KYOTO
This city is a must-see for all visitors to Japan, blending the elements of the old with the elements of the new in a strange but very Japanese way. A fabulous city! Let's enjoy Kyoto!
This is one of the battlements, with wall and moat, protecting the famous Nijou castle in Kyoto. The castle itself is pretty interesting. All of the floors are specially designed "Nightingale" floors, that squeak when you walk on them. This was to detect intruders. The castle also had a nice garden and a decent view of the city from one of the higher battlements. There were also some nice screen paintings on the doors, featuring tigers (which the artist had never seen but relied on descriptions), and beautiful scenery.
Being the boring tourists that we are, we generally followed these signs. Who says we have to make our own roads?
This was one of the highlights of not only Kyoto, but of all of Japan. Believe it or not, these are not postcards, but photographs taken with my very own (expensive) camera. It is known as the "Golden Pavilion", or Kinkakuji. Beautiful, ain't she? In fact, this was rebuilt in the 1960s because the original was burned down by an obsessed priest who thought it was too perfect. The whole building is covered in pure gold, and the location is beautiful and peaceful when not overflowing with tourists. A very pleasant walk resides behind this famous shrine.