Before I came to Japan I had a stereotypically image in my mind of how I thought it would be. Non-stop traffic, neon lit facades and expensive food. Upon arriving in Tokyo my initial impressions were that my assumptions had been correct. It was without doubt the busiest, brightest and most expensive place I had ever been. Everywhere I went I was innundated with spectacular sights and sounds. Every meal I consumed forced me to spend more money than I wished, in a word it was overwhelming.
After Tokyo I caught the Shinkasen to Nagano, it was then that my pre-concieved ideas fell to the wayside. It was beautiful, peaceful, but still expensive. Walking through small villages with snow covered roofs was as far from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo as you could possibly get. In a word it was peaceful.
Then I caught the train to Kyoto, initially it felt like any other city I had ever been to. My hostel was located in Gion-Shijoh, I arrived, unpacked and immediately followed the advice of my trusty Lonely Planet and walked through the old neighbourhood. Within 15 minutes I came across a small procession of Geisha, it was a spectacular sight which I can vividly remember as if it were yesterday. I proceeded on to the Kiyomizu-dera temple which is the starting point of the world famous "Southern Higashyama Walking Tour." I then spent the next six hours walking from temple to temple, often I was alone except for the monks who were busy in prayer. It was a awesome experience that I will never forget, in a word it was inspiring.
So in essence my impressions of Japan changed everyday, it is a country of incredible depth and beauty. No one place can sum up the experiences on offer. From these intial days of travel I learnt to expect the unexpected. My trip to Japan has been an invaluable experience, I now see Japan in all its multi-dimensional glory and not as a one trick pony.
