The ornate karamon gate leading to the main palace complex at Kyoto’s Nijo Castle. The palaces and gardens are wonderful places to explore, although we got the “hurry up and get out, we’re closing soon!” treatment – announcements and music over loudspeakers and attendants following crespectfully behind us to make sure we didn’t linger too long – as we made our way through the last part of the tour. Note to self: don’t arrive to places that deserve detailed exploration so late in the afternoon!

Camera: Canon EOS 7D
Lens: Canon EF-S 15–85mm; focal length: 28mm
Exposure: ISO 100, 1/125 sec at ƒ/8.0