Hanzomon

Around 2:00 I reached the west border of the Kokyo and things started to get more interesting. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to enter the Kokyo East Garden as per my original plan, as all parts of the inner Kokyo are closed on Monday and Friday. This is the east-southeast view from just outside the Hanzomon (mon means "gate"; Hanzo means "the coolest ninja in history").

FUN FACT! Right before I took this picture, a dumb lady on a bicycle with a little dog on a leash passed behind me as I was trying to line up a good shot. I accidentally stepped on her dog and then dropped my lenscap into the shrubs visible at the bottom of this photo. The dog was unharmed, but the woman made a big fuss while I searched for my lenscap. It's her own stupid fault for dragging her dog through such a crowded place. On a bicycle, no less.