Kyoto

Kyoto is amazing.  Traditionally, Kyoto, not Tokyo, was the capital of Japan, and each emperor and shogun built his own palace.   Fortunately, Kyoto was not bombed in WWII, so it has survived intact ... sorta.  Since the buildings are made primarily of wood, several have been destroyed or burned down over the centuries so we frequently visit a thirteenth century site that was rebuilt in the 1960's.  But they stuck to the original design so it's okay, right?  Kyoto has over 400 Shinto shrines and 1,650 Buddhist temples scattered around its regions.

Our first stop in Kyoto was the Golden Pavilion, a beautiful (and fairly recently reconstructed) building covered in gold leaf, and surrounded by a beautiful garden.  Unfortunately, you cannot go inside, but it was worth seeing the outside.

Next we visited the Nijo Castle
, which was built in 1603.  While the emperor had a primarily ceremonial role during most of Japan's history, the real power was held by the shogun.  Nijo Castle was the home of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a family that ruled for fifteen generations from 1603 to 1867, a rare period of peace and prosperity in Japan.  This so-called Edo period was also isolationist, with Japan closed off to most of the world.  In this Castle in 1867, the last Tokugawa shogun  "retired," ceding power back to the Meiji Emperor and thus beginning the Meiji restoration when Japan opened itself back up to the world (with a little help from an American incursion.)  

A unique design makes the floors of the castle make a sound like nightingales singing.  Also, the beautiful painted wall screens include scenes of tigers although there were none in Japan.  The artists created them from imported furs and sketches from China.

The next day we visited the Sanjusangendo Temple which is renowned for its 1000 life size statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy and one gigantic one of him in the middle.  This Temple was first built in 1164, and although the original building was lost in a fire, it was reconstructed in 1266, and that is the building that we saw.  Each statue, which has a unique face, has 11 heads and 42 arms.  In front of the 1000 statues are more statues of various Buddhist gods and beings.  

In the afternoon, we visited the Miho Museum which contains Western antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, and Roman) as well as Japanese treasures.  The building itself is a work of art.  Designed by I.M. Pei, it is primarily underground so as not to destroy the view of the mountains where it is located.  But there is no sense of darkness in the building.  Unfortunately, I spent too much time in the Western wing and ran out of time to fully appreciate the Japanese art.  I should have started there.

We topped the day off with an incredible chicken yakitori dinner.  Of course they first served soup and then a salad.  Then, as I expected, a skewer of chicken.  Then they brought out another skewer with a different sauce.  Then wings on a skewer.  Then another skewer with a different sauce.  Every time I thought I could not eat another bite, they brought out another skewer.  How many different ways can you skewer chicken?  Well, then a skewer of chicken liver.  Then a skewer of grilled chicken skin.  I think there was a dessert but I was rolling on the floor by then.

Today we visited Nara, Japan's capital from 710 to 784, to see Daibutsu, the world's largest bronze Buddha statue in the Todaiji Temple.  The temple is located on the side of the mountain and the property is inhabited by hundreds of deer who coexist peacefully with the Buddha and the tourists (although the males do not always coexist peacefully with each other.)

We had one last half day in Osaka where we toured the Osaka Castle.  First built in 1583, it was the seat of a shogun who united Japan in the sixteenth century.  Over the centuries, the original castle was destroyed and rebuilt several times although the moat and moat walls are original.  The castle held ammunition supplies during WWII and was completely destroyed by American bombing raids.  So we toured the 1997 reconstruction.  But it looked pretty.  And a great view from the eighth floor.  We were rushed for time and the lines were long, so I even hiked up all eight floors.

And finally ... one last okonomiyako lunch.  That is the pancake/omelet with seafood in it that is cooked on a grill at our table.  After an appetizer and grilled vegetables (I might have skipped that course), we were each served a huge okonomiyako.  But before we finished it, they brought out noodles with more seafood!  We have certainly eaten well on this trip.