On our last full day in Kyoto, we visited Nijō Castle. This is a flatland castle. The castle consists of two concentric rings (Kuruwa) of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens. The surface area of the castle is 275,000 square metres (2,960,000 sq ft), of which 8,000 square metres (86,000 sq ft) is occupied by buildings. The entire castle is surrounded by a moat.
As with so many Japanese sites, the gardens are the main attraction.
From atop the highest point of the castle looking down on the moat.
After a stroll through these beautiful gardens, we went off for lunch where I struggled with some noodles.
After lunch and shopping, Jody and I returned to our AirB&B where our host took us out to meet a friend of his who specializes in kimonos and other Japanese artwork. The following images are some examples of her collection. Most of these pieces are silk with some being hundreds of years old.
This is a piece of a 400 year-old kimono.
But, of course Jody just HAD to be fitted for ANOTHER kimono with all the bells and whistles to go along with it.
The completed Obi.
Ando, the artist and kimono maker, even told Jody how to stand and show off the intricate kimono artistry. Jody got this whole outfit for a song. The fact that this was a handmake used silk kimono in excellent condition was a big plus. New kimonos go for literally multiple thousands of dollars.
Our host, Yoshio, and Ando took us out on the streets surrounding Ando's shop and treated us to dinner. This street was filled with dining establishments.
And in the center - shrimp tempura. Yum!
A final picture of a happy Jody after another full day in Kyoto. Back to Hachioji tomorrow.
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