Only built relatively recent in 1899, it was a summer retreat for 3 emperors before becoming a park in 1947 after World War II.
What park grounds are quite vast and beautiful with gardens and creeks. However property is only about 1/3 of the original size.
With 106 rooms, there are corridors that surround and connect the rooms, some secretly. It costs ¥500 and you could easily spend half a day walking through the rooms, around the gardens and eating ice-cream or soup at the restaurant area of the park.
Closed Tuesdays and If that’s a national holiday, it’s closed the following Wednesday, too. Open 9-5pm, winter 9-4pm
My favorite room, the “meditation room” >
the same photograph uploaded to 500px >
maple tree
Showa Emperor evacuated to Nikko for a year from 1944 and likely is the one to have the shelters built. >
Air raid shelter
Located in this memorial park is a nearly 420 year old cherry tree located in the garden of Emperor Taisho. (no photo, yet.)
