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Thu. Feb. 16. 2023Field Trip to the Kyoto Imperial Palace

Field Trip to the Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyoto: A Cultural History)

Below is a report by Jessica Frantzen (KCJS34 Spring, Hamilton College);

On January 19^th, I went to the Kyoto Gosho, better known as the Kyoto Imperial Palace, with Professor Poulton’s “Kyoto: A Cultural History” class! Being able to see Kyoto’s royal dwellings as they were envisioned hundreds of years ago was really amazing: my favorite part was seeing the waiting rooms for members of the Imperial Court. As Professor Poulton explained to us, the Room of the Sakura was for lesser nobles, the Room of the Cranes was for those of a higher rank, and the Room of the Tiger was for those of the highest ranks. I found myself thinking, though, that the Room of the Sakura was the most beautiful! By coming here, I got to learn a lot about the lifestyle of the emperor and other courtesans in the past, something that made me feel even more immersed in Kyoto near the beginning of my time with KCJS! Afterwards, I got the chance to visit a teahouse on the Imperial Palace grounds called Sasaya Iori, which offered delicious matcha ice cream and tea!