Imperial Palace Guards

This is for a novel I'm writing. Google has failed me, so I'm hoping someone here knows. At the Tokyo imperial palace, are there guards at the gates overnight? Walking the grounds? Or are they only there during the day when the gates are open?

Thanks!

ummmmm ok...

without thinking your a criminal or terrorist and giving you the benifit of the doubt...

yes, like Buckingham palace,white house or any other place with important people or structures they are protected 24 hours a day.

ummmmm ok...

without thinking your a criminal or terrorist and giving you the benifit of the doubt...

Criminals and terrorists do tend to be prolific novel writers, so I can understand why your first instinct is to be suspicious.

Hope this helps.
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%9A%87%E5%AE%AE%E8%AD%B7%E8%A1%9B%E5%A...

At the Imperial Villa at Hayama Beach, the guards are quite friendly and will say "konnichiwa" to you as you pass by in your bathing suits or will kindly recommend some nice restaurants when you're sort of lost and hungry after missing your off-season lunch hour.

the poster was wondering if they patrol at night, although it was more a joke the reality but come on, if a person asked that in japan he would be questioned:D BA in criminology and first tactic they use is oh its for work or research::D

but if the above response poster read what he asked, he wanted to know if they patrol at night, if at gatehouse so on, and that is the joke/concern is when a person asks for patrol positions at night lol, just pointing out :)

I'm just joking with you, no need to take ourselves too seriously now ;)

Thanks! I had forgotten about the fact that the imperial family actually lives on the grounds so of course there would be guards. (Duh!)

The solution will have to be for certain characters to turn invisible. Which should tell you that if I am in fact a criminal, I am a delusional one who could not actually pull off a crime anyway. ;)