Our
final day in Kyoto started with a visit to Nijo Castle, the last remaining home of a Shogun. It was a very impressive complex with gold leaf on the gates and three-dimensional wood carvings. There were paintings on gold leaf covered screens with tigers in rooms where power was to be commu
nicated and peonies in the more peaceful areas. The floors were intentionally designed to squeak when walked upon so no one could sneak up on the Shogun.
After viewing the Castle and the grounds we walked across the street to the ANA Crowne Plaza for a buffet lunch which included everything from tempura to pizza. It was also popular with school groups.
We then walked a few blocks to the Shibori museum where we had a lesson in making dyed silk scarves. We got to keep our creations to take home and most everyone wore them to dinner. We also saw a video on the shibori technique which consists of tying off hundreds of little bits of fabric and then dying it to create beautiful patterns. It is painstaking work 
and can take up to two years to make a kimono which might then sell for $15,000. Some of our ladies had an opportunity to try on the kimonos.
For our fairwell dinner we walked to a nearby restaurant where we had a private room. We started with a round of beer as is the Japanese custom, but then the sake began flowing freely. Our meal consisted of a tofu salad, sashimi, assorted vegetables, tempura, grilled chicken, salmon and rice sushi, and strawberry ice cream. Every dish came out separately and we had new small plates for each one. Very Japanese.
Today we head home. Some of our group have already left for the airport. I have about three more hours before the shuttle. Then a few more hours to wait for my 4:50 flight which in spite of taking 10 hours, gets me in several hours earlier than I started due to recovering the day we lost on the way here.