For Today’s Japan Photo, we will be visiting the residence of the Emperor of Japan – the Tokyo Imperial Palace 皇居, located in Chiyoda, Tokyo.
This lovely HDR image was captured by Toshio using a soft edge tobacco filter. Tobacco filters is used to give additional warmth to the photo and used commonly in landscape photography.
Guided tours of the palace are offered in Japanese, with an English pamphlet and audio guide provided. Tours must be reserved in advance with the Imperial Household Agency. However, the palace buildings and inner gardens are not open to the public. Only on January 2 (New Year’s Greeting) and December 23 (Emperor’s Birthday), visitors are able to enter the inner palace grounds and see the members of the Imperial Family, who make several public appearances on a balcony.
