Kita-Hanebashi Gate

Kita-Hanebashi Gate is a surviving entrance to Edo Castle, now part of the Imperial Palace East Gardens in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Its drawbridge and tall stone walls give a close view of the defensive design and masonry used in the Edo period. From outside, look down toward the moat to take in the gate’s scale; in cherry blossom season, the surrounding grounds add another reason to pause. The gate is about a five-minute walk from Takebashi Station, and it pairs naturally with a walk through the rest of the gardens.

A surviving entrance to Edo Castle

Kita-Hanebashi Gate is one of the surviving gates of Edo Castle. It now stands on the grounds of the Imperial Palace East Gardens, giving you a chance to pass through a historic entrance while exploring the gardens.

The gate formed part of Edo Castle’s defensive system. Its drawbridge and stone walls show the scale and engineering of the fortifications built during the Edo period.

Seeing the gate and its setting

Start from outside the gate for a clearer view of its structure. The moat lies below, while the walls rise above the entrance. Looking at both together helps convey how the gate was designed as a defensive passage, not simply an opening in the wall.

The grounds around the gate are also a place to see cherry blossoms in season. Afterward, you can continue through other areas of the Imperial Palace East Gardens. Kita-Hanebashi Gate is around a five-minute walk from Takebashi Station.