Kudanshita 九段下
Kudanshita is mostly the station name of the area comprising the Yasukuni Jinja and Chidorigafuchi.
Yasukuni Shrine 靖国神社
The (in)famous Yasukuni Shrine is one of the largest in Tokyo, and better known for being dedicated to 2,4 million war dead since 1853.
It is by far the most controversial shrine in Japan, as in 1979 several class-A war criminals became enshrine there.
That hasn't refrained politicians from visiting the shrine on the anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender on 15th August since then.
It has recently made the news when Prime Minister Juinichiro Koizumi visited it 4 times since August 2001. In addition to stirring discontentment in other Asian countries (esp. Korea and China), the visits were unconstitutional due to the separation of state and religion (Koizumi, who came accompanied of othe party members signed the log book as "Prime Minsiter Koizumi" and made a donation using the government's credit card).
Mr Koizumi could have visited the shrine secretly and anonymously, but his insistence on mediatising the event is only an attempt to please veterans, relatives of the war deads, as well as nationalists.
Chidorigafuchi 千鳥が淵 & Kitanomaru Park 北の丸公園
The North-Eastern moat of the Imperial Palace known as Chidorigafuchi is one of the most famous cherry-blossom viewing spot in Tokyo. Crowds gather between Kudanshita and Hanzomon stations to contemplate the snow-white blossoms. Individual boats can be rented near Hanzomon.
The Kitanomaru Park is one of the two areas of the Imperial Palace open to the public (along with the Imperial Palace East Garden). Although it is pleasant, it is not exceptional.
It is home to the Science Museum, National Museum of Modern Art & Craft Gallery and Nippon Budokan. This last one is used as a concert hall and for events such as graduation ceremonies in early April, at the same time as the cherry blossom viewing.
The massive walls and gates surrouding the palace's moat are made of such huge stones that they bring the pyramids of Cairo to shame. Do not miss the Tayasu-mon Gate (田安門) between Yasukuni Jinja and the Nippon Budokan.
Crossing the Kita-no-Maru Park, you wil reach the Imperial Palace East Gardens. Admission is free, although you will need to pick up a ticket so that the management can keep record of the number of visitors. This park is more sophisticated than Kita-no-Maru and make for an enjoyable stroll as well.
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