Description:
This small "park" is not worth going out of your way for but is an interesting brief stop if you exit the East Gardens through the Otemon Gate. It is located next to the Palace Hotel just inside the outer moat of the Imperial Palace. In fact it can be reached by crossing the outer moat on the pedestrian only Wadakura Bridge. This bridge was of some importance in Edo times as it was part of the elaborate security arrangements leading up to entering Edo Castle (now the Imperial Palace) through the Otemon Gate. Nowadays the bridge is neglected and seldom used.
This thoroughly modern park was constructed to commemorate the wedding of the Crown Prince in 1993. It consists mainly of paving and some fountains that automatically change in strength and shape as if dancing to music. It is a calm place to relax for a few minutes with good views towards the Imperial Castle and a clear view down Miyuki Avenue towards Tokyo station. The latter originally resembled Amsterdam station but the post-World War II reconstruction is less elaborate and much smaller than the original.
There are several places to sit down for a few minutes. The granite seats are surprisingly comfortable at first but granite remains rock and does get hard after a while. Tokyo’s ubiquitous vending machines can supply hot or cold drinks depending on the season to enjoy while looking at the fountains and flower beds.
A coffee shop with huge panoramic windows is located towards the Marunouchi side of the park. The fare (rather unimaginative) and the prices (pricey) are standard Japanese hotel coffee shop, but you do sit serenely – cool during the hot and humid summer and snug on a cold winter’s day.
The closest subway station is Otemachi (six lines) – use exit D3 to enter the park via Wadakura Bridge or D2 to enter via Miyuki Avenue.
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