The is a park-like Japanese Imperial Estate, site of several major existing and former Imperial residences in the district of Moto-Akasaka, Minato Special Ward, Tokyo. Besides Prince Hitachi, who lives in Higashi, Shibuya, and the Emperor Emeritus, who lives in Takanawa Residence until April 2022, many members of the Imperial Family have their official residence on this estate, currently (July 2020) including the Emperor himself. The estate is not accessible to the general public. Overview Six residences are currently located on the grounds of the estate. At its rough center is located a Japanese style garden, the , where the Emperor holds twice a year a to which are invited around 2000 political figures, diplomatic representatives and celebrities in various fields. There are six main access gates. The and the are along road 414 on the northern side, the and the face East, the faces Aoyama-Dori ave., and the faces Gaien-Higashi dori ave. on the southwestern side of the estate. History The estate was part of the grounds of the in Edo of the powerful Tokugawa clan of Kii, granted in 1632, which at 145,381 tsubo was one of the largest daimyo residences of the city. In 1823, a fire destroyed the main residence of the clan in Kojimachi, turning that spare into their main Edo residence. At the Meiji restoration, the head of the clan, Tokugawa Mochitsugu, became a Kazoku noble and lived in the estate. In 1873, a fire broke down and destroyed the Nishinomaru palace of the Edo castle, where the Emperor was staying. Mochitsugu opened on the very day his of the estate to the Emperor, who lived there for 15 years. Another residence on the southwest of the estate was given to Empress Dowager Eishō, as the Emperor wanted to have her close. After that point, the grounds of the estate have been used to build several residences and palaces, be it for crown-princes, Empresses dowager, or close family members. On the North side of the estate, where the site of the initial Akasaka residence was, a Tōgū palace was built in 1909 and became the Geihinkan. After the second world war, the Geihinkan was split from the estate and became National property, whereas the remaining estate remains Imperial property. Current residences of the estate There are currently 6 imperial residences on the estate, in clockwise order: Akasaka Palace The , formerly Tōgū Palace, is