{"id":1066,"date":"2023-10-05T06:09:11","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T11:09:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/encyclopaedia-fortuita.com\/?p=1066"},"modified":"2024-03-31T07:53:22","modified_gmt":"2024-03-31T12:53:22","slug":"japan-trip-day-4-traveling-to-kyoto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/encyclopaedia-fortuita.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/05\/japan-trip-day-4-traveling-to-kyoto\/","title":{"rendered":"Japan Day 4: Traveling to Kyoto"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meandered through the streets of Hiroshima to the train station. I continue to be amazed how most city streets are single-lane affairs shared by cars, bicycles, and pedestrians.<\/p>\n

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Street in Hiroshima<\/p><\/div>

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An interesting shrine I saw on my way to Hiroshima station.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

I found some cool manhole covers along the way. I have a book at home that has 700 manhole covers from across Japan in it arranged by theme, and I\u2019m pretty sure both of these are in it.<\/p>\n

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Hiroshima manhole cover showing chains of origami cranes, like one sees at the Peace Park.<\/p><\/div>

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Manhole cover showing Hiroshima Castle.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Hiroshima station was packed. I had to wait in line quite a while to exchange my voucher for my rail pass, which is effective from today. The Shinkansen I took from Hiroshima to Shin-Osaka was packed. I had some Pringles on the train; they are much smaller than American ones, less curved, less salty than even the reduced salt ones I normally buy, and less flavorful. But hungry people with limited food options can\u2019t be choosy.<\/p>\n

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I have tiny hands. These Pringles are very small.<\/p><\/div>\n

I then bought a ticket from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto. This was not a Shinkansen train, and it was very difficult finding the correct platform. I literally made it on at the last second. Unlike the Shinkansen, there was hardly anyone on this train.<\/p>\n

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Cool wooden-backed seats of the non-Shinkansen train I took from Shin-Osaka to Kyoto.<\/p><\/div>\n

After arriving to Kyoto, I found my hostel for the next few nights. They let me check-in a little early and I took a small nap. The beds here are more like traditional hostel beds, though they do have a privacy curtain, USB charging ports, and a small reading light. I can tell already that it will be a bit harder to sleep tonight; the person in the bunk below me also was napping and he snores.<\/p>\n

After my nap, I headed back to the station to get some food from the incredibly large department store there. I have now seen - but certainly didn\u2019t purchase - Japan\u2019s infamously expensive fruit. The apples ranged from \u00a5400 ($2.70) to \u00a5900 ($6.05) each depending on the variety. Grapes were \u00a51800 ($12.10) to \u00a52300 ($15.45) for a small bunch, and I saw a \u00a56800 ($45.68) melon.<\/p>\n

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Kyoto Station<\/p><\/div>\n

I also got a glimpse of the Kyoto Tower, which has been mocked in just about every guide I\u2019ve seen as being a silly looking rocket. I don\u2019t think it looked too bad.<\/p>\n

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Kyoto Tower, which unfairly gets mocked.<\/p><\/div>\n

The coolest part of Kyoto Station is this illuminated staircase that stretches up 11 stories. The lights show animations accompanied by sounds and music.<\/p>\n

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Staircase showing an animation of people walking through the station.<\/p><\/div>

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And now the stairs are showing Japanese patterns.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n