The Imperial Palace is the core of Tokyo. And the metropolitan area of
Tokyo spreads out around it.
The road network which can be said as the frame of the metropolis sets a main axis as the Imperial Palace, and consists of circular roads which are piled up around the Palace, and radial roads which extend in all the directions to the suburbs like a stellar shaft of light.
Uchibori road is the most inner circular road around the Imperial Palace.. It is called the circular No. 1 line road in the technical term. As the name implies, this road runs along Uchibori the inner moat of the Imperial Palace.
Since it is running around the center of Tokyo, the most important places of the country are situated around. For example, the area with the buildings of government organization like the National Diet and the street lined with office buildings in Marunouchi and Otemachi are located along this road.
Moreover, along with the water surface of the moat, there are roadside trees of cherry or willow, and open spaces of relaxation are dotted here and there.
Among many roads in Tokyo, it can be called the place which the essence of the country condensed.
The length of a round is about 5km. Since it is a suitable distance to make a walk or a jogging, many people come and run along this road on a holiday. It is rather pleasant to walk looking at scenery along the way, although the exhaust gas of the car which runs on a road may be worrisome.
One day in January, 2005、 I walked along this road with a digital camera in my hand.
I started from Tokyo Station and walked from there in the counter clockwise direction.
If I saw the beautiful scenery, I stopped to take some pictures, or if I met interesting thing, I separated from the way. Therefore my short trip took a quite long time, but that was the real thrill of a walk.
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