Misha recently stopped in Japan to visit me while reporting for duty at Embassy Hanoi. It was great seeing her after two months apart. We had a little down time in Tokyo as she tried getting over the jet lag, though it takes about a week to truly adjust (or three weeks according to Misha). On a day when the heat and humidity made the air as thick as pudding, we hopped aboard our first bullet train (shinkansen) to visit Kyoto and Osaka. Osaka deserves its own post, so I’ll stick to Kyoto in this installment.
Kyoto is an old city with a rich history, the former capital of Japan from 794, when it was called Heian-kyo, until 1868 and the Meiji Restoration. The bullet train take a little over 2 hours from Tokyo and costs roughly $85 each way, depending on seat selections. The top speed is claimed to be 177 miles an hour, yet it’s exceedingly smooth. Accounting for rest stops, a drive would take nearly three times as long and cost roughly the same amount in tolls.
After dropping our bags off at our hotel, we headed for Nijo Castle, a massive complex with an inner and outer moat protecting the palace, gardens, and other structures within. Photos and shoes are not allowed inside the palace, which was finished in 1626 and henceforth the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate. We found the entire complex extremely impressive. However, with the humidity pushing 98°F to feel like 113°F, our stamina ran dry, so we went back to the hotel for a cold shower and a break.
In the evening, we went to the Nishiki Market, where over 100 vendors sell all sorts of food and goods. We struck out a few times, like when we tried fried fish paste filled with cheese before realizing what it was, but it was fun to try new things.
The next morning, we rose early to make it to Fushimi Inari Taisha, which is recognizable across social media for its endless vermillion gates and fox statues. We arrived at 7am along with more tourists than I would have expected, but once we got past the main shrine and started walking the crowd thinned out. Despite the hour, we did not beat Japan’s infamous heat and humidity. The gates continued up into a forest for several kilometers before eventually reaching a bamboo grove where we encountered two large, curious crows looking for snacks.
After checking out of the hotel, we went to the Samurai & Ninja Museum. The $20+ entry ticket was a little more than comparable museums in the US, but it was a great experience. The guide was funny and energetic as he explained the history of feudal Japan and the men and women who served under the shogun. Not only do you get to hold authentic samurai weapons, but you also get to practice throwing rubber ninja stars, which was the highlight of the tour.
We packed all of this into roughly 26 hours, a great trip but leaving plenty of the city to explore. Kyoto has nearly 2000 Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, many of which are beautifully opulent and open to tourism. Another popular trip near Kyoto is Nara, known for their famous bowing deer. I’m not leaving Japan without seeing those deer, so we will certainly be back. Next up is the second half of our trip to Kansai where we spent a fantastic day at the 2025 Osaka World Expo.
Beer and Diplomacy 
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