Shogun Palace

The following day, we had a proper rainy day, but we still picked something wonderful. We visited the Shogun Palace. Unfortunately, taking photos inside was not allowed. We had to take off our shoes at the entrance and could secure our umbrellas in a locked umbrella stand. Inside, there were many beautiful paintings in the rooms, which were furnished with tatami mats. Each room had a specific function, such as a reception room adorned with tigers that were meant to intimidate visitors. In the shogun's rooms, the paintings were lighter, featuring flowers and such.

The designs for the tigers came from China, as no artist in Japan had ever seen one, but they were probably slightly distorted when traced. They looked somewhat comical in parts.

Noteworthy were the flute floorboards, which produced a sound when stepped on due to their construction. This was not originally intended, so nobody could sneak in anymore.

Afterward, we explored the beautiful park surrounding the palace.

When our feet were exhausted, we treated ourselves to a snack nearby. There, you had to choose your food at a terminal at the entrance and then pay. The food was good and affordable :)

After a relaxed break with our feet up, we dined at a Korean restaurant. They served bibimbap, egg, vegetarian sushi, and tofu. It was also very good and welcoming there.

In the evening, we indulged in the hotel's onsen to help our feet and recover from our cold.

The onsen is a traditional public bath where you wash yourself before entering a hot, mineralized basin that is good for your skin and refreshes tired bones.

In some places, hot springs are used for this purpose.