Today was gorgeous - about 60'+.
With the humidity, almost t-shirt weather.
If you make reservations for the Imperial Palace online - they are booked up.
Show up in person - you're put on the next tour.
Admission is free. You'll need your passport.
Tour is of the outside and grounds only.
The palace inside is opened up twice a year - April & October .
Chrysanthemum with 8 petals is lucky. Double that number to 16 - double the luck. Symbol of royals.
This was an English speaking tour which my friend assures me is different than the Japanese version.
We learned that the walls with paper on them - in order to be accurate - are restored with smaller pieces of paper. In the old days, no large paper presses existed.
We noticed in the afternoon at Niko Castle that the paper walls were covered in large pieces of paper which is probably not an authentic restoration. ...
Have you seen Michelle Obama yet? :)
ReplyDeleteYou are very lucky to get to tour that wonderful place. Did you get any mementos from there? Thanks for sharing the images. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteKyle--I got to see Michelle at my son's graduation from Oregon state three years ago.
ReplyDeleteHer brother is the basketball coach at OSU.
Teresa -- no to momentos. Each place has a gift shop but nothing tempted me. I keep in mind how I amassed my jap. collection by going to estate sales and buying 'still in the packaging' from previous visitors to Japan.