Kyoto’s Imperial Palace

When we stayed in a Kyoto temple in May 2009, we arrived at the palace to discover that, not only was it already closed, but we would have needed our passports to apply for the mandatory (free) guided tour. The original Kyoto traveler fail. So please note: Kyoto’s Imperial Palace is closed on weekends most (but not all) of the year. You can apply for the one-hour tour in person, or reserve spots online at the Imperial Household Agency website. Do that four days to three months ahead of time and print out proof of your reservation. Also bring your passports—the Chinese family behind us had a problem with their paperwork and did not accompany us on the tour. Also note: four weeks post-C-section, we took a cab from the Hotel New Miyako at Kyoto Station and it cost Y1,600(!!); we took a vicadin and the train back. 

It turns out the original palace burned down and the emperor borrowed one of his lord’s summer homes or something, and eventually that just became the palace. Then that burned down too, because flames—more than earthquakes—are the bane of Japanese historic buildings, and it was rebuilt into the present structure in 1855. But the palace can’t get a break; just 14 years later the Meiji Restoration moved Japan’s seat of power to awesome Tokyo, where the party never stops, and tourists began filling out applications for the Kyoto has-been. That could kind of be the history for hundreds of Japanese buildings, temples, politicians, cities, families, etc. So it wasn’t the most exciting Japanese site we’ve seen, but it was the completion of a long standing goal, and a rather lovely warm fall day.