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Wednesday, 23rd April 2014
In General Japan News,

Japan opens Tokyo Imperial Palace to public

This Saturday (April 19th) saw the Japanese Imperial Palace in Tokyo open its doors to the public as part of a special celebration commemorating the longevity of Emperor Akihito, who attained the age of 80 last December.

Usually, the royal venue only permits public tours within its hallowed walls on weekdays, with just the extensive East Garden grounds available for exploration on Saturdays and Sundays.

However, Saturday's occasion marked the first event of its kind in 22 years, and it is set to be just the first of a number of occasions celebrating Emperor Akihito and his family.

Those interested in attending a public tour of the palace on a weekend rather than a weekday should book themselves onto one of the three Saturdays still available throughout the spring, or the four more that have been announced for autumn.

However, they'd better act quickly as some 300 people signed up for last week's Saturday morning tour, meaning it was fully booked.

The Imperial Palace is located in the Chiyoda Ward and can be accessed from Tokyo Station within walking distance of the west exit.

Written by Graham McPherson