Journey : Kyoto + Spring + Good camera minus photography skills

I have planned this Japan visit for a while. I have always dreamed of Japan in autumn and spring when I was a kid. Then, I was in Japan in autumn 2012, now it’s spring’s turn to be visited.

This visit was well planned, surprisingly. I stayed in Kyoto for 4 days, and in Tokyo for 4 days as well. Kyoto visit was intended to see hanami, and Tokyo visit was for friends.

I felt like everything went really well. I visited all the shrines that I wanted to see, and my trip was in a good timing; the Sakura was in full bloom. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

If there is one thing in Kyoto that I don’t like, that is the food. It is way more expensive than Tokyo. And it’s definitely not the best place for Sushi. 

Kentaro introduced some friends who took me to some places that I wouldn't visit if I were on my own. It just made my trip even more efficient and fun to know some people from Kyoto to show me around.

My favorite was Kiyomizu dera at night. And beside the shrines, I went to Kyoto hub; a 100 year old school building which was turned to a hub where you can work, have discussion, performances, etc. It was located not far from the palace. There is one here in Ubud, Bali that I have been trying to sign up for, but their events are all in the working hours.

I cycled everywhere. Very cheap and easy to get around.

I also swam in Kyoto; it was my first time swimming in Japan. I tried to keep my self fit during the trip. And it was also a fun experience to go to public swimming pools in Japan. It was quite an experience when people tried to talk to me because I have dark hair, but then they see that I am actually not Japanese. There were almost no foreigners at all in the swimming pools. I only saw one guy, and it was in Tokyo. It was funny when some people actually tried to fix my swimming technique and I don't even speak Japanese. And I was like, can you please let me swim? 

I took an overnight bus to Tokyo. Kentaro helped me to buy the tickets and it was a bit of a rush for me to get to the station. I was lucky not to miss the bus since I was running around Kyoto station with my suitcase at 11:30 at night with the rain. 

As soon as I arrived in Tokyo, I realized how much I know the city and had this grateful feeling that I have friends who took me to great places in my previous stay. Fujiyama, countless great restaurants, driving over rainbow bridge at mid night, or simply places to hangout and watch the sunset. These things keep inviting me back to Japan, and on top of that, some of the best friends I have live there.J  

I got a camera with me (not mine), but it was so heavy and I just didn’t want to take it with me when it rained. These are what I’ve got. Enjoy my terrible photography skills.