A Land of Ancient Wonders and Mysteries

The weekend I spent in Kyoto, a city in the central part of the island of Honshu, Japan, with a population close to 1.5 million was almost surreal. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area and the country's seventh largest city. Japan is a country of over 3000 islands extending along the Pacific coast of Asia. The main islands, running from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu (the main island), Shikoku and Kyushu. Adventurous travelers can journey from the highest point of Japan, Hokkaido, where there are majestic mountains to the lowest, Okinawa, with its beautiful beaches in about a week. Although seeing the entire country would be an unforgettable trip, I would recommend making a regional trip and visiting the main cities on Honshu, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Hiroshima. Some must-sees include the Golden Pavilion and Imperial Palace in Kyoto; the Kabukiza Theater, the Shinjuku Gyo-en National Garden and National Museum in Tokyo; the Aquarium and Peace Osaka museum in Osaka and Mt. Fuji.

The Journey

Miho, the leader of my salsa group in the small town of Toyooka, which is about three hours away from where I currently reside, invited me to a salsa concert that her Cuban friend, Miguel played conga. We ventured along the river lined with willow trees that runs through the center of the city, it was abuzz with many hosts and hostesses with big, perfectly sculpted hair, flashy jewelry and come-hither poses, cobble-stone streets that seemed to glitter as a result of the rain and streetlights, and many foreigners who stood out like sore thumbs. As I danced the night away, I quickly discovered that many of those foreigners were Peruvian. There is a large population of Peruvians and Brazilians in Japan. I stayed at an internet café that night which was stacked with anime, manga, and video games from floor to ceiling and frequented mainly by salary men and young partiers. The next morning, I made my way to Kyoto Station, Japan’s second largest train station, a massive 15-story glass and steel building. Mirroring this modern marvel is the Kyoto Tower directly across the street. From a top the 131-foot tower, I saw the hectic traffic from the city below and the serene green mountain range against the blue sky in the horizon. As I worked my way through the eastern part of the ancient capital on my bright orange rental bicycle, the streets became more narrow, the tall steel buildings that housed chain department stores and restaurants became rows of small wooden store fronts selling fresh fish, geta (traditional Japanese footwear), and swords, and instead of wearing t-shirts and jeans people wore yukatas (Japanese summer cotton kimono) and kimonos. I came upon a bright orange and elaborate gate that led to an even more grandiose Buddhist temple that seemed to float above the trees as it was supported by hundreds of pillars. The temple, called Kiyomizu which means “pure water�, taken from the waterfall within the complex and dates back to 798, is one of the 15 Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO World Heritage sites. As I stood at the foot of the vivid gate in between two beautiful geishas I could not help but feel like I stepped back in time. It will be an unforgettable experience. It is impressive how in a weekend one can quickly be transported from the modern city to the ancient temple. After living here for a year, I have learned that this is the essence of Japan. It is a place where you will always be a bullet-train ride or 5-minute walk away from the past and the future. You can revel and indulge in the most modern, cosmopolitan metropolises one moment then relive and learn about ancient Japanese customs in impeccably preserved castles, temples and shrines the next.