The public opening of Inui-dori, where visitors can enjoy Imperial Palace autumn color, began on December 2. Through the 10th, entry is daily from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace also open specially on Monday and Friday — the 4th and 8th — when they are normally closed). On the first day a long line formed from early morning, so the gates opened 30 minutes early. (The photo above is the Mainichi evening edition of the 2nd. The Mainichi news site also has a photo special on the Inui-dori opening＝https://mainichi.jp/graphs/20171202/hpj/00m/040/003000g/1).
A little before noon on the 4th I went outside. On past open days with good weather many people left Inui-mon or Kita-hanebashi-mon and came down Kiinokuni-zaka
toward Takebashi, but this day was thinly overcast and quite cold, so traffic was only so-so. The Palaceside Building restaurant arcade felt just a little busier than a usual Monday (photo at left).
The Inui-dori opening began in the cherry season of spring 2014 to mark the Emperor’s 80th birthday in December 2013. It was so well received that it was also held in early December that year for autumn color. There was none in spring 2015, but autumn 2015 and spring 2016 were held. After that, autumn 2016 and spring 2017 were paused for Inui-dori maintenance (tree renewal); this is the first reopening in a year and a half. It is planned to continue twice a year for a long time.
Past attendance: spring 2014 (five days) 385,060; autumn that year (same) 349,500; autumn 2015 (same) 202,820; spring 2016 (ten days) 508,010. Per day that is a striking 40,000 to just under 80,000.
The route is one-way, about 750 meters, entering at Sakashita-mon in the southeast of the palace, along the west side of Hasuike-bori and out Inui-mon. Dozens of Japanese maples and Chinese maples along Inui-dori are said to be at their peak. Midway you may leave for the East Gardens at Nishi-hanebashi, the boundary of Hasuike-bori and Inui-bori, and exit at Kita-hanebashi-mon and elsewhere, but once in the East Gardens you cannot re
turn.
The Mainichi issued a two-page (front and back of one sheet) color advertising special inserted in the evening edition of the 2nd to mark the opening (photo at right). The lower five columns of the special carry a Palaceside Building ad (photo at the end). As that ad says, the Palaceside Building, normally closed on Sundays, opens while Inui-dori is open. Many first-floor and first-basement restaurants operate specially; on the 3rd many people already dropped by the building right after enjoying the foliage. We look forward to many visitors on weekdays and Saturdays, of course, and through the last day, Sunday the 10th.
