masalaSushi: Kyoto - past or present?

Kyoto is two and a half hours flat from Tokyo on the 'shinkansen' - a.k.a the bullet

train. A 6-8 hour journey slashed down mercilessly. I think I'm just in love with the idea of the bullet train. There are trains as fast (the French TGV faster) but none as romantic as this - in my eyes. The sleek sharp nosed 'nozomi' (hope in Japanese) super fast express shears through Japan's crowded countryside with not a rattle, at speeds higher than 300 km/hr. Occasionally a Mt Fuji may appear in the horizon making you feel you are in a postcard.

Japan's countryside seems perpetually dotted with human living.The unending stretch of habitation makes sense when you realise that Japan's 130 million are squeezed into just 25 % of habitable land (75% mountainous),making it one of the densest countries in the world.

Kyoto is the cultural epicentre of Japan. It is said,that it is where the Japanese come to feel more Japanese.Before a visit, it might help to keep in mind , that Kyoto is among the most visited tourist destinations after Mecca (a big chunk of it -domestic tourists). A detail we should have checked before dreaming of quiet strolls in Zen gardens and peaceful shrines! More about that later.

The Seikoro ryokan (a Japanese inn) , where we stayed, was quaint enough to give us an authentic experience but tailored enough to offer English breakfast! Would probably make a purist cringe. But we were the earnest vegetarians ready for the Japanese experience sans the sashim

i (and armed with MTR 'tadka dal' in our bag just in case).The culinary dimension of a ryokan lost on us, we persisted by sleeping on 'futon' mattresses (very comfortable), quaffing all the bitter green tea served by sweet Hiromi and flip flopping in slippers wearing crisply laundered cotton yukatas.We also bypassed the 'onsen' (public bath) experience and stuck to using the match box sized facility attached to our room..we really have'nt done well with the purists so far.

The aura in the ryokan was personal. The warm woody interiors striking the right chord.Every entry into the ryokan was greeted with a gush of bowing (but of course) and greetings. And the shoe-removing, slipper -donning ritual. In Japan I am beginning to understand the seriousness of neatly lined footwear.We got a clue of it last year, when our housing agents at each house-viewing visit, cleaned up after us (our carelessly flung shoes- pointing in different directions-a sin I am sure punishable in Japanese hell).The definitive moment when the red neons flashed in our minds- 'Welcome to Japan'!

After Tokyo, Kyoto (interestingly anagrammatic) seemed like a small town/city- more laid back and relaxed. In many ways reminding me of Mysore (city in S.India). Or an organised Phnom Penh(Cambodia).Certainly more 'Asian' and down to earth.

But dont get this wrong.Kyoto is as modern as it is traditional, has its own Park Avenue (Shijo dori) and a bustling nightlife.We may not have staggered out of pubs but we certainly loved munching our vegetarian sandwiches in some of the atmospheric cafes around.

Sometimes one wonders if Kyoto is on the edge of two worlds - past and present - not quite sure where/what to turn to.

Some other Kyoto experiences we carried back -

-Hajime Hirooka (or Johnnie Hillwalker) the wisened tour guide who takes you on a 5 hour walking tour of inner Kyoto."World famous guide"."Walk in Kyoto-Talk in English". "Slow,easy,no up and down". "No reservations". Just show up at Kyoto Station at 10 am. And show up we did - a drove of eager tourists. In many ways Hajime Hirooka could be Kyoto in human form - old and wise yet shrewd enough to be in with today's flow.

-The unending line up of shrines and temples - all beautiful if you could peel the layers of tourists and cameras surrounding them.. in this peak season might need a stretch of imagination to feel the shoguns and monks of yore meandering down tranquil rock gardens musing on life to the sound of birds (instead of clicking cameras). None of the monuments possesed the grandeur and artistic scale of say a 10 A.D temple in India or a church in Europe - but then Japan is all about minimalism and subtelty.No arguments there.