With reservation in hand we lined up for the Imperial Palace promptly at 9:40 am. A summarized version of the palace’s history: In 784 the emperor moved the capital from what is now called Nara to Kyoto. The palace burned down many times and during reconstruction the emperor would stay with noble families. This practice was called sato-dairi. These residences became temporary imperial palaces. The palace that now stands is in fact one of the sato-dairi or temporary residences. It was rebuilt after yet another fire in 1854 in the original Heian style.
This palace is special for it was the site that the last shogun relinquished his power to the emperor. At that time the country was on the verge of a civil war. Some people supported the Shogun and others supported the emperor. Many foreign countries such as France, Britain, and the USA showed interest and supported one side or the other. Both sides of leadership recognized that a civil war would leave the country vulnerable to foreign powers. Thus, for the good of the country the last shogun handed over his political power to the emperor.
The tour took an hour and had a wonderful English speaking tour guide. The tour and entrance were free. There is a five day period in the fall and in the spring when they open the gates and you can enter without a reservation. The main reason to go during these times is that they will also open many of the sliding doors to exhibit the murals of many of the rooms. During the rest of the year these doors remain closed to preserve the artwork. I personally don’t think fighting the crowds would be worth it.
After the Imperial Palace we headed for the number one must see site, the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku/ Rokuon-ji Temple). It originally belonged to a statesman, but it caught the eye of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the 3rd shogun of the Muromachi period. He took the estate in 1397 and built his own home. He claimed that the gardens and buildings were to represent the “Pure Land of Buddha in this world”. After the shogun died, his will converted the estate into a Buddhist temple. It derives its name from the name given to him in the afterlife, Rokuon-in-den.
Even in low season this site is extremely crowded. I was amazed by the crowds. Plan on getting there at opening and on spending roughly an hour and a half. It is such a wonderful photo op. The Golden Pavilion itself is covered in gold foil (99% of the country’s gold foil comes from my next stop Kanazawa) and has a gold phoenix on its roof. The rest of the estate is a nice stroll with gardens and a pond. The entire time all I wanted was some jasmine green tea. Bring your own to feel more zen or pay 500 yen to sit in a tea garden.
The last stop of the day was the Ryoanji Temple. This temple and its famous rock garden is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The entire complex takes an hour or an hour and a half depending on how into photography you are. As soon as you enter you walk along one side of Kyoyochi Pond. It is known for its mandarin ducks and Lilly-pads. The path leads to Kuri or the main building of the temple. Inside you can sit and ponder the many questions the rock garden poses. There are 15 rocks, yet you can’t see them all at one time regardless of where you stand. My initial reaction was a bit of bewilderment. I am sure this garden holds many secrets well beyond my understanding, but it sure did seem to be just a lot of rocks scattered around white gravel. The garden measures 25 meters from east to west and 10 meters from south to north. It is unique from the gardens constructed in the Middle Ages because it has no trees or water. It was built around 1500 by a Zen monk named Tokuho Zenketsu. The rest of the grounds made for a relaxing stroll.
Next stop Eiheiji Temple!
This palace is special for it was the site that the last shogun relinquished his power to the emperor. At that time the country was on the verge of a civil war. Some people supported the Shogun and others supported the emperor. Many foreign countries such as France, Britain, and the USA showed interest and supported one side or the other. Both sides of leadership recognized that a civil war would leave the country vulnerable to foreign powers. Thus, for the good of the country the last shogun handed over his political power to the emperor.
The tour took an hour and had a wonderful English speaking tour guide. The tour and entrance were free. There is a five day period in the fall and in the spring when they open the gates and you can enter without a reservation. The main reason to go during these times is that they will also open many of the sliding doors to exhibit the murals of many of the rooms. During the rest of the year these doors remain closed to preserve the artwork. I personally don’t think fighting the crowds would be worth it.
After the Imperial Palace we headed for the number one must see site, the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku/ Rokuon-ji Temple). It originally belonged to a statesman, but it caught the eye of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the 3rd shogun of the Muromachi period. He took the estate in 1397 and built his own home. He claimed that the gardens and buildings were to represent the “Pure Land of Buddha in this world”. After the shogun died, his will converted the estate into a Buddhist temple. It derives its name from the name given to him in the afterlife, Rokuon-in-den.
Even in low season this site is extremely crowded. I was amazed by the crowds. Plan on getting there at opening and on spending roughly an hour and a half. It is such a wonderful photo op. The Golden Pavilion itself is covered in gold foil (99% of the country’s gold foil comes from my next stop Kanazawa) and has a gold phoenix on its roof. The rest of the estate is a nice stroll with gardens and a pond. The entire time all I wanted was some jasmine green tea. Bring your own to feel more zen or pay 500 yen to sit in a tea garden.
The last stop of the day was the Ryoanji Temple. This temple and its famous rock garden is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The entire complex takes an hour or an hour and a half depending on how into photography you are. As soon as you enter you walk along one side of Kyoyochi Pond. It is known for its mandarin ducks and Lilly-pads. The path leads to Kuri or the main building of the temple. Inside you can sit and ponder the many questions the rock garden poses. There are 15 rocks, yet you can’t see them all at one time regardless of where you stand. My initial reaction was a bit of bewilderment. I am sure this garden holds many secrets well beyond my understanding, but it sure did seem to be just a lot of rocks scattered around white gravel. The garden measures 25 meters from east to west and 10 meters from south to north. It is unique from the gardens constructed in the Middle Ages because it has no trees or water. It was built around 1500 by a Zen monk named Tokuho Zenketsu. The rest of the grounds made for a relaxing stroll.
Next stop Eiheiji Temple!