I’m going to Kyoto today with my academic supervisor Marina De Vos from England, as she is visiting Japan. I am now frantically trying to tidy my room and scramble this post together before she arrives since we will have to subsequently leave almost immediately for Kyoto on the Shinkansen.

Location of Kyoto

Sleeping houses in Kyoto

When we arrive in Kyoto, I will be staying in a cheap backpackers hostel called K’s House, no relation to K, just coincidence. K’s House got rave reviews on tripadivsor and its really cheap at 12 pound per night.

Marina will be staying in a Ryokan, which is like a traditional Japanese hotel. It is called Hokkaikan Ohanabo. Whilst this evidently would certainly be an interesting experience, unless I was dressed up as a Samurai courting 5 concubines, I don’t really see the appeal since we are not in the Edo period anymore.

Allright, allright, that is somewhat of obtuse of me to say. This kind of hotel is still popular and should give a taste of the relaxed and traditional Japanese lifestyle of the modestly well off.

So, since I’ll be in Kyoto for Friday and Saturday night, I won’t be able to update the blog, as I’m not taking my laptop.

I have today booked off work both in England and here, and also Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I also have a JR rail pass for this period, which means I have unlimited use of all JR lines. I was therefore thinking of going from Kyoto to Hiroshima on Monday. Perhaps I can do it as a day trip from Kyoto as I haven’t booked a hotel.

I might try and follow Marina around on her tour, which I couldn’t afford to partake in, so I might try and do the poor mans version where I stay in capsule inns. Alternatively I could come back to Tokyo on Monday and goto some hot springs in Nikko or down to the beach. Lets see what happens.