We had a major sleep in today, first time we haven't been up at 6 or 7. We think we needed it. The weather is a bit rainy today but that's not going to stop us. I'm a bit weaker today though but meh!
We started out by exploring more of kyoto station which is an underground town, its...large... We grabbed some portable lunch and headed out. We had no idea where we were going this time but we made it somehow to Nijo-jo.
Nijo-jo was a castle built by the first Tokugawa Shogunate to defend the original Imperial palace (Now in Tokyo). It is a world heritage site. Nijo-jo has extremely large walls, moats, hand-manacured gardens and beautifil carvings and paintings that display the feel of the Sengoku-Edo periods. People were working in the gardens while we were there in pain staking detail, picking the grass out from around a tree or clipping pine needles or hedges exactly 'right'. It was awing to see. We went nuts on souveniers....
Sorry about the mega amount of photos...
After looking at 3 Nihonto/Iaito stores today i'm not sure I will buy a sharpened sword here. Japan's rules on owning a weapon are tight, I can get a 2 week permit for export though. What I might do instead is get an Iaito sword which we looked at today and both agreed on. Right length for my height, good weight, good feel. Just wasn't quite the theme I wanted, though this could be ok. Beautiful though blunt. Zinc-aluminium alloy, so not for hitting anything with or it will break. Good for lessons, style and practice only. It felt good, just want a good connection to one though.
I can get one custom made and I,may do this instead. WOoooooOoo carbon steeeeel.
But no way I'll be getting a Shinken made with Japanese folded iron....$5000min + mega hassle :p
Nijo-jo more info and pics
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