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Kyoto

Kyoto is a city smaller than Tokyo and a imagine finding a Florence East in realtà è comunque una metropoli con i suoi quasi 2 milioni di abitanti. Per visitarla con calma consiglierei 4 o 5 giorni anche se dopo 3 giorni di templi e giardini zen probabilmente non se ne puo' più.

Vederli tutti puo' essere stancante. Le distanze sono lunghe (ci si mette anche un'ora da una parte all'altra), il clima pesante e considerato che i templi chiudono prestissimo (in genere alle 17, ma lcuni alle 16) non si riesce a fare molto in un giorno.

Comunque quelli da vedere assolutamente - per me - sono:

- il tempio Kinkaku-ji (il p adiglione d'oro ) bello da fuori e con un bel parco (You can see quickly, just from outside)

- the Ginkaku-ji Temple (Silver Pavilion) with beautiful Zen gardens of gravel.

- some Zen gardens: Ryoanji and Daisen-in (inside the temple Daitoku-ji)

- Wonderful Temple Fushimi Inari, where they filmed a famous scene from Memoirs of a Geisha, with the His red corridor Tori -long 4.5 km (calculated for a couple of hours if you want to do everything even if you can 'make it just a bit). Photo on the side!

- the quiet temple Koto-in with its groves of bamboo and red maple.

if you want to see Nijo Castle also have many beautiful interior decorations (set course, no photo, about half an hour), the temple Kyomizu built on wooden stilts, with the source of the three wishes and free guides who speak English. not recommend the walk of a philosopher who does not know much nor even the Nanzen-ji temple whose greatest attraction is a red brick aqueduct west! The only thing of note the old wooden door Sanmon where he hid Goemon (the same name which took Lupin's friend!).

Everyone says go to Kyoto to see Geishas. Well I do not it is so easy: you just sight in a historic neighborhood of small houses of wood, and mostly at a certain time. If you're lucky if it sees a race that went from a house in a yard .. chased by photographers and zoom.

I could see from afar a Maiko running away .. otherwise you can 'opt for a performance fee (expensive) + dinner. However, you can attempt a 'do.

If you go to Kyoto you can not 'do not stay in a Ryokan : one of the family-run bed and breakfast where you can sleep on the floor on futons , have breakfast at the Japanese (with fish and soup), wearing the yukata e si condivide l'onorevole bagno ( o-furo ) con i proprietari.Ce ne sono di molto cari (e molto belli) ma anche di economici e altrettanto belli. Io ho trovato meraviglioso dormire per terra. e mi è costato quanto un buon 3 stelle (sui 40 euro a testa). certo il pesce fritto a colazione..

Una delle cose moderne che mi ha affascinato di Kyoto è la stazione dei treni di Hiroshi hara. 10 pianti di centro commerciale con ristorantini e negozi perfettamente integrati alla stazione. e all'ultimo piano terrazze panoramiche con giardini (happy garden) con pratino anti calore e con uccellini finti agli altoparlanti . Kyoto station è molto moderna tutta acciaio e specchi, bella. Al piano terra ci sono 2 statue di Kimba il leone bianco e Astroboy con la locandina al Manga museum di Kyoto (che ignoravo esistesse).

Un po' di info utili: da Tokyo a Kyoto ci vogliono quasi 3 ore . Noi siamo partite la mattina da Tokyo alle 9.06 e arrivate a Kyoto alle 11.43, ma i treni shinkansen sono comodissimi e silenziosissimi. Si dorme bene!

I templi hanno prezzi sui 400-500 yen a templio. Il castello Nijo che è più caro costa 600 yen e chiude alle 16.00.
L'hotel Hokke alla stazione di Kyoto (molto bello) ci è costato come dormire nel ryokan Tamaoki Inn , or 13,650 yen per night (just over € 40 each).

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I treni giapponesi: il mitico Shinkansen

Many have heard of the shinkansen Japanese superfast train. Actually not really have a supersonic speed. The most I was I reach speeds of 285 km / h (some say faster trains ..)
It's like one of our high-speed train. The "small" difference is that we have the AV trains go at a normal speed most of the time and speed on 300km / h in small sections, but the Japanese trains travel almost all the way those crazy speed.

But the real reason why a train Tokyo-Kyoto it takes is just because of short stops at the station. Few minutes.
How do they do? well on the pavement there are signs the various carriages and the train stops right at the car where a person has a place reserved.
So if my ticket is the seventh place in the carriage 10, I try to land where the sign is written 10 and wait there, in a neat line that the train stops and the doors open. And I assure you that stops right there! In this way
just 2 minutes to pick up all (of course everyone is expecting that people will fall, and no one tries to come up with arrogance). And the trains are punctually.
Once a girl has booked a trip with one minute of coincidence between the two trains! fiction eh?

other beautiful things of shinkansen trains :

- cleaning. are very clean, you could eat on the floor! I have personally seen the girls cleaners wait for the train to the track, come in, clean the car, turn the seats (in trains in Japan because people travel more in the direction of the train!) and get in 1 minute exactly.

- convenience: the seats recline almost horizontally .. you make those you sleep!

- silence: no one speaks in a loud voice, and when you get near a train station a sweet jingle Eastern warns that we are coming into the station. so those who have fallen asleep are woken up gently ..

stations and trains in general have written in Japanese and English in turn. One ball is
stations must present ticket (in our case, the Japan Rail Pass) every time I go in and out of the station. But in this way can not 'enter into any station that does not have to travel.

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Come organizzare un viaggio in Giappone

Someone wrote me and help organize a trip to Japan .

What I can say is bring back the mia esperienza. Prima cosa fissare un biglietto aereo non troppo caro per il Giappone. Io ho comprato il volo per Tokyo diversi mesi prima e l'ho pagato 830 euro. Dopo aver cercato su Internet ho deciso di rivolgermi in agenzia.

Contemporaneamente ho ordinato (in agenzia) il Japan Rail Pass . Una tessera che si compra solo fuori dal Giappone. E' una specie di interrail: si puo' girare liberamente su tutti i treni del Giappone, compreso lo Shinkansen (è escluso soltanto un tipo di treno superveloce). Ha una durata che puo' essere di 1,2 o 3 settimane.
Noi l'abbiamo comprato di 3 settimane per un costo di circa 375 euro.

It 's very convenient because it allows to run as well on line Yamamoto of Tokyo (which is an elevated subway that runs around the center of Tokyo), on some ferries (for example, that for the island of Miyajima) and also trains local . whereas a round trip from Tokyo to Kyoto can 'cost 300 euro .. we understand the savings.

Tolte these large costs, life is very expensive in Japan. With powerful
euro against the yen, you can do a holiday in Japan 20 days with a budget of maximum € 2500 (with some small shrewdness).

I ryokan are similar to our bed and breakfast and there are nice at a reasonable price. Besides being a pleasant experience (you sleep on the floor on futons, eating meals prepared at home ..) is the only way to soak up a bit 'in Japanese culture.
A ryokan in Kyoto you can stay close to the temples with a maximum of € 40-45 per head.

Even hot el in Japan are quite affordable. It 's true that there are no hotels dear, but there are very well-kept hotel, clean, well-appointed (to the west) to less than 100 € the double room. We have been in a hotel chain Hokke, for 42 € per person (without breakfast). The rooms were lovely, the staff nice and gave us a lot of things: the yukata (summer kimono) and slippers, green tea, and a special "present for lady" which contains face mask, bath salts, complimentary toiletries, towel, etc. saponcino fragrant. .

The thing that is cheaper than the food .
If you do not claim to fancy restaurants, eat in Japan is fairly inexpensive.
Lunch is spent to exaggerate 5-7 € per person (eat lots) and dinner a little more.
drinks do not pay hardly ever: just sitting in a restaurant, bring water or green tea for free, in abundance. Only alcoholic beverages cost as much. The menus are in Japanese, but sometimes have photos or reproductions of plastic plates, then you can order with them.
In any case, even if you happen to order something like that, the plates cost so little that you can 'order something else.
Council to write two or three terms of things like that ( gohan, yakitori, sushi, Tsukune ...) and try to ask. Vocabolarietto an Italian (or English) - Japan may 'be useful.
Economical and fun to eat, you go in zakaya : small inns where you can have dinner with local food and sometimes they split the table with other guests.

At lunch you can 'opt for a sandwich or salad to buy in family mart supermarkets are open 24 hours at 24. They are well stocked and offer practical things to take away. In the case are then given chopsticks or cutlery, sauces, napkins, spoons .. (I often bought jogurtino for a snack!).

The advice I give is to buy several guides in Italy, and will then decide day by day to go. To fix the offices of JR trains are where the staff is nice even if they do not speak English will try to understand and be understood. The important thing is that one always double-check the dates and names of cities, often wrong!
Some of these offices (eg in Kyoto station) are open till late, at about 23:30.

Turn in early Tokyo subway can 'be a bit' confusing, but once you learn a few points of reference, since it is not so impossible. The JR then the monitor with the words in both English and Japanese , with lots of travel time in minutes per stop. Even in the train stations there are bilingual monitor.
For the rest, Japan is a safe country , we have traveled far and wide to the sun and we never risked anything. You have to be a bit 'flexible and patient, but everything works perfectly: the train timetable split the minutes.

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I giapponesi e il fumo

In Japan, the street can not be 'smoking. On the sidewalks, on the platforms of the trains and subways, smoking is prohibited in public areas. Signs or other very austere enough fun and funny (like this one right) , inform that it is absolutely forbidden to smoke . if one just wants to light a cigarette smoking area must seek : small "islands" equipped with ashtrays, where people can smoke.

Bello .. yes .. but the funny thing is that instead in restaurants and you can 'smoke .


what is the logic? as the Japanese do not they never do things by chance I've thought and thought. and I realized that the Japanese prohibit smoking on the street not for health reasons, but for hygiene (to prevent people throw butts on the ground, across Tokyo, I have not seen even one!).
fact in enclosed spaces you can 'smoke because they are convenient ashtray.
Funny, eh?
ah there are also smoking carriages on trains. I remember a trip to Shirahama - Tokyo in 3 hours in the car smoking (because there was no room) .. sob ..

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A cena da Kill Bill

who has seen the beautiful film of Tarantino can not but recall the scene of the 88 wild in which Uma Thurman before challenging Lucy Liu, has to fight with as many as 88 mad bloodthirsty warriors . The scene takes place in a restaurant where a group was playing well (nice song).

Well .. one evening the legendary Joan takes us into the restaurant that inspired Tarantino . called Ganpachi, is in Tokyo (although I can not explain where).

In fact it seems that the director of Kill Bill has decided to recreate the environment since the original restaurant was too small to shoot. But I saw that, I say that is exactly the same!
The restaurant is on two floors Kill Bill . Below is a large room with tables "normal" and upstairs there are tables with a hole in to fit your feet (shoes must be removed).
Of course you can 'smoke.

What do you eat? mostly yakitori, or chicken rolls, but also potatoes, tofu (very good) and more. You spend a little but because it is always necessary to book III & IV. A funny thing is that when customers enter and leave the room and all the kitchen staff greets and thanks.
I obviously did not understand what they said but I understood that they did!

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Kappabashi

Kappabashi DORII is a pretty long road to Tokyo , nella zona di Asakusa.

E' famosa per via dei negozi che vendono tutto il necessario per la ristorazione.
Si trovano piatti, vassoi, tazze, completi per il sakè, bacchette (hashi)..ma anche mobili, insegne, utensili.
e anche quelle incredibili riproduzioni in plastica del cibo , che sono in tutte le vetrine dei ristoranti giapponesi (meno male dico io altrimenti chissà come ordinavamo al ristorante!).
Kappabashi è la zona migliore per comprare questo genere di oggetti, costano pochissimo.
Anche se bisogna girare in su e in giù perchè si puo' trovare la stessa cosa (a me è happened with a teapot ) at different price within a few meters.

I bought a bit 'of everything: cups, curtains, trays ...

the street name has to do with Kappa mythological creatures that live in ponds in Japan. I do not know whether to say that these goblins have helped costruzioen the bridge ..

in any case the road is funny: at first a great cook cups and some giant distinguish some buildings, and even half way we noticed a strange building, complete with a giant cockroach on the wall .

Who knows!

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Nikko, patrimonio dell'Unesco

Nikko is probably the most beautiful historic city of Japan (at least those I saw). Unfortunately I have visited with the rain, but had the same nice charm her.

From the train station (about 2 hours from Tokyo) takes 15-20 minutes walk (slightly uphill) to reach the area of \u200b\u200bthe temples. The road has a few shops and restaurants (one just after that I will talk). The area of \u200b\u200bthe station seems a bit 'run-down .. as if it were abandoned.
The temples are located about 1 km away in the trees. I did not realize how old and what are not, perhaps many are reconstructed. But they are still very beautiful.
have an architecture truly original and different from other cities like Nara, Kamakura.
If you have a few days, I would not doubt: do not even go to other cities, but Nikko .

Before you go get a wonderful bridge r bone (which we have seen leg wrapped in fog ): The bridge over the river Daiya Shinkyo. You can 'pass over (paying) or to the side and maybe even better because we do photo.
not remember all the names of various temples, but one that leaves you breathless now is the combination of St. Tosho-gu Shrine . I have read Over 15,000 artisans who have painted, lacquered, inlaid, carved for two years to build the complex.
Upon arrival, past the huge granite torii, on the left is a beautiful 5-story pagoda. After a few steps you go through the door Niomon (which has 2 Nio statues: one who utters the first letter of the Sanskrit "ha" and the other pronouncing the last "a") and we are faced a series of buildings and breathtaking. Despite the fog, I was speechless.
left the sacred source to wash their hands, covered with a Chinese-style roof. Just before the barn is the 3 monkeys sacred with see nothing, feel not speak . One who knows what to expect but they are tiny (see photo). And many religious buildings. We caught a school that ran between the temples, they were funny all lined up and down the stairs ..
Then other steps and you arrive at the port Yomeimon decorated with 12 columns. So rich that it seems our baroque decoration. And in addition there are two sanctuaries. On the right side leads to a "nice" in the woods staircase leading to the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu (strategist then Shogun, who lived in 1600, he founded the capital Edo, now Tokyo). I I would also not seen the hard work .. To arrive at the tomb
switching from one hall (and pay) to see the sleeping cat: a small painting of a kitten sleeping sacred. I even bought the amulet! But I do not know if it's worth it ..

After this shrine which for me remains the most beautiful in all Japan, we went on a visit to Nikko, to the Taiyuin-byo shrine, the mausoleum of Iemitsu, the grandson of Ieyasu. The location in the woods is wonderful. Again there is a door Niomon (with 2 warriors Nio), and the door with 4 Nitenmon statues of guardians very beautiful (green is the divinity wind, the red of thunder), after which stairs, ladders, stairs, and then .. fountains, towers, gates, shrines .. style between Chinese and Japanese. Partly wooden, partly colored.
Bello. A little 'hard!

Besides the temples at Nikko is possible to take a bus to a pond through a beautiful waterfall, but today they had suspended the service because of bad weather.

To see everything you need quiet time, say 4 or 5 hours. We have not seen them all.

The entrance to these shrines is cheap: 300 or 400 yen to the temple. In comparison to Italian museums is nothing certain at the end of the day .. by 2 conti..
Al ritorno ci siamo fermate a pranzo in un posto delizioso, lungo la strada principale che torna alla stazione (dopo il ponte rosso, rimane quasi subito sulla destra). Ne avevo letto per caso qualche giorno prima su 1 blog e appena entrata - a caso ! - l'ho riconosciuto.
Alle pareti è pieno di bigliettini, foto, fogliolini di tutti i clienti. Ci sono scritte in tutte le lingue del mondo (anche in italiano, pochi). E' talmente fitto che non si vede fuori. Persino fuori ci sono un paio di cartelli in italiano che esaltano la bontà del ristorante.
Comunque abbiamo mangiato benissimo spendendo poco: 1920 yen (meno di 14 euro in due) per ravioli al vapore (5), Tsukune (5 pieces each), huge onigiri rice (2), green tea and water at will. The Tsukune (chicken meatballs made a small skewer) were excellent. Says the waitress that was their specialty. We tried to take them back elsewhere, but there was no comparison.

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Akihabara, il quartiere dell'elettronica

For Akihabara (Akiba as the Japanese say) we were twice. Whether because of the climate (the first time and it was raining really annoying) but also to try some gifts technological commissioned by Friends of Europe.

I expected as other areas of Tokyo , a set 9 floors of shopping centers in all sorted where to find the ultimate in technology .. and instead I find myself in the middle of a sort of Arab souk stalls selling whatever is even remotely "electronic".
then stalls full of plugs and cables, boxes full of cables and usb, shelves filled with screwdrivers, batteries, plugs .. Then of course there are also computers, PDAs, cameras, calculators (!). But you must know the product very well, otherwise it is impossible to understand with the clerks. It 's all written in Japanese .

addition to hardware & software Hakihabara is a paradise for fans of DVD, videogames and cartoons / comics / models. Go
very random, you enter a building maybe 8 floors (ground plus 3) and on each floor you can find models, costumes to dress up as cartoon ( cosplay ), or worse still a playboy bunny or the sailor, various types of gadgets ..
By accident we ended up in a building entirely dedicated to porn: 8 floors of porn and erotic manga!
why men were all inside ..
usually from outside do not understand what you expect inside and get all the floors of these buildings is difficult. Get more info is pretty useless. Search for a store "Mandarake" Italians reported on some blogs. Nothing! No one knew! In

Akihabara shops you can walk between the size statue of Gundam or Evangelion , you can see the model of a Star Wars next to that of Captain Harlock, and you can see all the characters dressed in Cutie Honey or Lupin sexy .. But until you enter you never know what you find out why the written vertically .. are obviously all in Japanese.
Despite our passion for manga and allied crabs because we did not find the old things have very little .. cartoons and comic books are all very recent. Many of the robot.

Even as prices that are competitive is not so so, we have compared the prices of some DVDs and they were cheaper to Tower Records.
It 'still a beautiful world to see. Especially if one ventures through the narrow streets or in the media plans. Sometimes you discover a beautiful exhibition of watercolors, a pachinko room or a massage with massage (dressed as) students in sailor!