We got to Kyoto in about two and half hours. The station is amazing as well. Well lit and modern it has wide open spaces. What we do notice, though, is that it's not as well marked in English as Tokyo. Tokyo you could literally go anywhere using only the rails. Here you usually have to use the buses which are written only in Japanese and most people here don't speak English. I guess the locals here are either repulsed or afraid of the gaijin. It's unfortunate. Not what I was expecting as far as Japanese to show disdain openly. Friendly is going too far to describe their attitude. More like polite because they have to be. They openly chat with each other including other touring Japanese, but as far as outsiders are concerned they won't help or say hello to you if they think don't have to. There is definitely a change in attitude towards westerners here. It completely makes sense that the people in Tokyo are more accepting of outsiders since it is a major stop for traveler's. Kyoto is definitely more in line to what I was expecting as far as the culture is concerned. There are more parks, museums, shrines (or jinja) than Tokyo. It's more of a rural setting on teh verge of becoming a large city. Within minutes of leaving Kyoto Station we can see homes and mom and pop vendors.
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