List of Japanese imperial residences
This is a list of residences occupied by the Japanese Imperial Family, noting the seasons of the year they are traditionally occupied.
Members of the Japanese Imperial Family inhabit a range of residences around Japan. Some are official imperial palaces; others are used as private residences, although they are all owned and maintained by the state. Other imperial palaces are no longer residences (e.g. the Akasaka Palace). Some remain in irregular use for imperial occasions. Some of the Imperial Palaces and villas enjoy legal protection such as the Akasaka Palace which is a National Treasure or the Heijō Palace, which is a Special Historic Site and listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.
The occupied imperial residences are cared for and maintained by the Imperial Household Agency. Former palaces or sites are under the administration of various ministries or local authorities.
Current Imperial Residences by members of the Imperial Family[1]
| Residence |
Location |
Notes |
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| Tokyo Imperial Palace |
Tokyo |
Official Tokyo residence; used also as the private residence. Houses the Three Palace Sanctuaries and the Fukiage Ōmiya Palace, the residence of the late Dowager Empress Kōjun. Certain parts such as the East Gardens and the Kitanomaru Park are open to the public. Only twice a year, for the emperor's birthday and New Year's is the public allowed to enter the grounds up to the Kyuden, where the imperial family appears on the balcony. The enthronement ceremonies of the current Emperor took place at the Tokyo Imperial Palace in 1990. |
| Kyoto Imperial Palace |
Kyoto |
Technically still the "senior palace" of the monarch; the main building on the palace grounds includes, among other halls, the Shishinden (紫宸殿, Hall for State Ceremonies), Seiryōden (清涼殿, lit. 'cool, refreshing hall'), Kogosho (小御所, Court Room), Ogakumonsho (御学問所, Imperial Study or Library), and a number of residences for the Empress, high-ranking aristocrats and government officials. Enthronement ceremonies to the Chrysanthemum Throne last took place in Kyoto in 1928. |
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| Tōgū Palace |
Tokyo |
Official Tokyo residence; located in the larger Akasaka Estate where a number of other members of the imperial family reside |
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| Aoyama Detached Palace |
Tokyo |
Official Tokyo residence; located in the larger Akasaka Estate |
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| Higashi Residence |
Shibuya, Tokyo |
Official Tokyo residence since December 1976 |
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| Akasaka Estate |
Minato, Tokyo |
Official Tokyo residence since November 1970 |
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| Akasaka Estate |
Minato, Tokyo |
Official Tokyo residence since December 1982 |
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| Akasaka Estate |
Minato, Tokyo |
Official Tokyo residence since December 1986 |
Current Imperial Residences by type of residence
| Residence |
Location |
Member(s) |
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| Tokyo Imperial Palace |
Tokyo |
The Emperor and Empress |
| Akasaka Estate |
Tokyo |
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Prince and Princess Akishino, Princess Mikasa, Princess Tomohito of Mikasa, Princess Takamado |
| Higashi Residence |
Tokyo |
Prince and Princess Hitachi |
| Sanbancho Residence |
Tokyo |
the late Prince Katsura, currently unused |
| Takanawa Residence |
Tokyo |
the late Princess Takamatsu, currently unused |
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| The Imperial Stock Farm (Goryo Bokujo) |
Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture |
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| Momijiyama Imperial Cocoonery |
Tokyo Imperial Palace |
Imperial sericulture farm, domain of The Empress, who is personally responsible for the running and ceremonial feeding and harvesting ceremonies for silk production. Part of the silk harvest is donated by her to the Shōsōin repository.[2] |
| Saitama Imperial Wild Duck Preserve (Saitama Kamoba) |
Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture |
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| Shinhama Imperial Wild Duck Preserve (Shinhama Kamoba) |
Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture |
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| Sentō Imperial Palace |
Kyoto |
all members |
| Katsura Imperial Villa |
Kyoto |
all members |
| Shugakuin Imperial Villa |
Kyoto |
all members |
| Nasu Imperial Villa |
Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture |
all members |
| Hayama Imperial Villa |
Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture |
all members |
| Suzaki Imperial Villa |
Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture |
all members |
former privately used
| Atami Imperial Villa |
Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture |
all members |
| Shizuoka Imperial Villa |
Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture |
all members |
| Numazu Imperial Villa |
Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture |
all members |
| Odawara Imperial Villa |
Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture |
all members |
| Kamakura Imperial Villa |
Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture |
all members |
| Miyanoshita Imperial Villa |
Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture |
all members |
Former Imperial residences (in chronological order)
| Residence |
Location |
Date(s) |
| Akasaka Palace |
Minato, Tokyo |
Official residence of the Crown Prince and his family (1909–1974), now the State Guesthouse (迎賓館, Geihinkan) |
| Nagoya Detached Palace or Nagoya Imperial Villa (Nagoya Castle) |
Nagoya |
Official residence in Nagoya after the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, from 1893-1930 |
| Heian Palace |
Kyoto |
Original imperial palace of Heian-kyō (794–1227), completely destroyed by fire and not rebuilt |
| Fukuhara Palace |
Hyōgo-ku, Kobe |
Imperial palace of Fukuhara-kyō (1180), abandoned, destroyed over time and not rebuilt |
| Saga Imperial Villa |
Ukyō-ku, Kyoto |
Imperial palace of Emperor Saga (814), turned into Daikaku-ji by his daughter Masako, became residence of several cloistered emperors |
| Nagaoka Palace |
Mukō, Kyoto |
Imperial palace of Nagaoka-kyō (784–794), abandoned, destroyed over time and not rebuilt |
| Heijō Palace |
Nara |
Imperial palace of Heijō-kyō (710–784), abandoned and destroyed over time. Partly reconstructed in the late 20th century, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara" since 1998 |
| Shigaraki Palace |
Kōka, Shiga |
Imperial palace of ? (745), abandoned and destroyed over time |
| Naniwa Palace |
Osaka |
Imperial palace of Naniwa-kyō (744–745), abandoned and destroyed over time |
| Kuni Palace |
Kizugawa, Kyoto |
Imperial palace of Kuni-kyō (740–744), abandoned and destroyed over time |
| Fujiwara Palace |
Kashihara, Nara |
Imperial palace of Fujiwara-kyō (694–710), abandoned and destroyed over time |
| Kiyomihara Palace |
Asuka, Yamato |
Last imperial palace in Asuka (672-694) before the court moved to Fujiwara-kyō |
| Okamoto Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial palace of Asuka (672) |
| Shima Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial palace of Asuka (672) |
| Ōmi Palace or Ōtsu Palace |
Ōtsu, Shiga |
Imperial Palace of Ōmi-kyō (667–672) before the court moved back to Asuka |
| Tachibana no Hironiwa Palace |
Asakura, Fukuoka |
Imperial Palace of Asakura (661–667) before the court moved to Ōmi-kyō |
| Later Okamoto Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (656–661) before the court moved to Asakura |
| Kawara Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (655–656) |
| Itabuki Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (654–655) |
| Nagara-Toyosaki Palace |
Naniwa-kyō |
Imperial Palace of Naniwa-kyō (645–654) before the court moved back to Asuka |
| Itabuki Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (643–645) |
| Kudara Palace |
Kōryō, Nara |
Imperial Palace of Koryo (640–642) before the court moved back to Asuka |
| Umayasaka Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (640) |
| Tanaka Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (636–640) |
| Okamoto Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (630–636) |
| Oharida Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (603–630) |
| Toyura Palace |
Asuka |
Imperial Palace of Asuka (592–603), later rededicated as nunnery Toyura-dera |
| Takatsu Palace |
Osaka |
Imperial Palace of Naniwa-kyō (4th century), founded by Emperor Nintoku. Other palaces also mentioned but not confirmed. |
References
