Today we left for Kyoto. We took the subway to Tokyo station and while waiting for our train we saw many different kinds of trains that run out of Tokyo. They look a lot different from the trains that we have in America. The fronts of their trains are very sleek and aerodynamic. The trip took about three hours to reach Kyoto. When we reached Kyoto I was surprised by how the city looked. I thought that it was going to be like Shinjuku or Harajuku but just smaller. The city was nothing like that, it was more calm that these sections of Tokyo, even though there were still a lot of people. There weren’t any skyscrapers and most buildings were under 15 stories. We were staying on the main street that included many different restaurants, shops, and the district of Gion which is known for their Geishas.
Our hotel was very nice. It was called Hotel Mystays and it was located on a main street full of different businesses. It was pretty spacious and we each got our own double bed, tempurpedic pillows and flat screen tv. We actually have floor space to move around in our room. We were on the 11th floor and had a good view of the mountains in the distance.
We went to visit the Geisha District and learned how they were popular many years ago as entertainers and their largest numbers were around the beginning of the 20th century. Now there are fewer Geishas and it was very hard to find one. We did see one for a few seconds on one of the side streets before she went into a house. There are also many women who are dressed in traditional Japanese clothing but they are not Geishas, I am not sure why they dress that way. The traditional houses were very neat looking and the area was full of shops, many of them selling Japanese candy and treats. I like Kyoto, it has a very different feeling from Tokyo but still seems like it has a lot to offer.
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