Impressions of Kyoto

Kyoto was a great change from the environment of Tokyo. In all actuallity, it seemed to feel much more like home than Tokyo. In Tokyo, it's the everyday rush of people and places that seems so foreign to me. However, the ryokan in Ohara, Kyoto was located up in the hills away from the main city. The narrow roads surrounded by lush vegetation reminds me of Big Basin, California. The environment, too, emits the aura of a camping retreat with ryokans as mountain villas and temples for summit decks. Life up there moved at a more natural pace and it felt more 'homey' than the masses within Tokyo. This was something I was used to, something to which I could relate and for a bit of time lose the feeling of being an outsider.

The actual city of Kyoto again remided me of home. The streets were busy to be sure, but the city layout was much more western. I understand that the whole city was laid out on a grid like american cities, but the actual buildings were much shorter than those in Tokyo. Tokyo has streets that are either much wider or much narrower than those of American cities, but Kyoto's streets were about the same width as those at home. As for the tmples, I guess its not too surprising to see so many school groups. I can imaging that school groups visit the temples just as I had to go on field trips to the California Missions.