The Experience
Foggy days are nicer when you’re abroad. At home you would want nothing more then to stay in bed,especially the day after New Years, but when you’ve only got a few days left of exploration, you practically leap from your tatami-mat and burst through your rice-paper doors. In this case, however, the locals are doing so too. January 2nd is, for Japan, the day when the Emperor speaks.
After celebrating the New Year with throngs of Japanese locals just a few hours before, I decided to head over to the Imperial Palace for the Emperor’s address. The Palace is smack bang in the centre of Tokyo, situated on the site of old Edo Castle, where the chief shogun of Japan once resided. The place was destroyed during World War 2 and subsequently rebuilt, but you’d be hard pressed to notice. Green-black streams trickle under and around the ornately-pruned gardens, and the palace itself rises up from the waters that protect it against invaders and overly-enthusiastic subjects. There are stories of fervent Japanese patriots swimming the moats to get to the Emperor. With a chill that swept at our faces and turned our cheeks redder than the Rising Sun, it wasn’t a surprise to only see ducks on the waters.
By the time we got out of Tokyo Station, the closest terminal to the palace, a hundred tributaries of sweaters and flags were converging on the palace’s main gates. Once upon a time, you could just waltz into the palace to hear the Emperor, but now you’ve got to get past metal detectors, police dogs, and an imposing wall of officers surrounding the gate. The queues were slow and the security meticulous. Despite not being considered a deity after World War 2, the Emperor still commands enormous respect and love from the Japanese, and though no dramas are expected the thought of another attack like the Aum Shinrikyo incident still weigh heavy on the government’s mind.
Finally passing the checkpoint, for the first time we didn’t need to fumble for directions. You can’t help but be borne along with the crowd, over the stately granite Meganebashi Bridge and down the palace’s wending garden paths. People chat excitedly but there’s no pushing or shoving, and you’ll see a number of visitors carrying small Japanese flags. I didn’t know what for, not yet.
The flags are preparation for the Emperor’s address itself, not at the palace but at Chowaden Reception Hall, an extensive steel-grey affair fitted out with bulletproof glass and a very noticeable security detachment. The guards stand to the sides and the crowd – thousands strong now, packed into Chowaden’s vast courtyard – eagerly stares at the glass box from which the Emperor will make his speech. There’s silence. Then, as sudden as the drop of a baton, a sea of cheering and fluttering flags breaks out around us, perfectly timed to the appearance of a small grey-haired man in a suit. He doesn’t look like anyone extraordinary, but after a few minutes he clears his throat and there’s silence once again. I don’t know what he’s saying – I find out later that he discusses big issues like terrorism and praises the people for their support – but I’m impressed and a little moved by the amount of devotion in the air. Perhaps there’s something divine about this man after all.
After celebrating the New Year with throngs of Japanese locals just a few hours before, I decided to head over to the Imperial Palace for the Emperor’s address. The Palace is smack bang in the centre of Tokyo, situated on the site of old Edo Castle, where the chief shogun of Japan once resided. The place was destroyed during World War 2 and subsequently rebuilt, but you’d be hard pressed to notice. Green-black streams trickle under and around the ornately-pruned gardens, and the palace itself rises up from the waters that protect it against invaders and overly-enthusiastic subjects. There are stories of fervent Japanese patriots swimming the moats to get to the Emperor. With a chill that swept at our faces and turned our cheeks redder than the Rising Sun, it wasn’t a surprise to only see ducks on the waters.
By the time we got out of Tokyo Station, the closest terminal to the palace, a hundred tributaries of sweaters and flags were converging on the palace’s main gates. Once upon a time, you could just waltz into the palace to hear the Emperor, but now you’ve got to get past metal detectors, police dogs, and an imposing wall of officers surrounding the gate. The queues were slow and the security meticulous. Despite not being considered a deity after World War 2, the Emperor still commands enormous respect and love from the Japanese, and though no dramas are expected the thought of another attack like the Aum Shinrikyo incident still weigh heavy on the government’s mind.
Finally passing the checkpoint, for the first time we didn’t need to fumble for directions. You can’t help but be borne along with the crowd, over the stately granite Meganebashi Bridge and down the palace’s wending garden paths. People chat excitedly but there’s no pushing or shoving, and you’ll see a number of visitors carrying small Japanese flags. I didn’t know what for, not yet.
The flags are preparation for the Emperor’s address itself, not at the palace but at Chowaden Reception Hall, an extensive steel-grey affair fitted out with bulletproof glass and a very noticeable security detachment. The guards stand to the sides and the crowd – thousands strong now, packed into Chowaden’s vast courtyard – eagerly stares at the glass box from which the Emperor will make his speech. There’s silence. Then, as sudden as the drop of a baton, a sea of cheering and fluttering flags breaks out around us, perfectly timed to the appearance of a small grey-haired man in a suit. He doesn’t look like anyone extraordinary, but after a few minutes he clears his throat and there’s silence once again. I don’t know what he’s saying – I find out later that he discusses big issues like terrorism and praises the people for their support – but I’m impressed and a little moved by the amount of devotion in the air. Perhaps there’s something divine about this man after all.
When to Go to Japan Emperors Address
Head to Tokyo Station, any of the JR lines will take you there and follow the crowds to the palace gates. Get there early or risk being shut out from Chowaden, and expect lots of crowding on the metro and footpaths alike. You'll want to book your accommodation early, as Japanese tourists will be piling in for school holidays and the Emperor's address alike.
Odds n' Ends
January 2 is the only time, apart from December 23, the Emperor's birthday, when you'll be allowed into the inner grounds of the palace. You can, however, book tours of the outer gardens through the Imperial Household Agency at any time of the year. Tours have to be booked in advance, so you might as well just take a stroll around the picturesque surrounds after the Emperor's spoken.
You'll get past the security checkpoints a lot faster if you don't pack a lot. Bags are searched extremely thoroughly and large items, including telescopic-lens cameras are regarded with at least a degree of suspicion. Go light on the bags and just bring your wallet and point-and-shoot.
You'll get past the security checkpoints a lot faster if you don't pack a lot. Bags are searched extremely thoroughly and large items, including telescopic-lens cameras are regarded with at least a degree of suspicion. Go light on the bags and just bring your wallet and point-and-shoot.
Places to Stay Nearby
Search over 900,000 global hotel deals from over 30 merchants. Book via Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Priceline and the websites of popular hotel chains.
Hotel Monterey Hanzomon is designed with Japanese tastes and originality. Traditional Edo era's coloring is employed to express gorgeousness, stylishness, sense of fun in many ... 0 miles away
$8325 JPY+
Located in the heart of Tokyo, the Palace Hotel offers an oasis of tranquillity overlooking the restful pine groves and moats of the Imperial Palace. ... 0 miles away
+ 23 others. Show all.
More Experiences Nearby
- Early Morning Hustle of the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo
- A trip to the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo is a defining experience, and often a thought-provoking one. It is a hub for fish and sea life deliveries from all over the world, and the place to get the freshest sushi in Tokyo. Watching rubber-booted fishermen with deft hands fillet, slice and clean fish of every variety, as well as sea urchins, eels, shellfish, and pretty much anything imaginable, is an intriguing sight. As you make your way around buckets and trays full of live sea life, this is not a place for the squeamish, or the vegetarian. The Tsukiji ...2 miles away.
While You're There - Tours and Trips Nearby
On your full-day trip from Tokyo you'll travel by coach to the Fuji visitor center to see cultural art dedicated to Fujisan. The center is ...3.59 miles away via Tokyo.
$143+
Your tour begins with a relaxing coach trip to Mt Fuji, Japan's highest mountain. You'll visit the Fuji visitor center to see cultural art dedicated ...3.59 miles away via Tokyo.
$266+
+ 23 others. Show all.
Video
Video Wall
You are now being transfered to our Video Wall
Books and DVDs
Elsewhere on the Web
- Imperial Household Agency
- Tour bookings and information about the Royal Family, including news about the Emperor's diplomatic functions.
- JNTO Page
- Japanese National Tourist Organisation's page on the imperial palace area.
Travel Insurance. Simple & Flexible.
Language Guides
Japanese 
is one of the languages spoken in Japan. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!
Discussion
Experienced this and have something to share? Experienced something like this somewhere else? Looking for advise or travel companions? Use this space to leave your mark. Our writers and editors are more than happy to help answer your questions.
People who wish to experience
Recent Tweets
Listed below are the most recent comments made on Twitter for "japan emperors address":
