Day 6 - Kyoto

I only visited the Kyoto Imperial Palace in day 6 before heading for shopping and exploring in and around Kyoto Station. Access to the vicinity of Kyoto Imperial Palace is limited and advance reservation with the Imperial Household Agency is required. I highly recommend to sign up for the English tour, which runs twice per day for free serving as an interesting platform to learn about Japanese History. The tour runs for one hour, but only allows you to look into the building from open space around the palace complex. Below is the URL for reservation:

 http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/

Kyoto Imperial Palace is modest. Do not expect the usual UK's Buckingham Palace or China's Forbidden Palace. It is not exactly grandeur, lack sophisticate facade and one cannot spot any trace of shiny precious metals ornamenting those wooden buildings externally nor internally. What defines its value is its role as the official residence of Japanese Imperial Family and court nobles for almost 500 years from 14th century to 19th century. Of course, there is always a la Japanese Garden around the complex, which sometimes occupies more camera's memory card space than the palace structures. 

Peep from the Jomei-mon - Shishinden. This was the hall which the enthronement ceremonies of Emperor Taisho and Showa was held

Corridor of Jomei-mon

Kenrei-mon - Gate only allow for Emperor of Japan and foreign head of state to enter

Oikeniwa Garden - Built for strolling but off limit to visitors

Oikeniwa Garden from different angle

Osuzumi-sho - The Summer Palace

Kogo-sho - Venue of the Kogosho Conference which inaugurated Meiji Restoration

Sadly to say that I had distracted by the fascinating view of the garden and forgotten the name and the function of some gardens and halls I passed by, which explained the lack of caption in these pictures.

There are 3 more Imperial properties in Kyoto, being Sento Imperial Palace, Katsura Imperial Villa and Shugakuin Imperial Villa, which are also open for reservation but the tour is conducted in Japanese. I should have visited those despite the language barrier.