Centrally located in a beautiful park, the present palace was completed in 1855, so it housed only two emperors, including the young emperor Meiji before the imperial household was moved to Tokyo. The original, built for Emperor Kammu to the west of the present site, burned down in 1788. A new palace, modeled after the original, went up on the present site, but it, too, ended in flames. The Gosho is a large but simple wooden building that can hardly be described as palatial. On the one-hour tour you'll only have a chance for a brief glimpse of the Shishin-den -- the hall where the inauguration of emperors and other important imperial ceremonies take place -- and a visit to the Edo-era gardens, where you'll see a bridge made from zelkova wood. Though a trip to the Imperial Palace is on most people's agenda and it fills a lot of real estate, it's less interesting than some of Kyoto's older historical sites.

Guided tours, available in English, start at the Seisho-mon entrance. It's necessary to reserve ahead a few days in person at the office of the Imperial Household Agency (Kunaicho), which is on the palace grounds; you'll need to show your passport. The office is closed weekends. You can also apply for a tour online a few days in advance. To get to the palace, take the Karasuma Line of the subway in the direction of Kokusaikaikan. Get off at Imadegawa Station, and use the Number 6 Exit. Cross the street and turn right. Enter the palace through the Inui Go-mon gate on your left.