Fukiage Palace
Building structure and role
Designed by Shōzō Uchii, it was completed in 1993 at a cost of ¥5.6 billion (US$52 million, equivalent to US$110 million in 2023). A reinforced concrete structure, it has an area of roughly 4,940 m (53,200 sq ft). It consists of sixty-two rooms spread over three floors, including a basement level.
It has three main wings:
- A residential wing of private apartments on the eastern side, consisting of seventeen rooms, for a total floor area of 870 m (9,400 sq ft).
- A wing of thirty-two office rooms on the northern side.
- A wing dedicated to guest receptions on the southern side, consisting of eleven rooms.
This palace is where the Emperor lives, not to be confused with the main palace (宮殿, Kyūden), where various imperial court functions and receptions take place, and where most dinners with foreign heads of state happen.
Official name
In accordance with the imperial naming conventions, it was renamed Fukiage Sento Palace (吹上仙洞御所, Fukiage Sentō Gosho) when Emperor Akihito abdicated on 30 April 2019. Akihito left the palace on March 31, 2020. His son Naruhito moved in there in September 2021. When the Emperor resides, it is simply referred to as the Imperial Palace (御所, Gosho).
References
- ^ "吹上新御所(仮称)" [The new Fukiage Palace]. Shinkenchiku (in Japanese). 68 (8): 165–180. August 1993.
- ^ "｢皇居｣の真実をどれだけ知っていますか" [How much do you know about the truth of the Imperial Palace?]. Tokyo Keizai Online. 27 April 2016.
- ^ "（教えて！天皇の代替わり：５）お住まいの改修や引っ越し、前回は？" [How it works when the Emperor changes: moving and maintenance works.]. Asahi Shinbun. 15 March 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
External links
- Imperial Household Agency site, with a few pictures of the palace
- Additional pictures of the palace
