Imperial Palace

Imperial Palace (Gosho)　御所

Overview

This is a wonderful place. Gosho, as it is called in Japanese, is a huge enclosed rectangle just north of downtown. It is a massive park, with a few buildings run by the Imperial Household.

Because the Emperor, his family, and retainers now live in the Imperial Palace, in Tokyo, that compound is locked down, heavily guarded, and the public may not enter.

In contrast, Kyoto’s Gosho is wide open. No locks, picnics ok, dogs fine. It is a very relaxed place to stroll.

For cyclists, there are narrow paths worn into the gravel - deep bow to all of the riders who plowed these paths over the course of many years. They crisscross much of the Palace.

You won’t save any time by cutting through Gosho, but you will have a great ride.

At night, with the stars above you and almost no one else in the park – the slow ride is magic.

Kyoto Imperial Palace Inner Garden	Kyoto Imperial Palace Gate

Getting to the Starting Point

From downtown, ride north on either Kawaramachi or Karasuma (or, better yet, the smaller streets that run north-south between these large boulevards). The south entrance of the park is on Marutamachi, east of Karasuma.

Directions

You can’t get lost: you are in a walled compound. For those following the map, #1 is a public bath on Teramachi Dori on the left side just south of Marutamachi Dori. #2 is c.coquet, an internet cafe on the second floor run by the venerable Hiroshi. On the first floor of the same building is a new Caribbean restaurant. #3, just a bit down the street on the left, is Moko Moko Cafe. #4 E-San, is a restaurant north of the park run by a Thai family that serves fresh and delicious food. The last stop is the fabulous (#5) Raku Museum, which is devoted to ceramics made by successive heads of the Raku family, documents, and tea utensils. The collection is over 450 years old.

Total Riding Time

It depends on how long you want to ride.

Kyoto Imperial Palace Bike Path	Gosho in Fall

Places of Interest

Cafe Moko Moko

Wonderful old machiya style townhouse

Thai Restaurant E-San

075 441 6199

c.coquet

075 212 0882

Raku Museum

10:00 - 16:30 (last admission 16:00)

84 Aburanokoji Nakadachi-uri agaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto

075 414 0304

c.coquet

075 212 0882

Internet Fee: 500 yen

Public Bath

on Teramachi

Entrance Fee: 410 yen

Map

Kyoto Imperial Palace Route

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