It has been well over a year since my last post. Photography had taken a back seat to other priorities, leaving little time to get out with my camera. That changed recently when I traveled to Japan for a culinary expedition with one of my favorite chefs. During my visit, I had the opportunity to spend a few moments exploring the grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Although my stop was brief, it was enough time to admire and photograph one of Tokyo’s most iconic landmarks.
The Tokyo Imperial Palace serves as the official residence of the Emperor of Japan. While much of the surrounding grounds and gardens are open to visitors throughout the year, access to certain areas of the palace itself is limited, with guided tours available to the public only twice annually. The palace complex sits within an expansive park that is home to a number of historic structures and scenic features.
The bridge in the foreground of this photograph is the Seimon Ishibashi, commonly known as the Stone Bridge, which leads to the Main Gate of the Imperial Palace. In the background stands the Fujimi-yagura, a historic guard tower that has watched over the palace grounds for centuries.
This image was taken with my Sony A7R V using my Sony FE 24-105 mm f/4 Lens set on 42 mm. The camera was set on Manual mode with the aperture set at f/16, shutter speed at 1/8th of a second, and ISO set at 64. I used a Circular Polarizing Filter to minimize the glare off the water. I handheld the camera for this photo. This is a single image processed in Lightroom and completed in Photoshop using Nik Color Efex 7.
T. Kahler Photography
© 2026 T. Kahler Photography, All Rights Reserved
Beautiful!
That’s a lovely photo. I was there in October of 2024. It’s a peaceful area which was surprising to me. And Tokyo is so quiet for such an urban environment.
Hi Lisa! Thank you for the comment. Yes, it’s a very peaceful place and a quiet city. Many places to relax and reflect.