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Published: February 26th 2006
Shinkansen
The Shinkansen, or bullet train from Tokyo to KyotoI made my way to Tokyo station to catch my
Shinkansen to Kyoto. I purchased the quintessentail Japanese boxed lunch and made my way to the platform, where an army of pink uniformed cleaners were making the spotless train even more spotless. It should normally be possible to see Mt Fuji from the seat I was sitting in as the train speeds away from Tokyo, but I held up no hope thanks to the sheets of driving rain that were hitting the bullet train window. Indeed I was not pleasantly suprised - not by the view that is. The lunch and the train however were another story. There was so much leg room on the bullet train (perhaps for the first time this trip) that the tray table was on comically long arms to make it reach your lap... and the lunch was fantastic. A faux-wooden box carefully wrapped like a present in exquisite paper and containing no fewer than 8 large pieces of sushi. I was in lunchbox heaven.
Despite a lack of range the view out of the window improved as the bustle of the city gave way to rugged green hillsides looming out a sea of small
Kyoto Station
Looking through one of the huge metal arches of Kyoto Station houses where every area of flat land was utilised. Eventually even these subsided and the view became far more rural and unpopulated save for a few small cities along the way.
Finally we drew into Kyoto and I battled through what seemed like some sort of school trip to get off the platform. I think the kids were all suprised to see such a tall man as there was a lot of pointing and staring. Either that or my flies were undone.
My accomodation that evening was a traditional Japanes
Ryokan with
Tashimi floors, sliding doors and views over an ornamental garden with some huge carp in a pond. Shoes are removed at the front door and replaced with slippers, which are left outside the bedroom. The slippers are changed for other slippers when using the bathroom. Theres also a Japanese bathtab -rather like a hottub with no bubbles.
Having settled in I set out to Explore Kyoto. I grabbed lunch at the station as there was a restaurant on the 11th floor affording views of Southern Kyoto, as well as a huge glass walk way across the station which gave views of Northern Kyoto. The station building itself is immense - unlike any building I have seen before. I walked up to the modern shopping street of
Shijo-dori with both Japanese and internationl high street 'designer' stores. Paralell to this was the
Nishiki market with a stunning array of fruit, veg meat and fish all in a street covered by a multicoloured glass ceiling. It was here I saw my first Geisha walking down the street.
Kyoto seems to literally have temples at every corner - in the middle of malls, between houses and anywhere else they can find to put them. They of course vary in grandure and beauty but add nicely to the feel of the place.
Next I headed west towards the
Kamo-gawa river and found a maze of streets and allys around an ornamental canal. All manner of establishments lined these streets from the famed hour rental love hotels, 'pink' caberets and fetish shops to trendy restaurants bars and clubs. Eventually the river was reached and I crossed into Gion, the traditional entertainment and Geisha district. Gion again mixes the seedy with the mainstream, but has a higher concentraion of old architecture and temples. The gem has to be
Shirakawa Minami-dore, a canalfront street with traditional wooden buildings and very local only establishments.
i headed back to the Ryokan after a long, but thoroughly enjoyable day!
Things I have noticed about the Japanese:
- They are clean. Really clean.
- Those in service jobs are smart. Really smart.
- Those who dont speak English will still speak at you 100 words a second in Japanese.
- They could teach us a thing or two about takeaway lunches
- Hello Kitty is everywhere
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Ally
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Stop bloody writing on here and stay away from computer cafe's! your supposed to be culturing yourself ;) Yes, i did read the musical stairs - reminds of the film BIG or the simpsons.