Major construction work on Edo Castle was initiated by the Tokugawa shogunate, the feudal government that brought long-term stability to Japan. A civil war between the Tokugawas and the Satsuma-Choshu alliance (a coalition of leaders of domains opposed to the shogunate) led to the shogunal government's collapse in 1867, whereupon power shifted to Emperor Meiji. When the Emperor moved from Kyoto to Edo and took occupancy of Edo Castle, the castle became the Imperial Palace. Edo, then a city of one million with a concentration of power and wealth, became the grounds upon which the Meiji government built the capital of modern-day Japan.

The heart of the palace grounds, known as Fukiage Gyoen (Fukiage Garden, a lush garden), contains the imperial living quarters. The Kyuden is the palace complex where official business is conducted, and the offices of the Imperial Household Agency are housed in another building. Although Fukiage Gyoen is closed to the public, visitors who have made advance reservations can take a guided tour around the area encompassing the Kyuden and the Imperial Household Agency. Citizens are also invited to come and pay their respects on two special days: during the New Year's season on January 2, and on the Emperor's birthday, December 23.

The original Kyuden burned down during World War II, but it was rebuilt in 1968. The new structure, which has two above-ground floors and one basement level with a total floor area of about 23,000 square meters, draws on classical Japanese architectural aesthetics. As the imperial headquarters for affairs of state, the Kyuden complex serves as the venue for the inaugural ceremonies of prime ministers and of Supreme Court chief justices; the investitures of ministers of state, ambassadors, and Supreme Court justices; and the ceremonies for the presentation of credentials for new ambassadors to Japan. And of course, foreign dignitaries are invited here for lavish imperial court dinners.