Of course the great donjon is
only part of the reason to visit this particular castle.
There's the view of Lake Biwa-ko, the museum, and the interior
and exterior gardens. Here's my friend, Naoko, in the garden
outside of the main donjon.
A nice walk around the donjon
Here is a shot of the moat. As you can see,
the algae has taken over most of the moat but it doesn't stop
the persistent ducks. The algae in the moat is so thick that
I saw one duck walking on the surface! No kidding!
The religious implications are astounding.
The thatched roof teahouse
the garden bridge
Genkyu-en Garden is attached to the castle,
but across the moat from the main donjon. It is the one of
the best examples of a traditional Japanese garden I've ever
seen. There is a pond stocked with ornamental carp and swans.
Across the pond is a thatched roof teahouse where you can
be served green, frothy traditional Japanese tea. The sloped
garden winds around the pond and has a hundred different types
of trees and flowers. I'd definitely come here every day if
I lived in this town!
