Kyoto - Space and Sunshine

Arrived In Kyoto last night about 7pm and missed the Tourist info centre. So we had to wander the streets with our bags looking for a hotel. But being Japan, we found a cheap business hotel which was cleaner than most 5 star hotels in the UK.

We then headed out into Kyoto for a meal. It is a much more relaxing place than Tokyo there is more space, walks by the river, canals and tiny streets with amazing little restaurants. We stopped in one and had Sushi (Well I did, Rachel had tempura veg). I think Rachel was little put off when the chef dipped a net in the fish tank next to us to get my dinner. But the Sushi was great not fussy, just rice with big slices of raw fish. Delicious.

After dinner we went to the river and the police were getting a DJ on the river bank to turn down his music. So we listened to him mix house at pin drop volume for a few minutes. We then headed to a huge Pachinko parlour and Rachel tried her luck with the falling balls of chance.
We really had no idea what was going on and no-one could really explaiin what we should do. But we enjoyed the noise and the buzz. An old lady sat watching us, obviously we were ripe for the taking. She pounced on our machine after we had left, to reap the rewards.

We are now off to take in the cultural sites. The Imperial Palace and the Zen Rock Garden.

More pictures soon.

Matt