The first thing that hit me walking around Japan: how clean it is. I mean, spotless. After months in Southeast Asia, Tokyo felt perfectly manicured, like someone pressed pause and polished every corner. Workers were quietly sweeping leaves off the sidewalks; I didn’t see a single stray wrapper. And funnily enough… there aren’t that many trash cans either, so you carry your own trash until you find a bin or a convenience store. It sounds inconvenient, but it works, and the streets sparkle.
We hopped off at Otemachi Station on a crisp December morning with zero agenda, just a city day to stretch our legs. From the station it’s an easy walk toward the Imperial Palace: wide, wind-brushed avenues, clean lines of glass and stone, and then that first glimpse of moats and old stone walls. We wandered the Imperial Palace garden area, watched runners loop past the water, and let the quiet do its thing. No rush, no checklist, just Tokyo being Tokyo.
Our unplanned route (what we actually did)
Otemachi Station → Palace grounds. Otemachi is a huge hub (Marunouchi, Tozai, Chiyoda, Hanzomon, and Toei Mita lines), so getting here is simple. We followed signs to street level and walked toward the palace moats and lawns.
Outer Garden stroll. We skirted the lawns and watched the water ripple under those classic guardhouses. If you have extra time, the East Gardens (Higashi Gyoen) are free and gorgeous, just note they’re usually closed Mon & Fri and around New Year.
Marunouchi side loop. We drifted toward Tokyo Station’s red-brick Marunouchi Building for a quick “wow” moment and grabbed a snack nearby. If you’re around after dark in winter, Marunouchi Naka-dori glows with champagne lights, very holiday-card energy.
Things to do around Otemachi & the Imperial Palace (easy, walkable picks)
1) Imperial Palace East Gardens (free, serene, photogenic)
If the gates are open, go. You’ll wander through the former Edo Castle grounds, stone walls, lawns, a traditional garden, without paying a yen. It’s an instant reset and a nice contrast to the steel-and-glass city outside. Closed Mon/Fri and Dec 28–Jan 3; open the next day if a national holiday falls on Monday. Admission is free.
2) Nijūbashi & the Imperial Palace Plaza (classic photo spot)
Even if you don’t enter a garden, the palace plaza delivers the “Tokyo postcard” view: moats, elegant bridges, open sky. The famed Nijūbashi sits just beyond the main gate, plan a few minutes for photos.
3) Wadakura Fountain Park (pretty pause + night glow)
Right off the plaza you’ll find this fountain park, benches, breeze, and a lovely light-up after sunset. It’s also a popular pit stop for the runners who circle the palace.
4) Tokyo Station’s red-brick Marunouchi Building
Cross over to Tokyo Station for one of the city’s most beautiful facades (1914, designated an Important Cultural Property). If you want the best overlook, pop into KITTE’s rooftop “KITTE Garden” for a free view across the plaza.
5) KITTE & the underground city (snacks, shops, restrooms)
The KITTE mall and the underground passageways between Otemachi–Marunouchi–Tokyo Station are a rainy-day cheat code: bakeries, cafés, shops, and lots of places to sit. The KITTE rooftop is open late on weekdays if you’re chasing those night views.
6) Tokyo International Forum (the glass whale)
Five–ten minutes farther, the Tokyo International Forum is a stunner: a 228-meter glass-and-steel hall that floats above a public plaza, free to enter and fun to photograph.
7) Winter bonus: Marunouchi Illumination
If you’re visiting in November–February, stroll Naka-dori after dark: hundreds of trees wrapped in warm LEDs. It’s one of Tokyo’s classic winter light displays. Tokyo Cheapo+1
Practical tips (learned the pleasant way)
Trains & exits: Otemachi Station is sprawling, give yourself a few extra minutes to find the right exit (and to enjoy those immaculate corridors). Lines here: Marunouchi, Tozai, Chiyoda, Hanzomon, Mita.
Trash cans are rare: Pack a tiny bag for your own litter; expect bins at convenience stores and inside major stations/malls. That scarcity traces back to security and culture, and it helps keep the streets spotless.
Garden hours: For the East Gardens, check the day, closed Mon/Fri and over New Year; last entry is before closing. Free entry.
Great free views: KITTE’s rooftop garden faces Tokyo Station; the Marunouchi Building 5F terrace also frames the red-brick facade beautifully.
Seasonal sparkle: From mid-Nov, Marunouchi Illumination lights up Naka-dori most evenings (later hours in December).
If you have a half day
Loop the palace moat (walk or jog) and finish at Wadakura Fountain Park for a rest.
East Gardens → Tokyo Station red-brick photos → KITTE rooftop at sunset → Naka-dori lights after dark (in winter).
Getting there
By subway: Ride to Otemachi Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi/Tozai/Chiyoda/Hanzomon, Toei Mita) and follow signs to the Imperial Palace side; Tokyo Station is also walkable via underground passages.
By JR: To admire the station building, exit Tokyo Station (Marunouchi side) and cross the plaza. Then it’s a flat walk toward the palace lawns.
That was our kind of Tokyo day: no list, lots of light, and a slow ramble from modern canyons to castle walls.
