Japan · GARDEN & PALACE TOURS IN TOKYO

The 15 Best Garden & Palace Tours in Tokyo

22 tours  ·  from $16

The 15 best garden & palace tours in Tokyo you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.

Tokyo: Imperial Palace and Shogun Historical Walking Tour - Meeting at Wadakura Fountain Park
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Tokyo: Imperial Palace and Shogun Historical Walking Tour

1.Imperial Palace and Shogun Historical Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,251 reviews · from $22Our pick

Spend about two hours walking through Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens, including Edo Castle ruins, stone gates, castle walls, and Ninomaru Garden. Guides such as Jim, Miguel, Tony, and Aya explain shogun-era Japan, the Imperial family, gardens, and modern Tokyo in a small group of up to 15.

“It was great to get a brief history of Japan. Izzy was great and informative. The garden are busy but beautiful. Much better paying for the tour than just wandering if you want to know stuff.”

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Tokyo Castle & Imperial PalaceーShogun Walking Tour - Starting at Wadakura Fountain Park Starbucks
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Tokyo Castle & Imperial PalaceーShogun Walking Tour

2.Tokyo Castle & Imperial PalaceーShogun Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,068 reviews · 2 hours · from $23

Join Local Guide Stars for a two-hour English walking tour from Wadakura Fountain Park. Guides such as Anju, Fuma, Yuka, and Tomo explain samurai life, Edo Castle defenses, imperial traditions, gardens, koi, and Tokyo’s growth. Expect outdoor walking, photo stops, and a relaxed pace.

“Tour guide Anju was the best. Very clear and knowledgeable about the palace. Was very patient and informative as well as keeping the pace and conversation smooth.”

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Tokyo: Imperial Palace Japanese History Walking Tour - Otemon Gate and the First History Lesson
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Tokyo: Imperial Palace Japanese History Walking Tour

3.Imperial Palace Japanese History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 987 reviews · from $32

Walk from Wadakuramon Fountain Park to Otemon Gate and through Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens. Your English or French-speaking guide, including popular hosts such as Mika, Natsumi, or Lakki, explains Edo Castle, samurai ranks, palace traditions, gardens, bamboo, and royal koi over roughly two hours.

“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!”

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Tokyo: Imperial Palace and Shogun Walking Tour - Ote-Mon Gate reveals Edo Castle’s defenses
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Tokyo: Imperial Palace and Shogun Walking Tour

4.Imperial Palace and Shogun Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 935 reviews · 2 hours · from $16Best value

Walk through Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens with an English-speaking guide such as Tony, Blake, Jim, or Embla. See Ote-Mon Gate, samurai guardhouses, Fujimi-yagura, Ninomaru Garden, koi ponds, and the old castle tower base while connecting shogun rule with modern Tokyo.

“Dylan was a great guide! So kind and helpful, thank you very much!”

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Tokyo Castle & Imperial PalaceーShogun Walking Tour - Starting at Wadakura Fountain Park Starbucks
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Tokyo Castle & Imperial PalaceーShogun Walking Tour

5.Tokyo Castle & Imperial PalaceーShogun Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 724 reviews · from $23

Walk through the former Edo Castle grounds with an English-speaking guide and a group of up to 10. See ancient gates, guardhouses, a watchtower, the castle tower site, and Ninomaru Garden while learning about shoguns, samurai, and Japan’s imperial system. Expect stairs, slopes, sun, and a security check.

“Our tour guide Shin was the absolute best you could ask for. He was knowledgeable in the history of the imperial palace as well as Japanese history and he even helped me sign on to his tour group at the last minute when the guide for the tour I was supposed to go on didn’t show up. He was very helpful throughout and gave the best tour one could ask for.”

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Imperial Palace East Garden and Edo Castle Walking Tour in Tokyo - Inside the East Gardens, the past is in the ground
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Imperial Palace East Garden and Edo Castle Walking Tour in Tokyo

6.Imperial Palace East Garden and Edo Castle Walking Tour in Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 510 reviews · from $25

Walk from Wadakura Fountain Park into the Imperial Palace East Gardens, where Edo Castle ruins, ponds, gardens, and samurai-era stories bring Tokyo’s past to life. English-speaking guides such as Kenta, Glenda, Sato, and Kei lead groups of up to 12 people. Palace interiors are not included.

“It’s a very informative tour with some great stories and history. Be prepared for some steep paths at times. The gardens are beautiful and the carp glow in the sunlight.”

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Tokyo: Imperial Palace East Gardens Walking Tour - Walking through the Honmaru remains
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Tokyo: Imperial Palace East Gardens Walking Tour

7.Imperial Palace East Gardens Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 353 reviews · 2h 30m · from $19

Spend 150 minutes walking the Imperial Palace East Gardens with an English-speaking guide such as Mei, Kei, or Wakana. See Edo Castle ruins, guard houses, stone walls, the Honmaru site, Ninomaru Garden, ponds, bridges, and seasonal flowers. The tour stays outside the Imperial Palace itself.

“Mei was an amazing tour guide! She is super friendly and knowledgeable. We learned a lot and saw the beautiful Imperial Gardens. We really enjoyed this tour and highly recommend!”

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Tokyo: Imperial Palace, Sensō-ji Temple, & Tokyo Tower Tour - Starting near Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi South Exit
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Tokyo: Imperial Palace, Sensō-ji Temple, & Tokyo Tower Tour

8.Imperial Palace, Sensō-ji Temple, & Tokyo Tower Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 339 reviews · 4 hours · from $40

Join Hato Bus for a four-hour afternoon tour from Tokyo Station. Ride a hybrid bus to the Imperial Palace outer grounds, Sensō-ji and Nakamise Street, then Tokyo Tower’s 150-meter observatory. English-speaking guides such as Junko, Kiki, and Saiko add history, local tips, and useful commentary between stops.

“The guide was very knowledgeable about the sites we visited. He was very funny and professional.”

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Tokyo Castle, Imperial Palace, Shogun & Garden Walking Tour - Meeting at Wadakura Fountain Park
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Tokyo Castle, Imperial Palace, Shogun & Garden Walking Tour

9.Tokyo Castle, Imperial Palace, Shogun & Garden Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 211 reviews · from $31

Join Sunrise Adventure for a two-hour walk through Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens, from Ōtemon Gate to Edo Castle ruins and Ninomaru Garden. Guides such as Mika, Natsumi, Lakki, and Nicola explain shogun-era history, point out photo spots, and help you read a site that can feel spare without context.

“Perfect day for our trip round the beautiful Imperial Palace gardens in Cherry Blossom time Lakky is very knowledgeable and informative so was able to engage our interest in the history of this beautiful place”

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Tokyo: Edo Castle & East Garden of the Imperial Palace Tour - Meeting at Wadakura Fountain Park
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Tokyo: Edo Castle & East Garden of the Imperial Palace Tour

10.Edo Castle & East Garden of the Imperial Palace Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 112 reviews · 2 hours · from $42

Meet your English-speaking guide, often a local expert such as Hitoshi, Naoko, or Masahito, at Wadakura Fountain Park. Spend two hours walking the free East Gardens on Edo Castle’s former grounds, with stories, photos, garden details, and a look at the famous koi. The Inner Palace is not included.

“Our Guide Mikio made the visit to the imperial gardens to an unforgettable event. He showed us todays places and gave us an impression how the place of the gardens has been in former times. He answered patiently all of our lots of questions and he took special time so we could see all places in quiet. He even extended our visit. We only could give to Mikio a heartful thankyou for the great event.”

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Tokyo Private Tour! Edo Castle & Imperial Palace East Gardens - Starting at Wadakura Fountain National Park
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Tokyo Private Tour! Edo Castle & Imperial Palace East Gardens

11.Tokyo Private Tour! Edo Castle & Imperial Palace East Gardens

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · from $65

Spend two hours with a private guide exploring Tokyo’s Imperial Palace East Gardens, Edo Castle ruins, Ote-mon Gate, and Ninomaru Garden. Guides such as Naoko, Mikio, Shigeru, and Akiyoshi explain Japan’s imperial and Edo-era past. The grounds are free, so you pay for context, navigation, and personal attention.

“We had a fantastic time with Mikio on our tour of the Imperial Palace East Gardens. He’s a kind and knowledgeable gentleman who brought the history of Tokyo to life with engaging stories and insights. His warm personality made the tour one of the highlights of our trip. Highly recommended!”

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Full Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Imperial Palace, Asakusa & Skytree - Hachiko, Shibuya Crossing, and the first taste of Tokyo
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Full Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Imperial Palace, Asakusa & Skytree

12.Full Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Imperial Palace, Asakusa & Skytree

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · from $39

Start at Hachiko Statue at 8:00 a.m. and follow a bilingual English and Spanish guide through Shibuya, Meiji Shrine, the Imperial Palace, Akihabara, Asakusa, and Tokyo Skytree. Train transfers and the Skytree ticket are included. Guides such as Francisco and Jorge may lead the group.

“This was an amazing experience. The guide shared extremely interesting information about the culture and history of the city and the country. Fully recommended.Auto-translated”

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Tokyo: Imperial Palace, the history of Japan (ENGLISH GUIDE) - Passing through Otemon Gate
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Tokyo: Imperial Palace, the history of Japan (ENGLISH GUIDE)

13.Imperial Palace, the history of Japan (ENGLISH GUIDE)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 77 reviews · from $40

Meet your guide near Wadakuramon Fountain Park, then walk through the Imperial Palace’s eastern gardens and former Edo Castle grounds. You’ll see palace ruins, a miniature castle structure, special koi, soldiers’ barracks, and trees from across Japan. The tour is listed with French guiding, although the title says English.

“the guide was awesome, a real fountain of knowledge”

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Tokyo: Pvt. Tour - Edo Castle & Imperial Palace East Gardens - Starting at Wadakura Fountain Park
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Tokyo: Pvt. Tour – Edo Castle & Imperial Palace East Gardens

14.Pvt. Tour – Edo Castle & Imperial Palace East Gardens

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 63 reviews · 2 hours · from $63

Meet your private English-speaking guide at Wadakura Fountain Park and walk through the Imperial Palace East Gardens, once part of Edo Castle. See stone walls, moats, the Main Gate, guardhouse, and Ninomaru Garden while guides such as Yoshi, Yuji, and Masahito explain Japan’s shogun and imperial past.

“The tour was super informative and really fun! We learnt a lot, highly recommend!”

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Tokyo: Kimono Rental inside Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden - What the one-hour dressing process includes
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Tokyo: Kimono Rental inside Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

15.Kimono Rental inside Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 39 reviews · 1h 30m · from $45

At Rakuu-tei Kouichi Store inside Shinjuku Gyoen, choose a seasonal kimono and receive professional dressing, plus basic hairstyling for women. Afterward, stroll the garden at your own pace. The $45 price includes clothing and accessories, but not garden admission. Return the kimono by 4:00 PM.

“I went to this small shop last summer and It was friendly and well organized. The choice was varied and all the ladies that wirked there were professionnal and kind”

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New in Garden & Palace Tours in Tokyo

★ 4.5Tokyo, Edo Castle & East Garden of the Imperial Palace TourFrom $4312 reviews

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