Big in Japan: Shogun! and the Botanic Gardens
The weather was absolutely dreadful today. It rained buckets all day. I decided to postpone my excursion to Nara until tomorrow and go to Nijo Castle today. Building on this castle was started in 1601 and completed in 1626. Various parts were destroyed over the years, but it’s been restored.
The fortress is much more functional than most: low ceilings to inhibit swordplay, squeaky or “nightingale” floors to warn of intruders, moats and high, high walls around the fortress. There were screens that the body guards would hide behind as well; all very ninja. On top of all the security, the place was set up to reinforce social hierarchy. Certain ranks of people were received in certain rooms, etc. and the paintings in the room had a clear message to the visitors who might find themselves there. It all makes me want to watch that horrible TV series, “Shogun” again and read all those great books by James Clavell that it was based on.
As I travel through this country, I am astounded at the detail work that went into these historical structures. The whole of it is always beautiful, but I’ll catch a lovely detail: the rivet work on a door or the tile work on a roof that make me slow down and pay more attention.
The gardens have absolutely blown me away as well. They are so extensively planned and maintained. The view from every angle is planned out meticulously. I saw so many plants that were supported with bamboo. The gardener had a vision of how s/he wanted this plant to look in 50 years.
The goals in my garden are to have my plants live through my Great Dane running through them for another year.
As an aside, I have been trying to take a good picture of koi ever since I’ve gotten here. They have them in EVERY garden I’ve visited and they are as bis as Golden Retreivers. They are almost scary. Every picture I have taken of them stinks,but I have posted the best one. You cannot really tell the ginormousness of these creatures from it.
As usual, no pictures inside-too bad because there were some really lovely painted screens and painted ceilings. I took pictures of the outsides of the buildings and grounds. Yes, that is rain that you see and occaisonally, the tip of my umbrella. There were endless school kids around. They are in most of the pictures.
Blingy Front Entrance (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
Outer Gates (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
The Main Residence (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
Big Shogun Bell (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
Main Hall (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
Shogun Garden (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
Island Garden (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
More Beautiful Gardenness (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
Roof Detail (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
and here are a few shots fromt the Botanic Gardens I went to my first day in Kyoto. They were truly lovely, but not too much in bloom yet:
Another Gorgeous Japanese Garden (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
Fabu Garden Shot (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
and, finally the Giant koi:
Giant Koi! (c) Tracy McCabe Stewart
Weather permitting I will spend my last day here touring Nara. I get to feed miniature deer!
