京都御所Smack in the middle of Kyoto is the massive rectangular park that was once home to generations of emperors.
Gosho, the Imperial Palace, is a huge green slab in the heart of Kyoto.
It is a park home to many trees, a few of the palaces - dating to the 19th century - baseball fields, tennis courts, and clean clean air.
The Palace grounds are 1.3 km north to south and 0.7 km east to west.
The Imperial Palace has been at its current location since the late 12th century. Prior to that, though, it was already the de facto residence of the emperors.
The grounds include many buildings, among them a Imperial Household Agency center. Here you apply for permission to Katsura Imperial Palace.
The tea "house" pictured above right is thought to have been built in the 19th century, and has several tatami tea rooms within. The moat below left is on the outside of this sub-compound.
It is located at the southern end of the park.
For cyclists, it presents challenges - most of it is gravel - and an opportunity. There are narrow paths worn into the gravel thanks to generations of cyclists. At night, when the moon is out and there is no one out, a slow ride through Gosho is bliss.
© CycleKyoto.com
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Gosho Imperial Palace
