The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace stand right before Palaceside Building in Takebashi, Tokyo—green, historic, popular with tourists and office workers nearby as a place to rest.
Except closed Mondays and Fridays, you can enter from Otemon, Hirakawa-mon, or Kitahirakawa-mon. Previously, a white plastic "admission ticket" was issued at the gate hut and returned on exit. Now tickets are gone—you pass the hut and enter directly.
Ticket issuance ended after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March last year, because the East Gardens were designated a Chiyoda Ward stranded-commuter support site along with Kitanomaru Park and the Outer Gardens. Earthquakes choose no day of the week. I wish Monday and Friday closures would end so entry is always possible, like Kitanomaru Park.