When it became clear that I’ll be leaving Asia to go to the US, I sat down in front of a map of Asia and thought to myself – where is the last place I’d like to visit before I leave Asia?
For a long time, Kyoto in Japan was on top of my TODO list but I never got around to it. It didn’t help that flights were really expensive adding to an already expensive trip. But, I decided I couldn’t leave Asia before seeing Kyoto and in recent years things have changed making Japan a very affordable destination – Peach now flies direct from Hong Kong to Osaka for ~2000HKD inclusive (with a great schedule for night flights) and the weak Yen combined with weak travel influx following the Tsunami disaster in Japan has really brought down prices. In some cases, Japan can be as affordable as places in China, definitely cheaper than Singapore and Hong Kong, but with far better value for money. The Japanese experience is nothing short of top-notch.
To get you started and before going into the specific places I visited while in Kyoto, here’s a summary in photos of my visions of beautiful Kyoto. Filled with shrines, temples, castles, surrounded by mountains and rivers, and serving as a host to welcoming and friendly local Japanese – Kyoto is just magical.
Have a look.
Traditional Kimono girls all around town
Temples & Gardens
Castles
Rivers
Monkeys
Locals
What a charming city. I could really see myself living here for a couple of years.
Much more to follow soon…