I've done the Tokyo Imperial Palace grounds walk, and I was struck by how well the emperor's residence is shielded from the public by trees. I literally couldn't see anything. I did enjoy the small art museum on the grounds, which shows a rotating selection from the imperial collection.

If you want to see a lot at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, don't take the tour. Just buy the tour book available at the gatehouse, which shows the interiors. Otherwise, all you'll see is the outsides of buildings. I asked why the tours didn't take us inside, and the guide mumbled something about preserving the privacy of the imperial family, which I thought was strange, since they don't live in Kyoto and haven't since the 1860s.

But then, the Imperial Household Agency, which manages both palaces, has always been a bunch of stuffy fuddie-duddies.