the roads are getting nearer
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Thursday, July 21, 2005
` Thursday, July 21, 2005
I've long wanted to visit this quaint Japanese city that was apparently left virtually unscathed from the WWII Allied bombings. Two Friday evenings ago, my colleague and myself found our way to Tokyo station to catch the renowned Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto.
We took up a package with an established agency (Sunrise Tours) which included a 2-night stay at a tourist-class hotel and return train tickets. It wasn't exactly the cheapest option, but for the convenience of someone arranging the logistics, which mattered given the lack of time to plan the trip. It was well worth it, as the tickets arrived efficiently at the Tokyo hotel 2 days before departure. We opted for the Nozomi Express, which shaved off literally 1+ hour of additional travel time as it sped past several stations starting from Tokyo, only making stops at Shinagawa and Nagoya before arriving in Kyoto, en-route to Osaka. This is especially useful for those who plan to leave on a Friday evening after work.
One thing about Kyoto is that the hotels fill up pretty quickly, especially when you're planning your trip a little too late. Be warned. The one we stayed at was extremely close to the space-age train station (just a 5-minute walk), which was linked to a massive mall filled with a gamut of shopping and eating choices.
The New Miyako hotel lived up to its 'tourist class' reputation. Check-in service was prompt and polite, the room was decently sized and like all Japanese hotels, very clean. Verdict: Good for an overnight sleep and convenient enough to catch the regional trains.
We also took up a full day tour with the same travel agency which included an extremely packed itinerary of temples and lunch included at the Kyoto handicraft centre. Again, it was worth every penny as you get an English-speaking guide and a friendly bus ride everywhere. Unfortunately, the skies opened up in the afternoon and had everyone scurrying for umbrellas. I was pretty sure the lone seller was smirking his way to the bank, what with the exorbitant prices quoted to the haplessly drenched foreigners.
Determined to maximise our short stay in this scenic city (despite an activity-filled day with voluminous purchases made at the handicraft centre and the Kiyomizu shopping area), we trudged on, umbrellas and all, into the downtown area which was very similar to the Tokyo streets. Next tourist stop: the famed Pontocho waterfront district.
After much directional errors (mostly my fault), we found ourselves at the start of a long but narrow street flanked by numerous restaurants and bars full of character. The only drawback was that numerous eating places only had Japanese menus and there were no point-and-pick options, although it must be a really good experience to try those closed-door ones. We settled (after much relief and a 45-minute waiting time) for one which had an English menu. If fusion is your cup of tea, you might appreciate the fact that sometimes duck ramen is served in the form of compressed rolls. Highly confusing cuisine, but somewhat enjoyable with Sapporo beer.
It was such a pity that my knowledge of Japanese is still restricted to elementary hiragana, otherwise I'd reckon we'd be more adventurous with the choice of restaurant.
After dinner, we attempted to locate some geishas in the Gion district just across the bridge from Pontocho, but the search was futile (given the weather conditions). We surrendered after ten minutes of aimless wandering and headed back to the hotel for a good shower and sleep.
Kyoto is an amazingly beautiful city with a lot of respect for its history. It definitely has a less hectic feel than Tokyo. The buildings (with the exception of the train station and hotels) do not appear to impose their presence onto the visitors. I can imagine how pretty the gardens surrounding the temples will be in different seasons of the year, particularly autumn. Definitely a must-visit for anyone who's planning a Japan holiday. Photos to follow.