In this walk, we explore the circuits of power and money flowing around the Imperial Palace. In this episode, we see the transformation of an early modern castle into the centre of the modern nation-state.

We start in the vast plaza in front of the Imperial Palace, before heading down the street to the Great Gate, which takes us into the East Gardens. Passing through what’s left of the castle’s defences, we make our way up to what was once its innermost citadel, though the keep burned down nearly four centuries ago, and its foundations now accent a vast lawn. Heading north, we find ourselves in another garden, adorned with cultural institutions, early modern nostalgia giving way to post-war science, art, and sport. Here, though, Japan’s modern imperial history is slightly more visible, with a statue to a martyr general, the headquarters of the imperial guard, and a monument to their service in the name of the emperor. The ambivalence culminates once we finally leave the castle grounds, with three institutions close by, each wrestling with the unsettled accounts of Japan’s modern wars. The walk ends in front of the museum in Yasukuni Shrine, which recounts the fallen as martyrs in an anti-imperialist war.

You can follow the walk on this map: bit.ly/3oOYdTF 

And you can find the full transcript here: bit.ly/40E4Sxa 

See a sneak peek on TikTok: tiktok.com/@walkhistoricity and Instagram: instagram.com/WALKHISTORICITY

WRITER AND PRESENTER: Angus Lockyer

PRODUCER: Jelena Sofronijevic

This series was supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. Find out more at: gbsf.org.uk

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