<HTML><TITLE>Visiting Kinkakuji and Nijo Castle - 10/08/05</title>
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Here are photographs from my day trip to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto">Kyôto</a> which included visits to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkaku-ji">金閣寺</a> (<I>Kinkakuji</i>) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nijo_Castle">二条城</a> (<I>Nijôjô</i>). One's a famous "Golden Pavilion" Buddhist temple and the other is a castle, the first Japanese castle I have ever visited. Sadly, the weather was not very cooperative but most of the photos turned out well. Accompanying me are Yui (my speaking partner at school) and Megan (an American friend). Megan's pictures can be seen <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/users/indigodaisy/313498.html">here</A>.<P>

<h2><I>Kinkakuji</i></h2>
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That's what everyone comes here to see: a building covered in gold leaf. That little bird on top is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenghuang">鳳凰</a> (<I>Hôô</i>), a legendary Chinese bird. Sometimes it's called a "Chinese phoenix" but it's nothing like the phoenix; no flames, no resurrection, nothing. Don't you hate misnomers born of cultural ignorance?<P>
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This tree is apparently 600 years old. Seems kind of short, doesn't it?<P>
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<h2><I>Nijôjô</i></h2>
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That's <I>Ninomaru</i> Palace which we got to walk around in (after removing our shoes, of course). When I saw a wheelchair ramp I audibly wondered if they make people in wheelchairs take of their shoes. No one knew the answer. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed inside the palace which sucks because everything was beautifully painted, although it was quite dark to protect the artwork so I suppose most of the photos wouldn't have looked very good.<P>
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Megan and Yui, waiting for me to stop taking so many damn pictures.<P>
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Page Last Updated 10/08/05</font>

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