This is yet another travelogue I'm rescuing from the archives. This video is the visit to Kyoto in Spring 2002.
Another old home movie converted to DVD.
During spring break my first year in Japan my parents and youngest sister came over to visit me.
I was eager to show off my little town of Ajimu, the life I had made for myself, and all the little local places I had discovered. My parents wanted to see some of the big tourist spots as well though, so they flew into Osaka, and I took the train up and met them at Kyoto.
Even after close to a year in Japan, this was my first time visiting Kyoto. In fact, if memory serves, it was my first time getting out of Kyushu since I had arrived. Aside from going to the neighboring Fukuoka prefecture once or twice, I don't think I had even left Oita Prefecture. (Obviously my adventurous spirit leaves much to be desired.)
So, I finally got out of my town and went up to meet my parents in Kyoto.
The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, so Kyoto was at it's most beautiful.
It was also at its most crowded. Everyone wanted to see the spring cherry blossoms, and plus it was spring break for every single school in all of Japan. Some of the public parks were so full of people you literally couldn't even find a place to stand.
Also, after having spent so long in my little town in the boondocks of Japan, and being accustomed to being the only white person around, I remember being surprised at how many foreigners there were in Kyoto. At some of these tourist spots, there were more foreigners than Japanese.
I was eager to show off my little town of Ajimu, the life I had made for myself, and all the little local places I had discovered. My parents wanted to see some of the big tourist spots as well though, so they flew into Osaka, and I took the train up and met them at Kyoto.
Even after close to a year in Japan, this was my first time visiting Kyoto. In fact, if memory serves, it was my first time getting out of Kyushu since I had arrived. Aside from going to the neighboring Fukuoka prefecture once or twice, I don't think I had even left Oita Prefecture. (Obviously my adventurous spirit leaves much to be desired.)
So, I finally got out of my town and went up to meet my parents in Kyoto.
The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, so Kyoto was at it's most beautiful.
It was also at its most crowded. Everyone wanted to see the spring cherry blossoms, and plus it was spring break for every single school in all of Japan. Some of the public parks were so full of people you literally couldn't even find a place to stand.
Also, after having spent so long in my little town in the boondocks of Japan, and being accustomed to being the only white person around, I remember being surprised at how many foreigners there were in Kyoto. At some of these tourist spots, there were more foreigners than Japanese.
No comments:
Post a Comment