Kyoto

We stayed three nights in Kyoto, the longest stay along the tour. I don't know if the increased familiarity had anything to do with it, but I think Kyoto was my favorite city we visited. It wasn't bombed during World War 2, and had a number of original buildings left standing. Being the ancient Imperial capital, it was laid out in a grid pattern, making it easier to find your way around it as well.

The most interesting thing about Kyoto is the stark contrast you can find. You can be walking down Shijodori (4th Street) one moment, which is their equivalent of 5th Avenue in New York, which is filled with fancy stores, restaurants, people and bright lights, and then find yourself in some quiet, green place that has been unchanged for centuries, such as the Heian Shrine Garden, pictured above. Kyoto definitely had the biggest contrasts contained within its borders.

Erick