Japan – Day 12

Dave and I went for an early Saturday morning walk. Afterward, we went back to the hotel to meet with Dave’s family and then to the konbini (convenience store) for breakfast. Though still early in the day, it was already getting quite hot, so I quite enjoyed the frozen mango slices I picked up there. We squeezed our way onto a bus and headed over to Nijo Castle. A bit of history about this world heritage UNESCO site from Wikipedia: In 1601, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, ordered all the feudal lords in western Japan to contribute to the construction of Nijo Castle, which was completed during the reign of his grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1626. While the castle was being built, a portion of land from the partially abandoned Shinsenen Garden (originally part of the imperial palace and located south) was absorbed, and its abundant water was used in the castle gardens and ponds.[1] Parts of Fushimi Castle, such as the main tower and the karamon, were moved here in…