New Year Greetings to the Imperial Family


 Only twice a year, Visit of the General Public to the Palace takes place.

On January 2, ordinary citizens all over the world can cross the double bridge and offer new year greetings to the Imperial Family. I visited the Palace. I walked to the place near the main gate to the Palace from Tokyo Station.

What a beautiful day it is !
The Imperial Family appear on the balcony of the Palace five times on the day. I joined the first appearance. So many people wait for guidance leading to the inner grounds in the Imperial Palace Plaza.
The main gate to the Palace
It is 10:10 a.m. for the Imperial Family to appear on the balcony for the first time on the day.
Elegant Fushimi Yagura is seen up-close.
On the other side, we see the Imperial Palace Plaza and the Marunouchi business district.
That is the Palace. It is just 10:10 a.m.
The Palace building was built in 1968. Various kinds of ceremonies and official functions are held in the Palace.
Feeling overwhelmed with emotion
The last year, on the first day of the new year, a big earthquake hit and heavily damaged Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture so Visit of the General Public to the Palace was cancelled. This year's Visit had also no limitation to the number of visitors. Visit in 2023 had a limitation to the number due to the concern about Covid.
On the balcony, from left, Princess Hitachi(Hanako), The Empress Emerita(Michiko) and The Emperor Emeritus(Akihito), The Emperor(Naruhito) and The Empress(Masako), Princess Aiko, Crown Prince Akishino(Fumihito) and Crown Princess Akishino(Kiko), Princess Kako.
Personally, I have some memories about the Imperial Family and a lot of things to talk to you about the Family. If you join me in the near future, we may talk to each other about that while walking.    
That is Fujimi Yagura in the background of the Marunouchi business district.
Visitors to the Palace walk through four gates to leave.
One of four gates to leave
On that day, the number of visitors was 60,000.