Mainland Japan Trip Part 2 - Kyoto

The second leg of our mainland Japan trip was the old capital city of Kyoto. While Tokyo was definitely one of the coolest cities I've ever been to, Kyoto was probably my favorite part of this trip. Not only was it further south than Tokyo (warmer!), it was also the complete opposite end of the spectrum from the bustling city scene that is Tokyo. Kyoto is exactly what you envision when you picture traditional Japan - tiny side streets, small villages, girls in kimono, umbrellas, cranes, old temples, and cherry blossoms - TONS of them! 

There are a couple times of the year that Kyoto is known to be at its most beautiful, and that one week in April where the cherry blossom trees are at their fullest is definitely one of them! I am SO glad we picked this time of year to go, and we picked the perfect week to go as well - Easter weekend as it happened to be. We do have cherry blossoms down here in Okinawa, as you've probably seen on the blog in the past, however, they are so much different up in mainland Japan. Not only are the flowers a much lighter pink than those in Okinawa, the trees are also so FULL of them that they look like clouds, and the trees are on every street you turn down! The best part was our mode of transportation around the old city - Matt and I rented bikes (Matt, a mountain bike, and me, a beach cruiser with a basket:) which allowed us to really see SO much more than we ever would have riding public transportation. It was also SO much more fun, and really made our experience in Kyoto amazing!

Here are some of the highlights of our time in Kyoto:

Check out this video clip of the Shinkansen - or the Japanese Bullet Train - that runs down the entire mainland Japan.  It is one of the fastest in the world, and it is such a smooth ride.  The Shinkansen wasn't cheap - we took it from Tokyo down to Kyoto (a 2 1/2 hour ride) and it was just as much as if we had flown there!  But, as with everything on a vacation, it's the experience that counts:)

Our view of Mt. Fuji while on our way to Kyoto

Kyoto Tower

The architecturally impressive Kyoto Station - it had a huge outdoor escalator that went up to each of the 10 floors, and each floor had different types of food.

We ended up eating at the 9th floor (all different types of Ramen) two times during the trip - it was that good!

Our first day riding through Kyoto

There were beautiful cherry blossom trees on every street it seemed

Japanese in traditional clothes and parasols in Gion district

Huge torii gate at an intersection

Heian Shrine

Bamboo canopies of cherry blossoms in the Heian Shrine gardens

Stepping stones

Caught in action (yes, he just swooped down and caught that big fish right out of the pond!)

A Japanese bride

Old aquaduct at Nanzen-ji Temple

Philosopher's Path - a very long and curvy path of thousands of cherry blossom trees along a tiny river.  This was so beautiful:)

Kinkaku-ji Temple (The Golden Temple) is one of the most popular sites in Kyoto because of the real gold leaf that adorns the outside of the pagoda.  Matt and I raced there on our bikes, and we made it just in time as it was closing... we may have been rained on and sweating, but we got to see the Golden Temple!

Sitting riverside in Pontocho at night

I loved this beautiful river walk right in the middle of a street filled with restaurants.

The cherry blossoms literally looked like clouds in the sky

Our second day of biking around Kyoto, we went all the way to a small mountain-side town called Arashiyama.

Gio-ji Temple (The Moss Temple)

Bamboo Groves - this was huge, and I don't think we even rode through all of the different paths!

Beautiful lake and mountains of Arashiyama

Artist's painting

Me with girls in kimono on the Arashiyama bridge

Enterance to the Fushimi Inari Shrine

The Fushimi Inari Shrine is more of a hike than a shrine.  It is composed of thousands and thousands of bright orange torii gates in rows that create winding tunnels up the side of the mountain.  It starts off with two different tunnels and quickly becomes one. 

I wonder what all of these say...

Fushimi Inari is my favorite place in Kyoto - it was amazing!

Can't stop taking photos of these!!

So, that was the ending to our amazing trip up to mainland Japan!  It's easy to think that we know what Japan is like since we live here, but now, I can say that I finally feel like I know TRUE Japan... not just our little island of Okinawa. 

Thanks for following along on our adventures!

-C

Mainland Japan Trip Part 1 - Tokyo

It's a strange thing that we have lived in Japan for over 2 1/2 years now and have not once visited the mainland.  In fact, most people back home who don't know us that well actually assume that Matt and I live IN Tokyo... which couldn't be further from the truth - as you know if you've been following our blog for any amount of time now.  The truth is, we tried to take a trip up north last year - we had the plane tickets and hotels booked and everything - but the big earthquake and tsunami struck just weeks before our departure date, cancelling the trip.  This year, we attempted the trip a second time with definite success, planning our visit right during the incredible cherry blossom season. 

The first leg of our trip was spent up in Tokyo, where we got to experience the hustle and bustle, high fashion stores, unique architecture, and neon lights that seem to charactarize modern-day Japan.  In Tokyo, Matt and I walked a ton as well as rode on their complex subway system pretty much all over the city.  I absolutely loved how clean and modern the city was, and it was also my favorite city as far as architecture goes.  We saw so much in just the few days that we were there, even with the uncomfortably cold temperatures... did I mention that it was freezing there??  Maybe if we had just flown in from Chicago it wouldn't have seemed AS cold, but let's remember that Matt and I live on a sub-tropical island, and to us, it was really COLD... like boots, jackets, scarves, and I-wish-I-had-brought-gloves COLD!

Here are some of the highlights from our time in Tokyo:

Our view on the flight to Tokyo

LCD screen vending machines

Our teeny-tiny Tokyo hotel room

Our first dinner in Tokyo at the famous Gonpachi restaurant

The most delicious spicy shrimp ball

Cool observatory in the Mori Tower

Night view of Tokyo & Tokyo Tower from Roppongi Hills

The huge Tsukiji Fish Market

Huge pieces of fresh tuna

The market was not really for tourists, but we went right in there anyway!  You just need to be VERY aware of your surroundings - these vehicles driven by the Japanese fisherman were speeding all over the place, and they were not stopping for pedestrians!

More large (& frozen) tuna

Outside the crowded, touristy part of the fish market

Yummy egg breakfast at the market - this was like scrambled eggs, but sweet...

Mote around the Tokyo Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace and pretty bridge

From the Imperial Palace, we walked to the Tokyo Tower for some lunch

Overpasses on the streets of Tokyo

Loved this green building

Shinjuku district at night

THIS is Tokyo!

Sushi in Shinjuku

Us on the Tokyo subway

One of the most famous and busiest intersections in the world in Shibuya district - you can see the crowds forming on each corner!

Matt and I in Shibuya

The intersection from above

The main street in Harajuku district - Takashita Dori

We could barely move down it.  I thought it was fun... Matt did not:)

Outside Harajuku subway station... I think it is safe to say that Harajuku was the most crowded district we visited in Tokyo!

Crazy Japanese Rockabilly and street performers

Thousands of people having picnics in Yoyogi Park under the cherry blossom trees

Some interesting characters in Harajuku...

Yes, DEFINITELY the most crowded place in Tokyo:)

More to come from the second leg of our trip in Kyoto!

-C