*Getting there: Peach airlines has many low cost routes ending in Osaka. From Osaka it is a short ride on the JR express line to Kyoto

*Getting around: Metro and bus network is very extensive. Taxi is possible as well.

*Money: Visa/MasterCard accepted in most establishments.

*Language: English not widely spoken, so be prepared with some standard Japanese phrases.

*See: The many temples around Kyoto, visit the flea market, Japanese simplicity and attention to detail

*Tips: Get the ICOCA Haruka card (available only at Osaka airport). This provides the tickets to and from Kyoto at a discount price. As well as a card that can be used on the bus and metro. ATMs at 7Eleven all dispense cash also for international cards. Duty free shops in Kyoto and Osaka are clearly marked (for purchases above 5000Yen - purchases cannot be opened before leaving Japan).Daiso is the equivalent of a one dollar shop and can be quite handy to find items for short use. Tourist bus in Kyoto ferry passengers to the main highlights. It is possible to parcel items internationally from the Osaka airport either by air or ship cargo.

As our plane approaches for landing at Osaka we are hit by strong winds. The plane engine can be heard revving up trying to keep the plane steady in the turbulent winds. In spite of all the power, along the descent there are times where the plane moves involuntarily to the side in the face of all the high winds.

We land safely at the airport. Osaka airport is very tourist friendly with comprehensive tourist information and well marked layout. Also what was impressive was the autonomous toilets, I’m sure I don’t have to describe them in detail. But impressive piece of design nonetheless.

Our accommodation is relatively small but extremely well designed. There is the now obligatory automatic toilet (washlet as they call it), electronic controls for everything from the washlet, to the exhaust, lights, even one to convert the bathroom into a clothes dryer. Compact, minimal and functional!

We stay very close to the Kiyomizu Dera temple. The construction of the temple stage was done without using any nails and only by interlocking wood joints. Quite an impressive feat when one looks at the scale of construction. We decide to go watch the sunrise over the temple one early morning. If you plan to do it, skip it. Its not really all that impressive. But we still got some nice shots and were able to walk the shrine complex in peace and silence that is most often not possible in most of the touristic temples in Kyoto. This also gave us the chance to chat to some locals who come regularly to walk around the complex and exercise together. Most temples in Kyoto require an entrance fee to be paid. Unfortunately there is no group ticket for the shrines in Kyoto. Most of these shrines are also crowded with tourists and if you are looking to find a quite place to sit and meditate look beyond Kyoto.

The temples in Kyoto we visited all are very ‘progressive’, they have taken into consideration the needs of generations as they move along. We see small shrines around main complex which are dedicated to gods of good luck, better results in examination, finding the perfect life partner and so on. The two stones below for example is a test to find if your partnership will last. Procedure : Close eyes and try to walk from one stone to the next, if you reach the next stone then success!

There are many more temples to visit around Kyoto, the Ryozen Kannon temple was the only temple we visited where there was not as much of a tourist crowd. All temples require there own separate entrance fee. Ryozen Kannon also has memorial for soldiers who have died in the various wars. There are also earths from war cemeteries from around the world housed in the shrine, very opportune moment to reflect on the real price of war and violence.

Yasaka shrine is also a beautiful temple complex.

It is hard to miss all the young women dressed up in Kimono around the temples. It seems to be like a thing to do in Japan. One can rent the Kimono complete with the shoe, handbag, parasol and all the accessories.

Kinkaku-ji temple (golden temple) is another favored tourist spot. It is quite ironical, that the object of marvel is the Golden temple and it seems to be decoupled from the spirit of what the philosophy is trying to say. It captivates the mind nonetheless!

The quality of food in Japan is impressive. The portions are minimal, but the presentation and quality make up for it. We tried out a tofu restaurant serving Yudofu which is tofu skin which solidifies on top of simmering soya milk. It is very tasty! The meals come in sets and are quite pricey. There are plenty of vegetarian options and items typically include tempura (deep fried vegetables), yudofu (tofu skin), rice, pickled vegetables, tea, wasabi and ginger, soy sauce. The meal set cost about 2500Yen

Wandering around the streets of Kyoto, you will also get to see a lot plastic meal sets on display to show what you can expect once you order a meal set.

Also big on the culinary experience is Matcha! Don’t miss it. The Japanese have gotten inventive with it, you get everything from Matcha ice cream, Matcha candy, Matcha waffles, Matcha jelly, basically anything you could think of .. if there is something you think of and cant find it in Japan, maybe you should quit your job and sell it in Japan! The frothy green tea served in about 100ml quantities is really one more reflection of Japanese attention to detail and simplicity.

Exploring the smaller streets can also open a new world of culinary adventure, areas in Gion seem to have a high concentration of such restaurants

Also the food from the convenience stores are very wholesome and good.

The simplicity and attention to detail in everyday life in Japan is so inspiring. Even the simplest of construction,landscaping and calligraphy exude simplicity and beauty

There is this Rakusho cafe near Yasaka shrine selling excellent Matcha sweets and also comes bundled with an extremely beautiful garden! yes i did use extremely!! The Matcha sweets definitely match up to the beauty of the garden. The sweets are prepared fresh and must be consumed before 2 days after preparation.

The general culture is of appropriate respect to one another. This is also seen on the road,in ques, at restaurants and public places in general. Physical barricades to enforce rules seem to be kept to a minimum but just simple marking on the floor seem to suffice.

A must do is also to stroll the crowded (often by tourists) streets of the local market (Nishiki Market) called the ‘Kitchen of Kyoto’. There are multitude of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, tea, pickled vegetables, spices, snacks, souvenirs. One of the most popular snacks seems to be sticky rice dipped in sweet soya sauce, quite tasty! Top it up with grapefruit juice, using the fruit skin as a container itself, served by a very friendly chef.

The flea market at the Kitano Tenmangu temple is open once a month (25th if i remember right). It is a nice place to look through all the articles on sale giving a glimpse into Japanese culture. Yes it is very crowded and the area it covers is vast. Things like antique tea sets, paintings, toys, music records, clothing, chopsticks, arts and crafts, even plants are all on display.

The plum trees start to blossom in Feb and is a very beautiful sight drawing also a lot of people.

You are likely to come across many wayside shrines in small housings or relatively grand complexes or peaceful corners dedicated to different Gods.

To experience some aspects of local art and culture, plan a visit to the Gion Corner. Tickets can be bought at the tourist office or directly at the venue. Unfortunately for the winter session the flower arrangement and Bunraku puppet show were canceled. However we were still able to get a glimpse of tea ceremony complete with music of Koto(six stringed instrument) and flute, Gagaku court music (performed traditional in the royal court), Kyogen theater (comical theater) and Maiko’s dance.

If you have time or you need to wait for your next flight. Check out the ‘Sky View’ area in the Osaka airport. There are free shuttles to and from the terminal. It is a nice little tucked away quite place from the busy terminals. Osaka airport is built on reclaimed land and there is a nice presentation detailing the technical aspects of the construction. There are also explanations of the ecological measures taken to minimize the impact of the airport on the environment.

Arigato Gozaimas and Sayonara Japan!