Route difficulty: ⭐️⭐️ [jog] This route takes you on a 3-mile loop. At the Imperial Palace, it is a rule to go counterclockwise. This course is popular among Tokyo residents because you can run around the Imperial Palace without having to wait at traffic lights. The national garden includes three museums and is popular with people for its fascinating history and natural environment. The grounds ring the Imperial Palace, residence of the emperor, and include a landscaped plaza in front of the palace, 12 moats, and Kitanomaru Garden. These grounds were all once part of Edo Castle, originally built in 1457. Its moats as well as several gates, bridges, watchtowers, and impressive stone walls remain. Many are designated Special Historic Sites and Important Cultural Properties of Japan.