Mom's visit, part Five

The next day, we met Yasuko and Hiroko, two more of my students, for a tour of the Imperial Palace in English. (please be patient with that page of photos...it may take some time to load fully.) For some reason, they allow foreigners to visit the palace year-round, but Japanese people are restricted to touring it on only two special days a year unless they are accompanying foreigners, so my students were thrilled. It was so pristine, and it was the same bright orange color as the Shinto shrines here. We found out that the orange color was thought to ward off bad energy and evil spirits. Many of the accents were capped with a white paint, and we were told that it somehow prevented termite infestations, since the buildings were all made of wood.

The palace also houses some of the most beautiful gardens I have seen in Japan. Grass is almost never seen here, but moss is abundant. While the West tends to think of moss as a sign of no progress, Japan reveres it, as it creates a feeling of stillness and peace. These gardens were used for poetry readings and meditation, so moss is perfect for setting the stage.

Once we were outside the palace walls, we went into the park surrounding the palace itself. Here, we found some of the most gorgeous, fully blooming cherry blossoms yet. They seemed to fill the space and your view, almost having an unreal effect, like living in a fantasy or on a movie set. Plus, it was the best weather we'd had yet. There were tons of people there just taking in the view and relaxing. Even a couple of cats got in on the action! Many people were taking pictures or even sketching and painting the trees too. Some couples were just lounging on the ground or benches. It truly was romantic.


We went to lunch with the students for yet another traditional spread. After having had a few jam-packed days in a row, we called it a day, as far as sightseeing went.