Edo Castle, located in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, is a historic Japanese castle of great significance. Its origins date back to 1457, when Ōta Dōkan constructed the original fortification on the eastern edge of the Kōjimachi Plateau, making it a classic hirayama-style castle (built on a low hill). In 1590, after Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Edo, the castle became the residence of the Tokugawa shoguns and the administrative headquarters of the Edo Shogunate. During the Keichō era, it underwent massive expansion and eventually became the largest castle complex in Japan, with a total perimeter of about 16 kilometers (approx. 4 ri).
Throughout the 260 years of the Edo period, Edo Castle served not only as the political and administrative center of the Tokugawa regime, but also as the personal residence of the shogun. The Ōoku (Great Interior) housed the shogun’s wife, concubines, and court ladies. Government officials such as rōjū (senior councilors) and wakadoshiyori (junior councilors) operated in a rotating attendance system, commuting from surrounding samurai estates to manage affairs within the castle. It is estimated that around 6,000 people were present in the castle during the day, making it a vibrant political city in itself.
In 1868, during the Boshin War, as the new imperial army approached, Katsu Kaishū, a Tokugawa official, negotiated a peaceful surrender of the castle with Saigō Takamori, a commander of the imperial forces. Thanks to their diplomacy, Edo Castle was spared from destruction. The castle was then handed over to the new government, and Edo was renamed Tokyo, becoming the imperial capital. The Meiji Emperor took residence in the former castle, which later evolved into what is now known as the Imperial Palace.
Today, the grounds of the former Edo Castle are used as follows:
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The Honmaru, Ninomaru, and Sannomaru areas have been turned into the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, which are open to the public when no official events are held;
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The Nishinomaru area contains the Imperial Palace buildings and royal residences;
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The Fukiage Garden serves as the living quarters of the Emperor and Imperial Family;
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The Kōkyo Gaien (Outer Gardens) and Kitanomaru Park are national parks managed by the Ministry of the Environment.
The main keep (tenshukaku) of Edo Castle was destroyed in the Great Meireki Fire of 1657 and was never rebuilt, though the stone foundation of the keep (tenshudai) remains. Despite this, Edo Castle remains the largest existing castle site in Japan, with some areas designated as Special Historic Sites by the government.
