are concerned by an increase in the number of high-rise buildings around Tokyo Station because the Emperor's residence can be seen from the buildings' upper floors, they said.
The agency has asked Mitsubishi Estate Co., the company that jointly established Otemachi Kaihatsu Ltd., and which will construct a 37-story building at a site about 600 meters from Tokyo Station, not to situate restaurants facing the palace on the building's upper floors.
The agency pointed out that the Imperial Residence may be visible from the 180-meter-high building, construction of which starts in April on a site in Chiyoda Ward where the Otemachi joint government building was previously located........................
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20060808TDY01002.htm

Both images from the map directory at the Yahoo Japan website
#1: Aerial view of the Imperial Residence where the Emperor and Empress lives
#2: Aerial view of the Togu Palace where the Crown Prince family lives

 

[PaulG]

Overhead view of Imperial Palace

This is a satellite view of the Japanese Imperial Palace I found.

 

[PaulG]

Does the pic work? Is everyone able to see it?

 

[Sister Morphine]

You can't hotlink and a photo with dynamic tags in it won't show. I'll repost it.

 

[PaulG]

Thank you!

 

[mandyy]

LEAD: Imperial Guard officer commits suicide in imperial compound

An Imperial Guard officer was found with a gun wound in his head Thursday in the imperial compound in Tokyo's Akasaka district and later confirmed dead at a hospital in an apparent suicide, Imperial Guard officials said. The 19-year-old officer, who was assigned duty at the imperial guard station on the Akasaka Estate, where Emperor Akihito's eldest son Crown Prince Naruhito and other imperial family members live, was found inside a restroom at a standby area for on-duty officers around noon Thursday, the officials said.................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060928/kyodo/d8kdo9n80.html

 

[Daniela]

How far are the Imperial residence where the Emperor and Empress lives and the Togu palace where the Crown Princely family lives?

Daniela

 

[mandyy]

How far are the Imperial residence where the Emperor and Empress lives and the Togu palace where the Crown Princely family lives?

Daniela

I think they are quite close to each other.
Below is a satelite map of the Akasaka Palace grounds that consists of the Togu Palace (the green area in the lower left corner) and the Imperial Palace that consists of the Imperial Residence (the bigger green area in the right side) just to give you an idea of the distance between the two palaces

image from Yahoo Japan map directory

There is also more info in the link below
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/335855-post28.html

 

[Daniela]

Thanks, mandyy!

Is it posible for you to post some photos of Togu Palace or perhaps a link to this palace, I'm curious!

Daniela

 

[Emily]

Mandyy - Thank you for that aerial map! I was trying to figure out exactly this information during the time Kiko was in the hospital. I went to a local bookstore and looked at a map of Tokyo -- they had the Imperial Palace grounds and on a separate page the Togu Palace grounds but it didn't give me an idea of how far apart they were. On another note -- the Imperial complexes give some very nice greenspace to downtown Tokyo!

 

[mandyy]

Thanks, mandyy!

Is it posible for you to post some photos of Togu Palace or perhaps a link to this palace, I'm curious!

Daniela

I have posted photos of Togu Palace before
Below are the links to those posts
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/228973-post122.html
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/228979-post123.html
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/228986-post124.html

 

[Daniela]

Oh, gosh, thank you mandyy!
I went through this tread, but yesterday I've got a bad day, so I wasn't very attentive to what was posted!

So, if I've understand correctly the Togu Palace is meant for the Crown Princely family to live in, and when there is a new Emperor he and his family moves into Imperial residence, right?

And then where lives a Empress Dowager?

Thanks

Daniela

 

[mandyy]

Oh, gosh, thank you mandyy!
I went through this tread, but yesterday I've got a bad day, so I wasn't very attentive to what was posted!

So, if I've understand correctly the Togu Palace is meant for the Crown Princely family to live in, and when there is a new Emperor he and his family moves into Imperial residence, right?

And then where lives a Empress Dowager?

Thanks

Daniela

Yes the Togu Palace is meant for the crown prince family to live in.
Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako (Emperor Akihito's parents) lived in the Fukiage Omiya Palace (link http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e07/ed07-01-02-01.html). When Emperor Hirohito passed away, Empress Nagako became the Empress Dowager, her son Akihito and daughter in law Michiko were considerate enough not having Empress Nagako to move out of her palace to somewhere(which I don't know),either they or the IHA decided to built the Imperial Residence and it was in used since Dec 1993 (link http://www.kunaicho.go.jp/e07/ed07-01-02.html). Before they moved into the newly built Imperial Residence, they remained living in Togu Palace which was especially built for them back in 1960. When Prince Naruhito and Masako Owada got married they lived temporary in the Togu detached palace (not quite sure if the name is correct) but it's located in the Akasaka palace grounds.

I guess if Emperor Akihito passed away, Prince Naruhito and his family might have to move to the Imperial Residece and Empress Michiko will move to Fukiage Omiya Palace....but this is only my guess.

Togu actually means the crown prince..therefore Togu Palace shouldbe reserved for the crown prince and his family to live in it.

 

[Daniela]

Thanks again, mandyy.

This Palaces where the Imperial family lives in, are all close to one another, I mean in the same area, right?

Can you post a photo or a link to the palace where lives Prince Akishino and his family, please?

Daniela