TOKYO - A new rest facility featuring the first cafe inside the Imperial Palace opened in Tokyo's East Gardens on November 3, offering visitors a rooftop terrace with panoramic views, exhibits on the Imperial Family, and exclusive souvenirs.
The Ote Rest Area, located next to the palace's Ote-mon Gate, welcomed large numbers of visitors on its opening day as clear autumn skies provided ideal conditions for exploring the gardens.
The single-story wooden building was designed to blend into the historic surroundings of the Imperial Palace, with a low-profile exterior that minimizes its impact on the landscape. Visitors can access a rooftop terrace offering sweeping views of the palace grounds, surrounding greenery, and nearby cityscape.
Inside, a spacious rest area provides opportunities to learn about the activities and history of the Imperial Family, making the facility more than simply a place to take a break while touring the gardens.
The new complex also houses a branch of Sarutahiko Coffee, marking the first time a cafe has operated within the Imperial Palace grounds. The cafe offers an exclusive coffee blend, cake sets, and specially designed souvenir bottles featuring illustrations of the East Gardens.
The rest facility also sells a range of limited-edition souvenirs, including tote bags and traditional Japanese hand towels known as tenugui, giving visitors an opportunity to purchase items available only at the palace.
Visitors welcomed the addition, saying the new facilities could make the Imperial Palace feel more accessible to the public.
"I think this will give people a reason to visit the Imperial Palace," one visitor said. "It has always felt a little distant, but this creates an opportunity to feel more familiar with it and closer to it."
Another visitor praised the building's architecture, saying, "The interior feels quite open, but the exterior has been built very low, so it blends naturally into the surroundings. You could also smell the fresh wood inside."
The opening attracted numerous visitors from overseas, with the new rest area bustling throughout its first day as tourists explored the facilities and enjoyed the autumn scenery.
Source: TBS
