"Celebrity status in Osaka..."

Gion tea house in Kyoto
see all photos »

Ok, ok so our fame only exists amongst 10 year old Japanese children (and their English teachers) from Osaka, but still we have been photographed so many times today with so many different groups of kids that we sure have reached celebrity status...more about that in a bit.

So, we arrived in Japan at 6.30am yesterday morning (Monday) and were faced with the first of our big challenges this week - how to get our rail pass for the week to get around. We had already sorted out the exchange voucher in Oz but then had to negotiate the millions of floors in Narita station (all info in Japanese) to find the right desk and communicate what we needed. Actually, surprisingly easy - our first impressions of Japan - the Japanese are so friendly and helpful, even if they can`t really understand you. They are always smiling and love a giggle at some crazy English tourists - particularly Nick as he was lugging his backpack onto his back in the station - he had a whole cafe of ladies giggling and waving at him....I`ve never seen him blush so much! Anyway a beautiful Japanese girl at the Japan Rail desk was more than happy to provide our pass and direct us to the correct platform to board our train to Kyoto.

"we went off in our Yukata's to enjoy amongst other things salted dried fish, various slimes, and other stuff"

Geisha waiting for their transport...
see all photos »

On arrival in Kyoto we negotiated more public transport successfully to get to our lovely hotel Kyoto Royal Hotel and Spa - thanks to Michelle for recommending a great website in Oz for booking last minute deals!

Our 1st stop was a walking tour of Gion, the famous and historic Geisha district, with a Canadian ex-pat called Peter Macintosh. He guided us through the back streets and showed us some of the places used in 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and we were also lucky enough to see a few Geisha and Maiko (Geisha in training) running off to their various engagements. Peter also recommended a great place to eat so we went straight in at the deep end in a traditional Japanese place eating tempura, miso and the like as the talented chefs cooked it up in front of us.

More Geisha rushing to appointments
see all photos »

Next day and it was off to Nara, the original cultural and historical centre, for a day trip. It`s an easy place to walk round so we went to quite a selection of temples and gardens starting at the 5-storey pagoda at Kofuku-ji. Then off to the worlds largest wooden building at the very impressive Daibutsu-den hall in the Todai-ji temple with its fearsome wooden carved guard statues and enormous golden Budha. Onwards to the shrines of Nigatsu-do and Kasuga Taisha with its hundreds of stone lanterns before chilling at a zen garden called Isui-en. It was at the garden that we had our 1st tea ceremony which involved slurping delicious frothy, green tea whilst contemplating the Bonzai outside.

Famous stream from the film `Memoirs of a Geisha`
see all photos »

On returning to Kyoto we went out for Ramen at a funky place, Santori, that had Jazz playing and Pork Cheek on the menu. Great food and at a fiver a pop quite a bargain.

Wednesday and we started with a trip to see the famous Golden temple, Kinkaku-ji. It was rammed with school kids and at times it felt like you were on a weekend visit to Ikea but the views were amazing. Hats off to the Japanese for looking after their heritage. In the afternoon we managed to get some tickets for an Odori, where Geisha and Maiko give a dancing performance, at a local theatre. It was stunning to see as the girls acted and danced in full costume, definitely a highlight even if we could have done with a bit of translation.

Dinner at a Tempura bar in Kyoto..
see all photos »

Then it was off for a night at a traditional Japanese Ryoken. This was kind of like a guest house or a traditional Japanese in with meals chucked in.

The Ryokan, Yachiyo, was definitely an experience. There are lots of do's and don'ts as you are ushered inside in slippers, given a Yukata to wear and sat on your tatami mat for tea. The rooms are minimal but elegant and one of the highlights is to share in a Japanese Onsen, bath, with the other guests. Here you get naked and scrub down before soaking in a very hot huge bath. We both had a great time in our separate areas with Japanese guests trying to break through the language barrier and talk to us - rather strange when you are sat there in the buff!

Prayer flags in Nara
see all photos »

The deal in a Ryokan involves food so we went off in our Yukatas to enjoy amongst other things salted dried fish, tempura, miso soup, sushi, various slimes, and other stuff..... most of which very tasty and we have no idea what it was! The breakfast was much the same the next day, which was probably more the cultural shock as we were expecting a western breakfast. Rice, fish and cold poached egg in soya are certainly interesting things to digest at 7.30am!

Luckily, the Ryokan was next to the Nanzen-ji temple which is one of the most impressive in Kyoto. Our location enabled us to get in early so we could miss the mad crowds of tourists and children. The temple and sub-temples had great views and a lovely zen garden in which certainly our teddy did some self contemplation and found peace....not sure about us though!