During the SJMC Japan study abroad program, we visited two main cities, Tokyo and Kyoto. Tokyo was, for the most part, what I expected: a large, bustling city with pedestrians walking every which way you looked, and lights gleaming brightly. However, I had no preconceived notions about what to expect from Kyoto, but needless to say, it was an amazing experience.
Tokyo life was often fun and packed, but the transition to Kyoto was a much-needed relief. One of the first things I noticed walking the streets in the dark of night in Kyoto was the noise; more specifically, the lack of noise. It was much quieter. It was such a calming and peaceful experience to stroll through the alleys of Kyoto, with the only noises heard often being subtle whispers and the tires of passing bicycles.
Both cities had tons of choices for restaurants, but needless to say, Tokyo had many more. While this may sound like a negative of Kyoto, this actually benefited my experience. Many of the restaurants in Kyoto were much smaller which made them feel more personal, like the food was being made for you and you alone. Because of this, it seemed as if a lot of care was put into the food that was made, and it made it taste unfathomably good.
The food was a major factor to my overall enjoyment, but so were the stunning sights especially. The shrines and temples were full of popping colors, and nature could be seen as far as the eye could see. Walking through the grass and having the shadow of the leaves from the trees touch your skin, with the slight, cool breeze hitting your face, was completely tranquil like nothing else.
However, just because Kyoto was much quieter and slightly smaller, doesn’t mean there wasn’t fun to be had. In a surprising twist, Kyoto actually had a thriving, exciting nightlife. Only a few blocks from our hotel were different bars and clubs galore. This isn’t usually my scene, but trying to open up to experience more in Japan brought me to some of these clubs with my friends. DJs blasted exhilarating music, people danced until they couldn’t anymore and even more friends were made.
That last point was by far my favorite part of Kyoto: the friends I made. Since Tokyo was always so busy, people didn’t care much to become personal with foreigners. In Kyoto, however, this experience was much different. In small bars, it was easy to just walk up and talk to people, and they seemed interested in who you were and what you had to say.
One specific experience we had was meeting an employee at the clothing store called 2nd Street. His name was Marco, who we then went out with later that night. He was around our same age, so we invited him to come out with us after his shift. He agreed and held true to his promise.
As we walked and talked about each of our lives, finding things we had in common and discussing our interests, we went from bar to bar. We went anywhere we could find, really, because it wasn’t about the experience of the bar so much for us; it was about meeting new people.
Many such examples of experiences similar to this occurred in Kyoto, and it completely made the time there so much more enjoyable. As someone who doesn’t often leave my comfort zone, I found that being there, I just couldn’t help but try to start conversations with everyone I saw. It was the other way around, too, as many people would come up to my group and just start talking like we had known each other for years.
So, even though everyone knows how big and fun Tokyo is, you may want to try to spend some of your time in a place like Kyoto, too. I promise: It will surprise you and have more to offer than you could ever imagine. You’ll have amazing food, you’ll make fun memories and good friends, and you’ll never experience anything like it anywhere else in the world.
