The Imperial Palace Winter Lights: A Photographer’s Guide

The Tokyo Imperial Palace at dusk, with the illuminated Seimon Ishibashi bridge arching over the moat in the foreground.
Eyeglasses Bridge with Fushimi Keep behind.

The air on Christmas Eve was sharp and cold, but a warm, golden light was spilling across the Tokyo Imperial Palace moat. While much of Tokyo was bustling with festive energy, here, a rare and peaceful spectacle was underway.

An illuminated white corner turret of the Tokyo Imperial Palace, standing over the dark, rippling moat under a night sky.
Tatsumi Keep.
An old stone pavilion with arches, illuminated at night in a city park, with modern, lit-up skyscrapers in the background.
The outer moat.

Many don’t realize that for a short period each winter, the Imperial Palace sheds its daytime austerity for a breathtaking nighttime glow. Last year, I joined a handful of other dedicated photographers to capture the magic.

The illumination focuses on the eastern side of the palace grounds—the side facing Tokyo Station. The main subjects are the historic gates. They are Seimon, Sakashita, and Otemon, and the beautiful corner keeps (Fushimi, Fujimi, and Tatsumi).

An illuminated, traditional Japanese gatehouse at night, set into massive stone walls under a deep blue sky.
Police officer at the Otemon Gate.

My first subject was the elegant Fushimi Keep. It was perfectly positioned to be framed with the famous Niju and Meganebashi (“Eyeglasses”) bridges. As the last bit of blue faded from the evening sky, the warm light on the white keep created a stunning contrast, its reflection shimmering in the dark moat below.

A Japanese gatehouse on the Imperial Palace moat, illuminated at night against a backdrop of modern Tokyo skyscrapers.
Tatsumi keep and the Marunouchi behind.

From there, I moved to the Otemon Gate. This gate is particularly special as it is the main entrance to the public East Gardens (Note: The gardens are typically closed on Mondays and Fridays). Seeing it lit up, with every detail of its stonework and massive wooden doors highlighted, felt like stepping back in time.

A traditional Japanese building with stone walls is illuminated at night, its facade reflecting in the dark water of a moat.
Otemon gate and moat.

Imperial Palace winter lights shoot photo tips

To make the most of your visit, here are my key recommendations:

A tripod is non-negotiable

My biggest lesson from that first shoot was the absolute necessity of a tripod. While I managed to get handheld shots, a sturdy tripod is the only way to unlock those truly stunning long exposures. It’s what will allow you to render the moat’s water silky-smooth while keeping the palace architecture perfectly sharp. Trust me, it’s the one piece of gear you don’t want to leave behind.

Go beyond wide-angle

While a wide lens is great for the grand scene, bring a telephoto lens (70-200mm). With one of those, you can isolate details like the roof tiles on a keep or the texture of the stone walls.

Master the timing

The best light happens fast. Arrive well before sunset to scout your compositions in the daylight. This allows you to be ready to shoot through the Golden Hour and into the magical “Blue Hour”—that brief period after sunset when the deep blue sky creates a perfect backdrop for the golden lights. Continue shooting into the night to capture a full range of images.

A traditional Japanese gatehouse with a tiled roof is illuminated against a deep blue twilight sky.
Sakashita Gate.

My game plan for the next shoot

This winter, I’m planning a return trip, armed with these lessons. Capturing the reflections in the moat with a long exposure is a shot I won’t miss again.

An ornate stone bridge with glowing lamps crosses water at dusk, its lights reflected on the surface, with a palace behind.

Next winter, I’m planning a return trip, armed with these lessons. Capturing the reflections in the moat with a long exposure is a shot I won’t miss again. A tripod will be in my backpack for sure.

Picture of Rohan Gillett
Rohan Gillett

Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5. The project will take more than one lifetime to complete.

You might also like