Konnichiwa, friends. We just arrived in Kyoto via Shinkansen (bullet train) after spending much of last week exploring Tokyo and its many wonders. I’ve collected more helpful Japanese phrases, enjoyed delicious sushi, and immersed myself in new cultural experiences. Despite my long-term trend toward becoming a rural hermit, I find myself already missing parts of the big city.
We went up the Tokyo Skytree, wandered Akihabara, caught a glimpse of Godzilla’s head, got slightly lost in Shinjuku station, visited Hakone shrine (among several others), and stumbled into incredible little restaurants that you might miss by blinking.
One of my favorite encounters thus far was meeting a group of young children on a field trip, who had approached us with books in hand to practice their English with tourists. After reading through their phrases and asking us a variety of questions about our day, we had to sign their books to show that they had spoken to us before moving on to collect the remainder of their signatures. It was an unexpected treat to feel like we could share something in return in the midst of trying to take in and be respectful of the local culture. A great reminder of the beauty that travel offers.
At this moment, my heart is full and I can’t wait to see more of what Japan has to offer. I’ll leave you with a drop of some of my favourite photos taken so far. Thanks for reading!
