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Kyoto used to be the capital of Japan, and I finally got around to visiting the Imperial palace. It requires reservations.
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Kyoto used to be the capital of Japan, and I finally got around to visiting the Imperial palace. It requires reservations.
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Shot into one of the sections of the palace. This place was enormous.
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Shot into one of the sections of the palace. This place was enormous.
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Unfortunately all the English tours were full, so I had to sign up for the Japanese tour.
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Unfortunately all the English tours were full, so I had to sign up for the Japanese tour.
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A waiting room in one of the palace buildings. There are three. This is the sakura room.
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A waiting room in one of the palace buildings. There are three. This is the sakura room.
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This is the tiger room. (The other is the crane room.) You waited in a different room depending on how important you were.
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This is the tiger room. (The other is the crane room.) You waited in a different room depending on how important you were.
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One of the entry gates to the palace
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One of the entry gates to the palace
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This was the main ceremony hall of the palace. It was gigantic for a Japanese building. (Hard to get the scale in this picture.) On the left is a banzai orange tree.
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This was the main ceremony hall of the palace. It was gigantic for a Japanese building. (Hard to get the scale in this picture.) On the left is a banzai orange tree.
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Same building. On the right is a sakura tree. There is something signifigant about this orange sakura tree thing, as I saw it crop up other places.
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Same building. On the right is a sakura tree. There is something signifigant about this orange sakura tree thing, as I saw it crop up other places.
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Whole ceremony hall.
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Whole ceremony hall.
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The whole place was very indicative of that at once minimalist and ornamental approach of the each. Notice the subtle details on the gutters.
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The whole place was very indicative of that at once minimalist and ornamental approach of the each. Notice the subtle details on the gutters.
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The emperor's private chambers. That private tent (for dressing? sleeping?) reminds me what a trying job it must have been,
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The emperor's private chambers. That private tent (for dressing? sleeping?) reminds me what a trying job it must have been,
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I liked this elevated walkway across from the residence. On the left there is our tour guide. Adorable.
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I liked this elevated walkway across from the residence. On the left there is our tour guide. Adorable.
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Bridge in the palace garden.
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Bridge in the palace garden.
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The stone shortline is an important feature of the garden.
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The stone shortline is an important feature of the garden.
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More detailing. Notice the bolts have the royal chrysanthemum on them!
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More detailing. Notice the bolts have the royal chrysanthemum on them!
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Shot of the rooves
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Shot of the rooves
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Still inside the walls, but more on the outskirts of the grounds, I run into my first blossoming sakura (cherry trees)
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Still inside the walls, but more on the outskirts of the grounds, I run into my first blossoming sakura (cherry trees)
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Shidare (weeping) sakura bloom earlier than most varieties, so most of my pictures are of this species.
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Shidare (weeping) sakura bloom earlier than most varieties, so most of my pictures are of this species.
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In the park outside the palace were more blooming shidare sakura. I loved this shot because there were several different shades, and another blossoming tree making lovely colors.
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In the park outside the palace were more blooming shidare sakura. I loved this shot because there were several different shades, and another blossoming tree making lovely colors.
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I tried a close up, but didn't exactly succeed. You still have the detail of the one in the background.
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I tried a close up, but didn't exactly succeed. You still have the detail of the one in the background.
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Nearly full bloom.
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Nearly full bloom.
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The shidare sakura have a s distinct, different shape from the regular trees.
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The shidare sakura have a s distinct, different shape from the regular trees.
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As you can see, the natives also came out in force at the first sign of blooms.
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As you can see, the natives also came out in force at the first sign of blooms.
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This was a beautiful scene of a tree at the water's edge.
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This was a beautiful scene of a tree at the water's edge.
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Another angle that gets the bridge.
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Another angle that gets the bridge.
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Same day, still waiting for Greg to get up, I go visit Yasaka JInja and Maruyama Koen. I tried to catch this same photo in an earlier trip. This one came out better.
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Same day, still waiting for Greg to get up, I go visit Yasaka JInja and Maruyama Koen. I tried to catch this same photo in an earlier trip. This one came out better.
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You can see they are getting ready for hanami matsuri (flower viewing festival). Everything just goes nuts at hanami time.
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You can see they are getting ready for hanami matsuri (flower viewing festival). Everything just goes nuts at hanami time.
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The giant sakura tree at the center of Maruyama Koen is partway in bloom.
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The giant sakura tree at the center of Maruyama Koen is partway in bloom.
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Maruyama Koen (park) is a lovely place. There are often people performing by the central clock plaza.
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Maruyama Koen (park) is a lovely place. There are often people performing by the central clock plaza.
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The park leads into several temple areas. Here is a pagoda in the distance.
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The park leads into several temple areas. Here is a pagoda in the distance.
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I had on my agenda to find this tea shop, Rakusho, because of its lovely koi (carp) pond.
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I had on my agenda to find this tea shop, Rakusho, because of its lovely koi (carp) pond.
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I was glad my google map led me true. This is the shop front. It is located on Ninen-zaka (a street of traditional storefronts), just outside the park.
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I was glad my google map led me true. This is the shop front. It is located on Ninen-zaka (a street of traditional storefronts), just outside the park.
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And here is the entrance to the amazing ryokan where we stayed, The Three Sisters Inn (Annex).
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And here is the entrance to the amazing ryokan where we stayed, The Three Sisters Inn (Annex).
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A view of the entrance into the establishment
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A view of the entrance into the establishment
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You pass the garden which our room overlooked on the way in.
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You pass the garden which our room overlooked on the way in.
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And here is the great view of the garden from our room. The walls hid nearly all of the city. It felt very peaceful and secluded.
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And here is the great view of the garden from our room. The walls hid nearly all of the city. It felt very peaceful and secluded.
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And here's the little sitting area where we enjoyed the garden.
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And here's the little sitting area where we enjoyed the garden.
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A shidare sakura blooming at Heian Jingu. This is one of my favorite shrines, and there are several pictures of it in my previous trips.
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A shidare sakura blooming at Heian Jingu. This is one of my favorite shrines, and there are several pictures of it in my previous trips.
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The cold snap (which delayed the Sakura T_T) made it quite chilly. Greg photographed me bundled up on the Heain Jingu bridge.
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The cold snap (which delayed the Sakura T_T) made it quite chilly. Greg photographed me bundled up on the Heain Jingu bridge.
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Kinkakuji, the golden pavilion. Leafed with real gold, this is a tourist mecca, and you see it in all the tourism photos.
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Kinkakuji, the golden pavilion. Leafed with real gold, this is a tourist mecca, and you see it in all the tourism photos.
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The next morning I want to Hirano Jinja. We had passed it on the bus en route to Kinkuji yesterday. I wanted a close look.
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The next morning I want to Hirano Jinja. We had passed it on the bus en route to Kinkuji yesterday. I wanted a close look.
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The sakura were starting to bloom here, and even the shrines gear up for hanami matsuri.
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The sakura were starting to bloom here, and even the shrines gear up for hanami matsuri.
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I loved this little walk. Those wrapped up papers were drawing that children had done, mainly of the trees.
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I loved this little walk. Those wrapped up papers were drawing that children had done, mainly of the trees.
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The festivals include food vendor stalls and games.
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The festivals include food vendor stalls and games.
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The Philosopher's Walk. This pretty stroll along the canal would be bursting with life in a week or so, when all the sakura bloom.
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The Philosopher's Walk. This pretty stroll along the canal would be bursting with life in a week or so, when all the sakura bloom.
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However, shirakawa doori in Gion was already in bloom. This lovely little street is in front of traditional storefronts.
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However, shirakawa doori in Gion was already in bloom. This lovely little street is in front of traditional storefronts.
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This temple in the outskirts of town also had some trees in bloom.
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This temple in the outskirts of town also had some trees in bloom.
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It was nice to get some shots of the sakura against the temples.
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It was nice to get some shots of the sakura against the temples.
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The secret was out about this temple though, and it was SO CROWDED.
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The secret was out about this temple though, and it was SO CROWDED.
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