Places of Interest

The Imperial Palace, surrounded by spacious grounds, gardens, and a series of moats, is the home of the emperor. On the southeast it is adjoined by a large plaza—the Imperial Palace Plaza. The National Diet Building, where the Japanese legislature meets, is an imposing three-story granite structure with a massive central tower. The city's most prominent landmark is the Tokyo Tower, completed in 1958 as a replica of Paris' Eiffel Tower.

Temples and shrines, both new and old, are among Tokyo's most notable features. The Meiji Shrine, which lies in the exquisitely planted Inner Garden, is dedicated to the Emperor Meiji; it is one of the most frequently visited places in Japan. In the nearby Outer Garden are the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery and the National Stadium and numerous other sports facilities. It is sometimes called Meiji Olympic Park, since it was the site of many events of the 1964 Olympic Games.

There are many other parks and gardens in the city. Some, such as Rikugien Garden, Korakuen Garden, and Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, are classic examples of Japanese landscaping. Ueno Park, one of the largest of the city's parks, features museums, a concert hall, a zoo, an aquarium, and several shrines and pagodas.

Near the Korakuen Garden is the Korakuen Sports Center, with stadiums for baseball and bicycle racing, a gymnasium, a swimming pool, and other facilities. Kokugikan, with an arena and a museum, features sumo (Japanese wrestling). The Kodokan Judo Hall is a school and practice hall for judo. Tokyo Disneyland, modeled after its American counterpart, is a popular attraction.