It was really worth our while to join an organized tour of Kyoto and Nara on Thursday. We saw so much history in these 2 cities. During World War II, this area of Japan was not destroyed by any air raids, therefore original structures remain.
We started the day by visiting the Nijo Castle - former home to the last Shogun of Japan. The castle was originally built in 1603 as the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu. It was completed in 1626 by the third Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu, with the addition of some structures transferred from Fushimi Castle (built in Momoyama period; 1573-1614). Nijo Castle is one of the finest examples of early Edo period and Momoyama culture in Japan, as it makes splendid use of early Edo period building designs, lavish paintings, and carvings that Iemitsu generously commissioned. In 1867, when Yoshinobu, the fifteenth Tokugawa Shogun returned sovereignty to the Emperor, the castle became the property of the Imperial family. In 1884, it was renamed the Nijo Detached Palace. It was donated to the City of Kyoto and returned Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo) in 1939. The castle was designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
It had an interesting "ADT system" called the Nightingale Floor. As we walked through the Castle the flooring sang underneath our feet. This was purposefully built this way to alarm the Shogun and his body guards of spies or assassins.
Next we toured the grounds of Rokuon-ji Temple, home to The Golden Pavilion. Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion) is a popular name for one of the main buildings of this temple, which is properly called Rokuon-ji Temple. In the 1220's it was the comfortable villa of Kintsune Saionji. Yoshimitsu, the 3rd Shogun of Ashikaga, abdicated the throne in 1394. After three years, he began to build Kitayamaden and he made a special effort to make it a breath-taking site. He indulged in his peaceful life in this serene setting. After Yoshimitsu's death, Kitayamaden was made into a Zen temple in accordance with his will. All the buildings of those days came to ruin except Kinkaku. The garden, however, remains as it was in former days and can be enjoyed as it was hundreds of years ago. Rokuon-ji Temple was inscribed as World Cultural Heritage in 1994. Interesting fact about this Temple is that the Japanese lacquer used to protect the gold leaf was more expensive than the gold leaf.
Next on the tour was the Kyoto Imperial Palace. In the year 794 the Emperor Kammu transferred the capital to Heian-kyo; the emperor lived in the Dairi (Imperial Residence), which itself was located in the center of the Daidairi. When the Dairi was destroyed by fire, the emperor moved his private residences to temporary imperial residences at the palaces of other noble families in the capital, which came to be known as the Satodairi. From the later half of the Heian period onwards, the original Dairi imperial residence gradually fell into disuse, while the Satodairi came to be the daily living quarters of the Emperor. The present day Kyoto Imperial Palace developed from the Satodairi called the Tsuchi-Mikado-Higashi-no-Toin-Dono. (WOW that's a mouth full). It was here that Emperor Kogan (rhymes with Hogan) was crowned in 1331. From then it wast he imperial residence until the year 1869, when Emperor Meiji moved the capital to Toyko. During the intervening centuries, there was a repeated pattern of destruction by fire, and subsequent reconstruction until 1885, when reconstruction took place and almost all of the buildings now standing today obtained their current form. The Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds, enclosed by a tsuijibei earthen wall, cover an area of approximately 27 acres.
Paige did better with lunch today as there was a kids menu. For the rest of us, we had a variety of Japanese foods. The most alarming was being presented with a bowl of what appeared to be raw chicken in a broth with vegetables. A sort of parchment paper lined the bowl. Leave it to Marc to try the broth in an effort to catch salmonella. Eventually, the waitress came along and lit a fire under the bowls. In no time, the raw mess turned into a nice soup. Paige really liked trying a green, gelatinous, slimy thing (in center of picture) which Kris did not find quite as appetizing.
In the afternoon, we bused to the Todai-ji Temple in Nara (pronounced Na-la). The Temple was built in the Nara period (710-794 A.D.) under the direction of Emperor Shomu. The Temple was officially positioned as one of many state established provincial temples. However, since the chief object of worship of the temple is Vaironcana Buddha (Buddha that shines throughout the world like the sun), a magnificent temple was built to reflect this importance. Today the Temple serves both as a place of prayer for peace and affluence on earth, as well as the center of Buddhist doctrinal research. Over the centuries, Todaiji has produced may scholar priests. The statue of Vaironcana Buddha is made from cast bronzed which was then plated with gold. The statue was consecrated in 752, but was damaged and repaired several times in the following centuries. The great Buddha hall was burned in the fires of 1180 and 1567, and the current building is actually the third generation structure, which was built in Edo period. It still ranks today as the largest wooden structure in the world. The structure itself and the statues inside are intimidating to say the least. It never ceases to amaze how these structures are built without modern day equipment. Hard to picture how the cypress trees were hauled and put into place without cranes. They used the entire tree trunk as pillars to support the Temple.
We started the day by visiting the Nijo Castle - former home to the last Shogun of Japan. The castle was originally built in 1603 as the official Kyoto residence of the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu. It was completed in 1626 by the third Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu, with the addition of some structures transferred from Fushimi Castle (built in Momoyama period; 1573-1614). Nijo Castle is one of the finest examples of early Edo period and Momoyama culture in Japan, as it makes splendid use of early Edo period building designs, lavish paintings, and carvings that Iemitsu generously commissioned. In 1867, when Yoshinobu, the fifteenth Tokugawa Shogun returned sovereignty to the Emperor, the castle became the property of the Imperial family. In 1884, it was renamed the Nijo Detached Palace. It was donated to the City of Kyoto and returned Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo) in 1939. The castle was designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
Next we toured the grounds of Rokuon-ji Temple, home to The Golden Pavilion. Kinkaku (Golden Pavilion) is a popular name for one of the main buildings of this temple, which is properly called Rokuon-ji Temple. In the 1220's it was the comfortable villa of Kintsune Saionji. Yoshimitsu, the 3rd Shogun of Ashikaga, abdicated the throne in 1394. After three years, he began to build Kitayamaden and he made a special effort to make it a breath-taking site. He indulged in his peaceful life in this serene setting. After Yoshimitsu's death, Kitayamaden was made into a Zen temple in accordance with his will. All the buildings of those days came to ruin except Kinkaku. The garden, however, remains as it was in former days and can be enjoyed as it was hundreds of years ago. Rokuon-ji Temple was inscribed as World Cultural Heritage in 1994. Interesting fact about this Temple is that the Japanese lacquer used to protect the gold leaf was more expensive than the gold leaf.
Next on the tour was the Kyoto Imperial Palace. In the year 794 the Emperor Kammu transferred the capital to Heian-kyo; the emperor lived in the Dairi (Imperial Residence), which itself was located in the center of the Daidairi. When the Dairi was destroyed by fire, the emperor moved his private residences to temporary imperial residences at the palaces of other noble families in the capital, which came to be known as the Satodairi. From the later half of the Heian period onwards, the original Dairi imperial residence gradually fell into disuse, while the Satodairi came to be the daily living quarters of the Emperor. The present day Kyoto Imperial Palace developed from the Satodairi called the Tsuchi-Mikado-Higashi-no-Toin-Dono. (WOW that's a mouth full). It was here that Emperor Kogan (rhymes with Hogan) was crowned in 1331. From then it wast he imperial residence until the year 1869, when Emperor Meiji moved the capital to Toyko. During the intervening centuries, there was a repeated pattern of destruction by fire, and subsequent reconstruction until 1885, when reconstruction took place and almost all of the buildings now standing today obtained their current form. The Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds, enclosed by a tsuijibei earthen wall, cover an area of approximately 27 acres.
Paige did better with lunch today as there was a kids menu. For the rest of us, we had a variety of Japanese foods. The most alarming was being presented with a bowl of what appeared to be raw chicken in a broth with vegetables. A sort of parchment paper lined the bowl. Leave it to Marc to try the broth in an effort to catch salmonella. Eventually, the waitress came along and lit a fire under the bowls. In no time, the raw mess turned into a nice soup. Paige really liked trying a green, gelatinous, slimy thing (in center of picture) which Kris did not find quite as appetizing.
In the afternoon, we bused to the Todai-ji Temple in Nara (pronounced Na-la). The Temple was built in the Nara period (710-794 A.D.) under the direction of Emperor Shomu. The Temple was officially positioned as one of many state established provincial temples. However, since the chief object of worship of the temple is Vaironcana Buddha (Buddha that shines throughout the world like the sun), a magnificent temple was built to reflect this importance. Today the Temple serves both as a place of prayer for peace and affluence on earth, as well as the center of Buddhist doctrinal research. Over the centuries, Todaiji has produced may scholar priests. The statue of Vaironcana Buddha is made from cast bronzed which was then plated with gold. The statue was consecrated in 752, but was damaged and repaired several times in the following centuries. The great Buddha hall was burned in the fires of 1180 and 1567, and the current building is actually the third generation structure, which was built in Edo period. It still ranks today as the largest wooden structure in the world. The structure itself and the statues inside are intimidating to say the least. It never ceases to amaze how these structures are built without modern day equipment. Hard to picture how the cypress trees were hauled and put into place without cranes. They used the entire tree trunk as pillars to support the Temple.
I have been to those places and have done that tour it was amazing. I love your photos. :.)
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