Japan

Follow this link for more photos of Takayama:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103620108216329120374/albums/5962585893639559233

And this link for more photos of Kyoto:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103620108216329120374/albums/5965456204680159569

We’re back on the road after a quick resting stop in Shanghai! Sadly, it appears that the typoon has followed us to Japan. Our first night in Takayama was the date of the Matsuri Autumn Festival, but the evening parade was cancelled due to the weather. Luckily, we didn't actually get any rain, and hung out at the night market instead.

In the next few days, we got to explore this lovely mountainous region of the Japanese countryside. We went for a day hike in the Japan Alps National park, and ended in the mountain town of Kamikochi. It was packed with tourists trying to get a glimpse of the fall foliage.

Foliage season is a bit late this year, but you can start to see the colors changing in Kamikochi. 

The next day, we ventured out to Shirakawa-go, a traditional village showcasing a style of buildings called gasshō-zukuri. From the viewpoint, you can see about a hundred of these houses, all perfectly preserved. We spent a few hour leisurely strolling around the village and taking lots of pictures. It's a very relaxed and slow-paced place, a huge contrast from the crowded streets of Tokyo. 

From the viewpoint at Shirakawa-go

Really cute traditional houses

Back in Takayama, we explored the historic neighborhoods in the center of the city. The streets are lined with all sorts of shops and restaurants. It was great just admiring all the food and goodies that they sold. Whenever we were on the lookout for a meal, it was so hard picking just one! We were amazed by the choices and quality of food in this more off-the-beaten-path part of Japan. 

There were also countless temples within a mile in Takayama. We ended up walking for hours that afternoon, trying to absorb as much of the city as possible before leaving for Kyoto in the morning. 

Historic houses in Takayama

It was easy enough getting to Kyoto. We ended up taking the bus rather than the train since it was significantly cheaper. Overall, buses and train in Japan run ridiculously on time, and are clean and comfortable. It was about a four-hour ride and we got there just in time for some ramen, before starting our temple explorations.

The temples seem like a blur now (we saw an average of three temples a day while we were in Kyoto), but they all had beautiful architecture and gardens. One of the highlights for me was the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. It was very crowded for a good reason. The feature attraction is a walking path cut through dense bamboo trees at least 30ft tall.

Beautiful gardens surround every temple. This one is the Eikando temple. 

Nishi Hoganji in Central Kyoto

A walk through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

On our last day in Kyoto, we visited the Kiyomizo-dera, but the real attraction was the side streets near the temple. Concentrated there are old houses built on narrow, windy streets. When we were there in the morning, the whole neighborhood was empty, preserving the illusion of Old Japan.

The Most Beautiful Street in Kyoto, according to our guidebook

Noodles, anyone?

Most of the historical sites in Kyoto are set around Central Kyoto, a sprawling urban center around the Kyoto Train Station. The station building itself is ultra modern, with at least ten stories of restaurants in a mostly glass structure (including a ramen-only food court!). The building, along with many others in Central Kyoto, offers a stark contrast to the historical sites in other parts of the city.

The ultra-modern Kyoto station

I experienced so much more Japanese culture than I did on my last trip to Japan, which was a quick stop in Tokyo. In Kyoto especially - the historical sites are all so well preserved and the sheer number of them is astounding. At night, you can walk down lantern-lit lanes and find hidden restaurants inside old buildings, and if you're lucky, see a geisha or two trotting around. I highly recommend venturing outside of Tokyo for anyone looking to visit Japan.