Day Five: Kyoto

Whereas Osaka felt more like a city, penned in with no escape, Kyoto was much better. Known for a 1997 International Agreement to cut carbon emissions - well in my mind anyway.

I was disorientated again and couldn`t find my capsule locker keys.Leaving one of the more quintessential Japanese experiences behind - ie staying in a capsule hotel - I moved not far along to the next big city of Kyoto.I had heard to expect great things, and I was not disappointed.Once you get beyond the basic, concrete jungle centre which is like a blocked New York district.It is surrounded by beauty, hills and temples. Kyoto has 17 Unesco World Heritage Sites, 1600 Buddhist temples and 400 shrines.

Kyoto`s station is futuristic and stirking, holding a labyrinth of escalators.Taking several rides up to the Roof Garden is a far cheaper alternative than using the Kyoto Tower to get your bearings.This tower, building opposite the station, looks dated futuristic… sort of 1960s Blackpool or Great Yarmouth with a typical seaside resort shopping arcade below.I spent ages getting orientated, but moved on once I successfully found a cash machine (at Kyoto Post Office) that would service my cash needs.

I had no plan so I jumped on the first bus at random and sat on it waiting to see where it took me.I soon realised that this bus, the 100 Bus, was the tourist temples bus covering a lot of the temples and shrines and other places of cultural interest.I got off and visited Kiyomiza-dera, in the Southern Higashiyama area.I was a merry film maker, capturing the pilgrims in all their shapes, colours, creeds… well maybe, just one faith - Buddhist mostly, the rest wer casual observers.Many Geisha were spotted today. Do you add an `s` for more than one? Not sure.I reckon some of this beautiful yet high maintenance Geisha(s) were just ordinary council block girls dressing up for tourists。I bumped into two girls from Shizuoka and offered to take their photo, which lead to lunch and a bottle of Saporro included.Enjoyable!I bought a tacky, touristy cap that simple said JAPAN on it, thinking I might need head protection should I climb Mount Fuji later in the week.

I failed to persuade the Shizuoka girls to join me on my next more pre-meditated adventure.I took a journey north on the pretty Eizan railway to Kurama Onsen.Set in the Kuramayama valley, I discovered an Onsen, simple and yet effective, away from the bustling crowds of the city, yet within reach.. a haven.I relaxed so much that I forgot who I was.Needing to soak and to avoid walking if I could… my bags had been really weighing me down… I dipped out on a trek across to nearby Kibune and headed back into town .I found a Japanese version of Holly`s coffee, and another Media Café Popeye - which guaranteed me a place to stay having been unsuccessful again trying to book two 2 cheapest places in my guidebook.I later tried out the Osaka nightlife.From the centre you are bombarded with big named brands, eg Louis Vuitton, Benetton etc which leads to downtown Kyoto and a maze of bars, numerous places to eat and clubs.I found WORLD, which was essentially a popular club with a beat pumping bar open bar area on the ground level.I had a couple of Asahis and watched the world go by, thinking I much prefer Kyoto to Osaka as a potential place to live.I had my first proper Sushi - at Tokinosumknia - with a chef doing his carving right in front of you.I was going to ask for Fugu but thought Fuji might be more appropriate - I WANT FUJI!

I was full… the wondeful waiter couldn`t persuade me to try another single piece of sushi, but twisted my arm on the `wafer thin` ice cream.After which I bid farewell and found a small Reggae bar called Rub-a-Dub.Strangely I have heard a lot of Reggae out here - mostly at shopping malls and in bars.This was a proper tribute to all things Rasta and was an interesting B1 floor `dive`.I got chatting to two Australian males (from Changwon`s sister city, Canberra) and two women from the Liverpool area. It was good to have company.Being in Japan by myself has felt lonely at times, and I am having a lot of `Lost in Translation` moments.So it is comforting to be able to chat to somone else, in English, about how you feel.Getting a blog nailed hasn`t always been easy..because I am doing the stuff I will be writing about.. rather than writing about nothing.At last, I hear you cry.Humph!Kyoto, I love U.

Day Six - Fujinomiya

I wandered the deserted streets of Kyoto pre 6am.. I am not doing many lie-ins.The information on climbing Mount Fuji syas not to do as part of a busy travel schedule.Well, we will see about that.. but I can understand that you underestimate climbing the mountain.I just thought it might be possible, as it is exactly halfway through the main climbing season when Mum and Dad push their 4 year old, Toshiko, up Japan`s highest point, cultural symbol and landmark.

Still to do, then, Fujisan (Mount Fuji) and Tokyo.Mokuyobi (Thursday) turned out to be a frustrating day.I took an early train and for a reason which escapes me now, I stopped off at Nagoya.There was another Media Café Popeye there and having a membership card I felt I just had to use it. Then onto Shin-Fuji station.

The excitement grew about my first view of the symbolic mountain.I never did.Thick white cloud prevented any clear sighting, just as thick white cloud had prevented me seeing Kilimanjaro, until the morning after the first night I had spent in Moshi.I disembarked at Shin-Fuji, on the Shinkansen line, but got promptly redirected to the smllaer, Fuji station, where the bus would allegedly go from.The bus takes 2 hours to get to one of the 5th stations on the mountain, the starting point for most climbers.Just after 4pm, I was told, no more buses. What!Surely some people start climbing early evening? What to do?I boarded a JR train on the Minobu line and headed north-west, around the mountain, still unable to see it.I tried to find Fujinomiya but overshot and ended up in no-mans land.I was stranded at Shibakawa for an age, getting depressed and beginning to realize that getting up to the 5th station was going to be impossible.I could walk it, but then I would be knacked before the climbing began.I knew there were two onsesns in the area.Luckily, when I eventually got to Fujinomiya, my taxi driver knew about both and immediately drove me to the preferred choice, Hot Flower Spring - preferred because it is/was open 23 hours and has massive indoor and outdoor bathing areas.Where better to wind down after a difficult day than at what was essentially a Japanese Jjimjilbang - huge baths, huge sleeping area, huge restaurant, huge entertainment/sports hall, many massages on offer including a woman masseuse in the men`s bathing area - I wonder what the questions in the interview were for her job..? However, I couldn`t quite relax. Knowing that I would have to spend the night at Hot Flower Spring, I had to decide whether to climb the mountain or visit Tokyo.There would no longer be time for both.Hmmmmmm, which one?