Japan remains my one of my favourite destinations. In this #FlashbackFriday post, I repost a travelogue of a trip to Kyoto. It was for a fashion assignment. It was fascinating to see how fashion shoots were done but I got to enjoy beautiful Kyoto and Osaka at the same time.

February 23, 2005

Kyoto, here I come!

So on Friday I will be flying off to Kyoto, the place where you can “see” Japan in a nutshell.

The last time I was in Japan was nearly five years ago. Despite the sheer number of people in Tokyo – I mean like millions – it was really beautiful. The houses were all neat and tidy and architecturally pleasing.Everything was fascinating, from their electronic toilets to their male/female shopping centres.

I remember standing near the Imperial palace and gazing at the field of white little pebbles. Yet just walks away from this tranquil place was a bustling, neon-filled shopping paradise.

Kyoto is different, from what I can see in this super blog called Alive in Kyoto. Again, very beautiful, and filled with fascinating sights such as ryokans, geishas and ancient buildings.

I’m not going to do much in Kyoto. Most probably just do my job and take lots of pictures. I will definitely be having a good trip, but I’m definitely there mostly for business, so I’ll be probably holed up in my hotel room at night, tapping notes for my articles on my PDA .

February 27, 2005

Hello from Kyoto!

Well, I didnt think it possible but I found Internet access. Free at that! Unfortunately, Im not used to japanese keyboards, and I cant find the apostrophe! So forgive me for my inaccuracy.

Well, the flight lasted about 7 hours from Kuala Lumpur. I spent most of my time trying to find the most creative way to sleep across two seats. I slept about, oh, two hours max.

When we landed in Tokyo, we had to take a bus for an hour to Henada Airport, and then from there we waiting for another hour to board a plane to Osaka, and then after an hour on the plane to Itami airport we have to take yet another ride for 1.5 hours to Kyoto.

By the time we reached the hotel, it was lunchtime, and I was really green from travel sickness.

Yet, somehow, found the strength to walk around the hotel area for three hours. What can I say – when it comes to shopping, women can find some kind of strength. 😉

Kyoto has a different feel from Tokyo, but its as busy and crowded. It is apparently more cultural here, especially in the Gion area where the maikos (apprentice geishas) and the geishas are.

The neatest thing about Japan is that you can be in a bustling city area, but just take a left turn in an alley some where and youll be met with a serene shrine with bells,flowers and fountains. We were at one such shrine area while shopping in the market place around the area.

Im still travel sick; I have this weird sensation that the world is still moving up and down. Great. I had this when I was in London. Took me days to recover.

Well, well be moving to Osaka tomorrow. Hopefully there is Internet connection there too.

Until then!

February 27, 2005

Kyoto, night time

The cold isn’t as bad as I thought here. I guess I’m more prepared for the cold than I was previously. (Experience counts!) Decked in my winter coat, leather gloves, thick jeans and turtleneck sweaters, I had little trouble staying warm.

Tonight the group had a meal at a real sushi bar! Lets just say that after eating there, Sushi King is such a pale imitation. The sushi chefs were such boisterous people, shouting things at each other as they make the sushi.

Instead of serving the sushi on plates, they actually hand us, with their bare hands, the sushi, placing them on the wooden strip before our table. Interesting way of eating sushi!

They offered sake, but I didn:t want to get stoned on my first day in Kyoto!

The sushi place is located at Nishiki Market, a maze of shops selling food, souveniers, clothes goodness knows what else.

The article

The resulting article from the trip. (Yes, that’s Amber Chia, back then a just-rising modelling star.) Incidentally, I also laid out (designed) the page: