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Visit the The Imperial Palace, home to Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, on December 23rd to wish Emperor Akihito of Japan a happy 75th birthday. A national holiday in Japan, Tenno Tanjyo-bi, is celebrated on the Emperor’s birthday day each year and it is only one of two days when the Imperial Palace is open to the public. The other is January 2nd when the Imperial Family offers a new year greeting to those assembled.
Cross the famous Nijubashi bridge from the Imperial Palace Plaza from 9:30 AM to 11:20 AM on December 23rd to be there when the Imperial family steps out onto a balcony to greets visitors at 10:20AM, 11:05AM and 11:40AM or sign the Greeting Book from 12:30PM to 3:30PM in front of the Imperial Household Building.
If you are spending Christmas in Tokyo, be one of the few who have stepped beyond the Imperial Palace Plaza onto the grounds where Japan’s royalty have lived since 1868 when the capital was moved from Kyoto.
Access the Imperial Palace (map) by taking the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line to Nijubashi-mae Station or one of the other stations located in the area.