Pictures (part three): Nara and kimono day/Nijo Castle

For the record, the pictures in this post correspond to this post, this post, and this post. Yay. However, because I fail, they're backwards in chronological order. SORRY.

In other news, I'm going to try to post only pictures of things that I haven't posted pictures of before. So, yeah. That ought to explain possible big holes in story telling. Sorry again.

So travel back in time to kimono day and Nijo Castle, which apparently I skipped over too quickly for Certain People's tastes. So, here, have lots of Nijo Castle.

The outside!

Don't scribble here.

We mean it.

Here's a big gate that led inside.

And here's the actual castle. It has nightingale floors, which means that the floors sort of squeak when you step on them. But it's not exactly a squeak. It's more like a squeaky moan thing. Kind of hard to explain. Anyway, the floors were made that way so that no one could sneak up on anyone else.

Have I mentioned how much I love Japanese gardens? I love them so much.

A moat! It's a moat, you guys!

(No pictures of the inside of the castle, 'cause we weren't allowed to take pictures in there. Wish I could, 'cause it was cool.)

(Happy now, sir?)

Okay, now let's all hop in our time machine and go back to Nara.

What do you mean you don't have a time machine?

Get on that.

Geez.

Pictured here:

A man-eating deer eating our residential director's map.

Not pictured here:

Our residential director FREAKING OUT and attempting to reason with the deer.

Kind of awesome hand-washing place (for purification). Just with a deer.

It was a really long walk to Kasuga Taisha, but totally worth it.

Secret agent deer! Secret agent deer!

...

I'm not the only one thinking this, right?

A tree growing out of a tree!

Yes, I take pictures of strange things.

Some of the charms they were selling at Kasuga Taisha. As you can see, it was quite an assortment.

The sacred tree which apparently grew one of those offshooting child trees WHICH GREW INTO THE SHRINE. But they couldn't cut it down (what with it being sacred and all), so instead they just build bracers so it wouldn't collapse the wall and let it grow into the shrine.

Remember how people were tying fortunes to trees at Shimogamo Shrine? Well, Kasuga Taisha was such a big shot shrine that it made a special place for people to tie their fortunes.

You probably can't read the sign ('cause it's so small), but it says that if you tie your fortune there, it will come true in a year.

Stone lanterns!

Also, remember how back here I said that the sky turned red? Well, here are pictures.

I'm not sure whether it's really cool or really creepy. Probably both.

Next is Arashiyama. And probably something else with it. Dunno. We'll see.

Need to go work on my Fulbright proposal. Laters.