Historical landmark
Kyoto Imperial Palace
内 Kyōtogyoen, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-0811
Heian-style ceremonial complex and gardens, its gate still scarred by nineteenth-century gunfire.
This guide to the Kyoto Imperial Palace centers on the Hamaguri Gate, its timber beams still pocked with bullet holes from August 20, 1864, when a rebel army from the Choshu domain marched on the palace convinced the shogun had hijacked the emperor. You'll hear about the young officer Saigo Takamori among the defenders, and how the fighting spread into fires that burned across Kyoto for days. Look closely at the wood grain for the scars left untouched by any restoration.
Audio guides are written and narrated by AI.