Advertisement
Entrance to Nijo-jo
A big gate for a big castle We left Kurashiki on the 9am train bound for Kyoto via a local train to Okayama and the bullet train to Kyoto.
We dropped our bags off at the ryokan, a lovely traditional Japanese guest house with tatami mats and futon bedding, then headed out into the city.
We stopped first at Nijo-jo, a 17th century castle in the centre of Kyoto. The castle was the official local residence of the Shogun and was built to symbolise his prestige and power. It certainly must have worked as it was most impressive! The insides were superb, but we couldn't take any pictures in there to preserve the delicate and intricate paintings and gold leaf in the rooms. Years after seeing Shogun on TV, it was weird to see an actual setting in which the real Shoguns met visitors; him sat metres away from everyone and with armoured warriors hidden from view ready to pounce should someone attack.
The castle floors even had built in squeaks to sound like nightingales singing so as to warn of any intruders - paranoia or what?!
After Nijo we walked for what seemed like ages to get to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Temple
Nijo-jo and It's Moat
Ninomaru Palace Wall and surrounding water and we got into the grounds only for me (Alistair) to realise I'd lost my glasses along the way and couldn't see any detail of anything I would look at! So we headed back into town to find an opticians to see if I could get some new prescription glasses, despite me only knowing my contact lens prescription and armed only with a tourist phrasebook.
Unfortunately the line "I've been a total muppet and wasted my own and partner's holiday time" wasn't in the phrase book, but "I've lost my glasses" and "I need some new ones" were! The assistant was most helpful, she tested my eyes and determined my prescription in thrity seconds (Specsavers take note) and gave me the choice of the prescription she'd taken or my own contacts one - I opted for hers and in less than an hour had new glasses and Gucci ones to boot!
We then spent the rest of the evening in the massive shopping district, looking for bargains and spotting some, but not necessarily buying any! So another long day draws to a close. We are here in Kyoto until Sunday, but we're visiting a couple of places out
Nijo-jo
Ninomaru Palace built in 1603 of town on two of the days. Tomorrow, we're going to visit some more of the seemingly hundreds of temples and other historical buildings in Kyoto. Sayonara!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.076s; Tpl: 0.014s; cc: 8; qc: 55; dbt: 0.0458s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Helen
non-member comment
Day 5
First off I'd like to say what a dazzlingly fine shirt that is! I'm laughing alot about your glasses incident! typical! Sounds like you're having a great time. What food are you eating and how much of that is chocolate?? Don't forget the sunblock! Have fun! Love Helen.