Kyoto

Catching the bullet train from Tokyo was a new experience for me. I was actually quite impressed as it was more like catching a flight than riding a train. Unlike trains in the US, the ride on the bullet train was silky smooth. The fare for a round trip from Tokyo ran about 200 Yen.

Kyoto from the Station

Arriving in Kyoto was akin to stepping into a furnace. The humidity coupled with the lack of trade winds is a great way to shed those extra pounds. What is really surprising is how none of the Japanese people I saw were perspiring at all, as if they lacked sweat glands.

If you were not aware, Kyoto was the formal capital of Japan prior to Tokyo. Kyoto is an interesting city in that it has elements of feudal Japan scattered amongst a modern day city.



It isn't hard to find temples or other historical sights as they are literally blocks from each other. Finding gifts wasn't too difficult and the shopping here was fairly priced.

One of the shopping areas in Kyoto

This open shopping area had lots of nice trinkets for tourists. One of the more interesting shops specialized in fans.



The price ranged between 1000 Yen to over 45000 Yen, or 10 to 450 dollars. Some of these prints were quite exquisite. I should note that the 2500 Yen and lower fans can easily be found elsewhere in Japan and I've seen a fan that ran 2000 in one store and 1200 in another store just a block away.



Other stores varied in their wares from Aloha shirts, that looked like parrots exploded onto the fabric to porcelain Corgi's.