Kyoto, it is said, embodies the spirit of Japan. Certainly, it is acclaimed as having the richest heritage. The statistics alone are impressive: almost two thousand Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, twenty percent of Japan’s official National Treasures, and seventeen UNESCO World Heritage sites. It boggles the mind. How can a visitor deal with such cultural largesse?

I would say: by reducing it to its poetic essence.

In the span of seventeen syllables, a haiku poem expresses the inexpressible. More than mere words, haiku is a way of experiencing the world: openly, attentively, receptively. It encourages us to pay attention, to make unorthodox connections, and to tolerate the ambiguous and enigmatic.

Shortly after I returned from a ten-day stay in Kyoto, a chaotic jumble of impressions and thoughts bewildered me. Try as I might, I could not come to grips with them. It was all too much. So I stopped trying.

With time and reflection, certain aspects of Kyoto emerged. Oddly enough, reading haiku, particularly the haiku of Kobayashi Issa, seemed to facilitate this process. And so I began to associate certain poems with certain memories, until they became intertwined, enriching each other.

This is not so surprising, perhaps. After all, Kyoto is above all things a city that is keenly aware of each passing season. What other place can you imagine having a "flower update" on its city web page to provide information on the latest local blossoms? The seasons most celebrated in Kyoto, of course, are spring and fall, with the famous cherry blossoms and maple leaves, respectively, but at any given time there are special festivals, celebrated seasonal foods, and a keen appreciation of that particular moment’s natural beauties.

In traditional haiku, too, there is always the kigo or word that symbolizes the season, such as the croaking frog for springtime or cicadas for summer. Haiku is equally rooted in the seasons.

But most of all, the aesthetic sensibility of Kyoto and haiku mesh. For haiku celebrates not the grand moments in life, but the everyday moments of "a-ha!" or awareness of fleeting pleasures. Carry this spirit to Kyoto, and you are sure to be richly rewarded.



Another year is gone
a traveler’s shade on my head
straw sandals at my feet.

(Matsuo Bashō, 1644-1694) ${QuickSuggestions}

• Kyoto can be expensive, but there are ways to enjoy its traditional culture without spending a fortune. Try staying at a minshuku (similar to a B&B) rather than ryokan (high-class inn) or sample Buddhist temple fare rather than fancy kaiseki meals.
  
  
• Take advantage of Japan’s free "Goodwill Guide Service." You can set up a guide to accompany you around the city at the Tourist Information Center in Kyoto Station. You're expected to pay for your guide’s local transportation, admission to sites you visit, and meals, but in return you’ll experience the city for a day with a true insider.
  
  
• There'sa well-trodden tourist path that circulates among the "top" sites, such as the Golden Pavilion, the Silver Pavilion, the palace, Nijo castle, etc. I recommend visiting these places as early in the day as possible to avoid crowds.
  
  
• Furthermore, try to be selective about which temples you visit. If you plan to visit many, you’ll be surprised at how fast the costs mount up at ¥300-¥700 admission, plus you may find that one temple begins to look much like all the others after a half dozen or so.
  
  
• I found that many of the most charming areas lay on the outskirts of Kyoto. If you have time, plan to spend a day in Arashiyama, Ohara, or some other outlying area. You’ll find fewer tourists and plenty of scenic places to stroll.
  
  
• Keep in mind that while cash is preferred over credit cards, your bank card may not work at all ATMs. The ATMs at your arrival airport and the ones in Kyoto Station and the main post office are your best bets if you run low on cash.
  
  
• There’s a wealth of useful information on Kyoto available on the Internet at websites such as the Japan National Tourist Organization, the Kyoto Tourist and Convention Bureau, and the Official Kyoto Travel Guide.
  
  
• Finally, I can’t stress enough how much reading and preparation help in not only traveling comfortably in Japan but in gaining a greater appreciation for the places you visit. I’ve compiled a A Traveler’s Guide to Kyoto reading list at Amazon.com of useful and insightful books.
  
  
• Click here for my YouTube slideshow video of Kyoto.

What a perfect night
For doing almost nothing
Cool enough for a stroll.

(Kobayashi Issa, 1763-1827) ${BestWay} Kyoto is easily reached by high-speed train from major cities such as Tokyo (2-1/2 hrs), Osaka (1/2 hr), or Nagoya (1 hr). You will arrive in ultra-modern and massive Kyoto Station – far more than just a train station as it incorporates a shopping mall, hotel, department store, restaurants, and cinemas. It is, frankly, a bit overwhelming, especially as you move between various train lines to the subway or buses. This station sketch map may be of help.

Taxis are expensive, but the city has a well developed transportation network of buses, trains, and subways. The north and south of the city are easily accessed by the Karasuma (green) subway line and the east and west by the Tozai (red) line. The two lines intersect at Karasuma Oike station in central Kyoto.

One- and two-day tourist transportation passes for buses, the subway, or both are sold at stations and tourist information centers. A one-day city bus card is ¥500, a one-day subway card is ¥600, and a "sightseeing" (combined) card is ¥1200 and includes a guide map and discount coupons for some museums, temples, and shops. A two-day sightseeing card is also available for ¥2000.

Five "tourist" bus routes ply popular areas of the city and can be used as self-guided hop-on/hop-off tours. I did find these buses to be rather crowded, however, at least on the popular Ginkaku-ji route. The Kyoto City Web has a helpful site with useful information about using city buses and a downloadable map of the major sightseeing routes.
Another popular way to get around by Kyoto is by bike. I meant to rent a bike and explore the central part of the city, which is relatively flat, but then ended up spending more time on the hillier outskirts of town. The helpful Kyoto Cycling Tour Project provides information on where to rent bikes and on enjoyable routes.

But the best way to get around, in my opinion, is on foot. Kyoto is a stroller’s paradise. JNTO’s website has downloadable "Kyoto Walks" that are useful for designing your own walking tour. Using one such map as a guide, I particularly enjoyed strolling along the bamboo-lined pathways of the Arashiyama area.


Slowly passing days,
with an echo heard here
in a corner of Kyoto.

(Yosa Buson, 1716-1784)
From journal Kyoto in Seventeen Syllables