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Official Residence A virtual tour of the former Kantei (Prime Minister's Official Residence)
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The Main Entrance > The Front Courtyard > The South Garden (1) > The South Garden (2)
The South Garden (2)
A treasure trove of nature and history
Trees in the South Garden
Trees in the South Garden
Photo No.1 Trees in the South Garden Photo No.2 The cherry tree in the South Garden
Though situated in the heart of Tokyo, the Kantei is blessed with abundant nature. The grounds are on elevated land, on which about 1,100 trees were planted at the time of construction. In 1964, the year of the Tokyo Olympics, many of the trees were removed or replanted when a portion of the plot was shaved off to make room for construction of the Shuto Expressway.

Later, as high-rise buildings were constructed in the surrounding area, Himalayan cedars, evergreen broad-leaved trees and other trees that provide cover from the outside were added. In total, there were about 450 trees on the Kantei premises.

This "Kantei forest," which also includes Japanese apricot and cherry trees, as well as azaleas, hydrangeas, maples and camellias, features the natural beauty of all four seasons.

There were also many garden stones in the South Garden. Among them were stones that were used in the former Nabeshima Mansion as well as stones that were dug out of the stone wall of Edo Castle from the site of the former Interior Ministry. It is interesting to note that the stone materials used for the stone wall of Edo Castle were originally donated by each of the feudal domains, and geometrical markings that are thought to be the crests of each domain can still be seen on many of these stones today.
The South Garden (1)
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