It was shoes off, and into the Palace we went. We could immediately see what our tour guide meant about the wealth. Rooms and rooms of delicate paintings and elegant walkways. We even saw the room where the Shogun would entertain the Samurai. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed, but you could really feel the power and might amongst these warriors.
Another really interesting thing about the castle palace is that all of the floor was made of cedar wood, and carefully laid in such a way that it creaks with every step you take. The whole Palace flooring was laid like this. This was done to allow the Shogun to know when intruders were approaching. We tried our best to walk around without making any noise, but it was near impossible. An ancient burglar alarm!
After the palace, we them spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the castle gardens. Just like the imperial palace gardens, but much more grand. We crossed a moat via a large wooden bridge and hundreds of Koi must have seen us, and thought it was feeding time. They all came over and put their heads above the water. There were so many of them, all fighting and bobbing for some air time!
As we were leaving, the castle was starting to lock up and you could see the staff cleaning the grounds ready for tomorrow. One thing that really stands out in Japan is the attention to detail. Every castle, palace and shrine you visit is immaculate. Here there were staff picking up the pine needles from the pathways and even a man straightening the stones on the path. And these people don't seem like minimum wage workers, they seem genuinely proud to be associated with these historical sites.
We decided to get the bus back from the Castle, after another day of walking. There was a bus that literally went from the Castle gate to the street that our hotel is on. Perfect! And this time, we knew how to pay for the fare...
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