When I was eighteen, my mom took me on a trip to Japan. My Aunt was working there at the time (free hotel), so we decided to go over Spring break. We stayed in Japan for a little over a week, split about evenly between Tokyo and Kyoto. In Tokyo I remember visiting the Imperial Palace Garden. The garden itself was surrounded by moats, which was cool. Inside, I remember there were ponds with brilliantly-colored koi and turtles in them. Most of the walkways were both outlined and overhung with vegetation (as one would expect of a garden…), but my favorite part of my visit there were the cherry blossoms; we were in Japan during a festival that they have every Spring. It is celebrated all over Japan, and is centered around the cherry blossom. If you are planning a trip to Japan, and you love pretty flowers, plan it somewhere in March or early-April.

Three things you should try in Tokyo:

• Onsen (public baths)
• Pork Broth Ramen (or any ramen…seriously it’s good)
• Fish Market

 

 

When we were in Kyoto, the thing that I remember the most was visiting shrines and temples. They themselves were very fun and interesting. You would spin blocks at some and play with sticks at another. Some had little fortune cards that you could take (it definitely felt more genuine than a fortune cookie). But honestly, the coolest thing was the deer; it felt like most of Kyoto was littered with them. There were deer-food vending machines at the shrines, in parks and along some streets. In other words, the majority of our time in Kyoto were spent surrounded by fat, smelly deer….and I loved it.

Three things you should try in Kyoto:

• Yatsuhashi (Kyoto’s specialty confectionery)
• Ryokan (Traditional inn. Not too comfy. Pretty damn cool)
• Golden Palace