With autumn foliage season underway, the public opening of Inui-dori at the Imperial Palace began this weekend, and more than 10,000 people admired the colored trees on the first day. On Monday the 27th, as a cold snap eased, visitors arrived from early morning. The opening runs through December 3.
Inui-dori was first opened to the public in April 2014 to mark the then Emperor's 80th birthday. It had been held each spring and autumn, then was suspended from spring 2020 during the pandemic before returning in autumn 2022.
Visitors enter at Sakashita-mon on the Tokyo Station side and walk one way about 750 meters to Inui-mon toward Kitanomaru Park. Iroha maple and trident maple along the path have begun to color, but warm days have lingered since autumn arrived, so the peak still feels ahead.