Last of Tokyo/Kyoto

On our last day in Tokyo we decided that we would attend something dear to our American hearts and attended a Tokyo Giants baseball game. The game itself was quite eventful but very different than any Sox game or MLB event I had ever been to. First off the amount of pride that the audience had for their home teams was amazing, there was chanting, flag waving, and a general sense of welcoming to those who were both casual fans as well as the more veteran followers. The big difference to me though was the amount of respect that was paid to the other team and their fans. When one team was up at bat their followers cheered and rooted for their respective team, but as soon as their team was finished they quietly sat down and waited for their chance to cheer again. There was not a sense of rivalry, and  absolutely no negative comments, but rather an unspoken respect between two teams that were at the peak of the competitive baseball world in Japan (which is huge). On a side note, I've never seen that many bunts in one game though.

The following day we took the N-700 bullet train to Kyoto. The ride was interesting because I was able to see much of the countryside which I had not yet seen being in Tokyo (although at 200 km/hr). It was neat to see the mixture of traditional and modern practices merging into such a distinct culture and it was reflected to me in that ride by the architecture and tools being used to agriculture and fishing.

Kyoto itself was beautiful and in my mind the highlight of the trip from a cultural standpoint. Although modern skyscrapers existed, you did not have to venture very far to find a shrine or temple that had been virtually untouched since it's creation hundred to thousands of years ago. We saw the tourist attractions including the original Imperial Palace, Zen Gardens, and the Philosopher's Walk and they were all very impressive, but I found the people in Kyoto to be very different from the average Tokyo resident. As we walked through the streets children came running up to us to say hello and practice their English. Our host was amazingly wonderful and a kind soul. And most of all everyone that we encountered just seemed generally happy to see tourists were actually visiting Kyoto is light of what had happened recently. As an example I purchased a kimono for a family member as a souvenir, and as I made the purchase the store owner literally followed me out of the store bowing at every opportunity and thanking me for coming to Japan. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for the people affected by the natural disaster, but I hope that travelers will realize the natural beauty, friendly people, and unique culture of Japan as something that should not be overlooked and in the short term needs help to protect these spirited and kind people's way of life.