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Published: June 22nd 2017
Kyoto
Kyoto StationGeo: 35.01, 135.75 - Kyoto
In our minds Kyoto was the place to see the traditonal side of Japan. With so many heritage listed temples and shrines it seemed like the thing to do. However our first impression of Kyoto was the ultra modern Kyoto station. A steel and glass monolith with a massive main hall featuring exposed steel beams, recognisable from blocks away by its unique design. An absolute antithesis of what we were expecting. For some reason we seem to have spent alot of time in this place. All roads (or rather rail tracks) lead to it and it has everything we need, one way or another.
I have been thinking alot about the mindset here. There is an awful lot of forward thinking and thinking outside the box. I guess that's why this country was once considered to be the most innovative in the world. It just seems to me that most things are thought of and considered way before you consider them yourself. Where else in the world is there a baby seat in each ladies rest room for instance
I read before coming here that the public transport system is the most efficent
in the world but I was still concerned how as a foreigner I would be able to make my way in such a system. What the literature failed to tell me was how user friendly and forward thinking it feels to use such a system. I am suitably impressed. So here I am in perhaps the most traditional city in Japan and its the modern and innovative aspects of life here that are in the forefront of my mind.
Having said that we have been determined to visit some historical sights. The three of us along with hundreds or perhaps thousands of other tourists. Some of the most awe inspiring and otherwise serene places have been turned into a seething mass of cameras and chatter. We have found this a little disappointing at times but if you can shut some of that out you can still appreciate the beauty and the history.
As you can imagine though there is so much more to Kyoto than shrines and temples. There are shopping malls that stretch for kilometres, and quite possibly thousands of restaurants. The ready made food that you can buy from mini marts, supermarkets and markets is mind
boggling. No need for fast food here although you can buy that too. We spent our last day here getting lost in the consumerism quite literally. We also took in a Geisha dancing show which was noisy and colorful. I loved the costumes. Last stop was a visit to a Hedgehog Cafe. The creatures were very small and docile but really they just wanted to sleep. Its all here in Kyoto for the taking but it would take months to truly discover it.
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