Why I Love Japan

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is why I love Japan. I get this question from relatives, friends, and strangers. I've thought about this recently and it has occurred to me that I've been giving typical answers like "I love the culture" or "I like anime." Now, all of that is true. I freaking love the culture to death, and anime is what got me started on Japan. But the problem with these answers is that it's not my real, true answer. I've been giving easy answers out. I thought I did this because I get this question a lot and was just sick of answering it all the time but its actually more personal.

Don't Get Offended in Japan

Whether you're going to Japan as a tourist, a student, or a long-term resident you shouldn't get offended in Japan. You are the visitor in that country which means you should be trying to grow accustomed to the Japanese lifestyle and mannerisms. Even if you don't try to be accommodating to them, you should at least try to be more understanding. Japan does some things way differently than other cultures that can come across rude but it them it is normal behavior. When people don't try to understand the culture they are temporarily living in they may get offended by actions that are not meant to be taken in a offensive way.

I'll be sharing three gestures/mannerisms in the Japanese culture that may seem rude to other cultures. Be open-minded and understanding about these gestures so you can avoid taking it the wrong way when you go to Japan. Not all Japanese people do these things, but it is very common.

Public Transportation Etiquette in Japan

One of the most common and popular ways to get around Japan is through public transportation. Cars are not convenient for an every day commute to work or even going into the city to hang out with friends. The parking is limited and costly at times, and there's also a ton of traffic in the bigger cities. Cars are convenient for more rural areas outside of the city or to use for weekend getaways. But since we're talking about an every day use, public transportation is the way to go even though it sometimes has its own inconveniences.

Why People Dress Nice in Japan

Japan is a culture that thinks of others over themselves. Most people are thinking will I be a bother to other people before taking action. This way of thinking applies to a lot of different aspects of daily life in Japan. But for today, I'll be discussing the dressing habits in Japan.

It is well known that Japan is famous for its fashion. These seasonal fashion trends can be most commonly found in Shibuya prefecture in Tokyo, Japan. The reason Shibuya is known for its fashion is because of its hundreds of stores with the latest fashions. A popular department store in Shibuya is Shibuya 109. It features 10 floors of clothing stores and restaurants. It's a very busy places with crowds of people looking for the popular trend that's out. It's a great place to visit as a tourist if you are into the more modern lifestyle of Japan.

Shibuya 109 building.

If you venture out into other cities in Japan there won't be as much hype for fashion, but looking good still exists. Previously mentioned, it is important to present yourself in a clean, respected manner. This includes the way you dress. I've briefly discussed this topic in another blog post of mine titled Japanese Pop Culture. I'll have the link to that post at the end of this one. Anyway, There are guidelines on how you should dress. For females, it is acceptable to show as much leg as you would like but it is necessary to cover the chest. Japan is a country of modesty which is why the chest needs to be covered. It is also common for females to where heels. There's no strict reason for this. It's a combination of looking taller and fashionable. For males, the desired look to aim for is cleanly dressed. Fitted clothing accomplishes this desired look. Now there are exceptions to these guidelines. Older adults will still dress nicely, but it'll be in a more comfortable way. So instead of heels they may wear tennis shoes since walking is a common activity in Japan. Also living in a more rural area gives room for compromise, as it may not make too much of a difference to dress up in a low populated area. There's also going out to tourist attractions. If you know you're going to be walking a lot from place to place it might not be reasonable to dress up.

Touristy area in Kyoto and a ton of stairs. Dress in comfortable shoes in you plan on walking a lot.

Now, it is not required to dress up in your own house in Japan. In privacy, it's okay to be more relaxed. But if you're going out to the grocery store or the post office, little errand like that, you should consider following the dress procedures I mentioned above.

I personally love this way of thinking. Yes, it can be seen as annoying to most people who just don't care about their appearance. I'm sometimes guilty of not caring and going out looking like a slob. But it would be nice to dress up without having a reason to dress up. The most common look where I'm from is a shirt, some shorts, and flip flops on your feet. In my home of New Orleans, its not common to dress up on a daily basis, unless your job requires this of you. In my case, I work in a back office where no one hardly ever sees me except for the occasional potty breaks and whatnot. On rare occasions I like to try to look nice, and people notice I'm looking nice but then they ask me, "What are you all dressed up for?" I can't dress up just to dress up? There has to be a reason? This is not fair in my opinion. There shouldn't have to be a reason. If I want to wear heels I should be able to wear heels. If I want to wear a dress, I should be able to wear a dress. I wouldn't get this kind of reaction in Japan because it's just natural for everyone to look nice.

Shopping in Kyoto's shopping district.

What do you think? Would you like to live in Japan and experience this lifestyle for yourself? Try dressing yourself up on a random day and see if you get any reactions like I got.

Link to my other blog post: japantherapyneworleans.blogspot.com/2015/06/japanese-pop-culture.html

Thanks for reading and supporting my blog!
Connect with me on social media!

Facebook: facebook.com/japanetherapynola

Instagram: instagram.com/japantherapy
#japantherapy #japantherapyblog

Google+: google.com/JenniferTorresjapantherapy

I Like Anime so I Must Like Japan

I’m talking about this in length because I feel it’s very important for people to understand. Let’s be realistic, it doesn’t work that way.

If you decide to go visit Japan only for the reason of liking anime you will most likely be very disappoint. It's okay to like anime, I love anime, but it can't be the only thing. The reason for this is because your expectations are on a different level. Your journey to Japan won’t be like an anime. Anime is a work of fiction set in Japan. These characters you watch from your favorite anime have lives in Japan. You don’t. You live in your home country and you want to go visit Japan. Some of you may not even have Japanese friends to visit. You will either be traveling alone, traveling with a friend or spouse, or you will be meeting up with a friend who moved to Japan. It will be more comforting to travel with someone or to meet up with someone but some people aren’t that fortunate.

Your mind set will be a big factor for whether you enjoy Japan or not. Japan has a lot to other. It’s a country filled with history and a unique culture. Liking anime will not be enough for you to fully enjoy Japan.

Now, this doesn’t apply to everyone but I’ve seen it happen before.

Story time!

I made a friend in my Japanese 1001 class. She really liked anime, and still does. We became really good friends and we both had the desire to travel to Japan. I was fortunate enough to be able to study abroad in Japan. I had a great time and I’m positive that it was due to my interest in the Japanese culture.

My friend swore that she’d go to Japan one day, and she made it happen before she graduated from college. She planned a two week trip to Japan as her graduation present to herself. She worked all the details out knowing where she was going to go, what she was going to visit, and who she was going to stay with. She thought she’d have a great time in Japan because she would be staying with a friend of ours and that he would be able to take her around. She was terribly wrong! Our friend was an English teacher in Japan and had already started a life in Japan with his new friends. He had no time for her, and I don’t blame him. There are a lot of expectations when you're working in Japan (I'll discuss this in a later post).

She luckily got to see a few of the sights but came home a week early from her trip. She claims it was because she missed her boyfriend at the time. That sounded really suspicious to me and my friends because we all knew she never had an attachment to him. I felt her trip was cut short because Japan wasn’t what she expected. Her hopes were probably too high of it being like an anime. I think I even heard her complain once that Japan didn’t have nachos.

My friend wasn’t mentally prepared to go to Japan. Now that I look back on our friendship I never did hear her mention anything about Japan except for anime. That was probably the flaw in her trip. Now she ruined her whole image of Japan and will most likely have no interest to go back. It’s sad to see that happen to her because I know she has dreamed of going to Japan since high school. I don’t want to see that happen to anyone else. It’s sad to see someone’s dream just crumble like that. That’s why I’m advising anyone who is an anime fan to please give the Japanese culture a try if you haven't already. Research Japanese culture from books or going on YouTube, both are great resource. If you need any recommendations I recommend: Rachel and Jun, Sharla in Japan, Tomoko Tomoko, Micaela, and Texan in Tokyo.

I hope this helped you out and made you think a little bit more about Japan as a whole.

Until next time!

Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/japantherapy/

And follow me on Google+ for updates: google.com/+JenniferTorresjapantherapy

Japanese Pop Culture

Japan is a country that's deeply rooted in their traditions, but they've developed an influential pop culture that has reached to many different countries. Whether you are familiar with the pop culture or new to the scene, there's always something to learn.

Fashion

Fashion is the biggest part of the Japanese pop culture. It's very important to the lifestyle they live by. In Japan it is important to look presentable and clean when going out. Not only that, but there are guidelines to their fashion. For men, properly fitted clothes are desirable. For women, you can show as much legs as you'd like but you should cover the chest area. To make the look complete women should wear heels. There are obvious circumstances that will allow these guidelines to bend such as weather and preferences. These are just the typically rule of thumb to Japanese fashion. One of the best stores to shop at is UNIQLO. This a well known store in Japan that has fashionable and cheap clothing.

College students.

Music

Just as America has various genres of music, so does Japan. The most common and talked about genres are J-pop (Japanese pop music), J-rock (Japanese rock music), and Visual Kei (a music and fashion associated with rock style but adds an elaborate sound and look). Japanese music lyrics are very poetic. The lyrics usually talk about nature or emotions. For those of you who may not be familiar with Japanese music here are examples of bands and artists I recommend you to check out:

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu- a popular and well known pop singer famous for her song "PonPonPon."

*Babymetal- a 3 member girl rock band that combines cuteness and the sound of rock into their music.

Stereopony- a girl rock band that has had songs featured in anime. 

Perfume- a pop/techno girl group who is recognized for their unique sound.

*AAA- a pop group of both genders who have been featured in anime and have came out with multiple cds over the years.

*Da-ice- a new boy pop group with great vocals and eye catching choreography. 

*Abingdon Boys School- an alternative boys rock group who is recognized for their iconic songs that are featured in various anime.

                                                                                           *These are my favorites to listen to.

Babymetal (got from an article on Rocketnews24)

Anime

Anime is Japanese animation. It is in fact for all ages, so make sure to check the show's maturity rating. Some of you may have seen anime before without even noticing such as Pokemon, Dragonball, Speed Racer, Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, and Cardcaptor Sakura. These examples are a part of many people's childhood. Anime has evolved since then and has become an art form, always trying to out do themselves. Anime comes in many genres. It is probably the most popular thing about Japanese pop culture. It has migrated to all parts of the world with voice acting in English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Korean, Brazilian, and of course Japanese. Anime has a subculture called cosplay which will be for another post entirely. Here are examples of anime to watch:

Ages 4-12: Pokemon, Yokai Watch, Digimon, Kaleido Star, Tokyo Mew Mew, Glass Mask, Shugo Chara!

Ages 13-17: .hack//, Naruto, Fruits Basket, Full Moon, Inuyasha, D.Grayman, Ouran High School Host Club, Kimi Ni Todoke, Slayers, Trigun.

Ages 18 and older: Hellsing Ultimate, Ghost in the Shell, Elfen Lied, Death Note, Berserk, Ceres Celestial Legend, Attack on Titan, Paradise Kiss.

These anime are recommendations based off of age groups and do not reflect my taste of anime. I will be happy to post about my favorite anime at a later time.

Characters of the series .hack//Legend of the Twilight.

I hope you enjoyed this quick overview of Japanese pop culture. All of these topics can be discussed in more detail which will reappear in later posts.

Sorry for not posting lately! I've been super busy with my cosplay since anime convention season is approaching for me. I will probably be doing a blog post on that relatively soon. I will continue to post as much as I can. Until next time!

Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/japantherapy/

Speak English?!? You Try Speaking a Difficult Language!

Hi everyone!

This post is going to be very controversial. I'm sorry if this makes some of you uncomfortable but it needs to be addressed. Now this is obviously my opinion on the situation and you have every right to think differently, but here it goes.

Let's start off with a story.

I work at a car dealership. Nothing I say has any reflection on the business itself or the professionalism of the workers, it's all their personal feelings I'll be telling. Anyway, we get a lot of different customers coming through our doors. Some are young, some are old, some are White, and some are Hispanic. They can be coming into the dealership to buy a car or to service their car. Well, a lot of my coworkers who deal with customers are older than me and are not as cultured as me. I'm not saying older people can't be cultured, but these coworkers of mine are into their own lives and definitely not interested in other cultures. They even find it weird and surprising when I talk about Japan. They just never had the desire to learn more than what they need to know. To get to the story, one day a customer came into the dealership. He supposedly had a really thick accent. My coworker claimed he was Chinese due to his name and passed the customer onto someone else because she couldn't understand him. Then I heard a comment from the spectators in the office that people should speak English if they come to America. What?!?!?! This guy was clearly speaking English, he just had a Chinese accent still which is normal.

Now let's get down to my opinion and morals of this story.

Why should anyone coming to America have to speak English? I thought America was a free country, and welcoming to all types of people. We even have Americans who speak different kinds of English like slang, or just not proper English at all. These foreigners coming to America are here for the opportunities and some even learned English so they could fit in. I rather these people living in America than the lazy people who just sit at home all day wondering why their life is so miserable and not doing anything to fix it themselves.

My Japanese notebook, plus some doodles.

It really bothers me when someone says something stupid like "they should speak English." Obviously the people who say this have never truly learned a language so they can't possibly understand. It's hard to learn a language! People always ask me if I can speak Japanese and it's the hardest thing to answer. I can't say no because I do know some Japanese. Yet if I say yes everyone thinks I know it fluently which is not true. I end up saying yes to their question but add that I know enough to get around. They are still impressed with me but then they turn around and say stupid stuff like speak English! Well then, since you are so adamant about people speaking English you should try speaking another language. See how that works out for you. You'll never be able to compare your speaking skills with others who are learning English because English is the hardest language to learn and you've grown up with it since birth. 

I'm studying Japanese.

So I dare those of you who've ever said that foreigners should speak English to actually learn a different language first before saying something that stupid. You just sound ignorant when you say it.

That's my life lesson I'm sharing with all of you. I hope it didn't get too intense for you but this is a serious subject that happens more often than you may think.

Check out my other blog posts for more Japan related topics!

Also, I'm on Instagram! Come follow me here: https://instagram.com/japantherapy/

I like to post Japan pictures from past trips and Japanese related things that I like.

Thank you for you're support! See you next time!

What Could Give You Culture Shock

Culture shock doesn't happen to everyone, but when it happens it can be very hard to overcome. I never experienced culture shock myself or have had friends who experienced it, but I know it can really ruin a good trip and what was supposed to be a good time.

Culture shock is when someone goes into another culture they are not familiar with and is shocked about the differences from their own culture. You'll start to panic. This can be mentally painful and very stressful to someone.

Now, if I could've gotten culture shock I can think of four things that would cause it.

1. The People and Language

I live in America. More specifically, I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. We have a little nickname for the city of New Orleans called the gumbo bowl. Now the contents in a gumbo dish is a bunch of different seafood. That's what it's like in the city. It's a bunch a different people living in one city. So to go from this kind of life to Japan, where there's mostly going to be Japanese people speaking mostly Japanese, can be very intimidating and will cause reason for panic. Japan is not a diverse country and to Americans it can be stressful not seeing what's familiar to you.

2. Transportation

In America, we run on cars. Almost everyone owns a car. A car is essential for the way we live life. It takes us to work, let's us go on vacations, and overall, gets us where we want to go at any time. This may not apply to northern states who have subway systems, but down south it's a part of our daily lives. In Japan it's different. They run on public transportation. Yes, there are cars around but there are way more people using subways, trains, and buses than people using cars. And why not use good resources if it's given to you? So seeing Japan function through public transportation can cause culture shock. Go to a train station in Tokyo in the morning work hours. That alone could give you culture shock. It's pretty much a bunch of people crowding onto the train and train attendants pushing people in. It can be seen as chaotic and bizarre, but it works for them. Another thing you'll see are people walking and biking, the cheaper of all transportation. If you stay in one city at a time while in Japan you'll probably be walking or biking to places yourself.

3. Restaurants

What can go wrong with going to a restaurant in Japan? If you're familiar with Japanese culture you already know that the people working are polite and strive for the best strive they can give. There's even a no tipping policy! But what you may not know is that there's no such thing as leftovers. In America, New Orleans specifically, your meals are huge! The food is practically falling off the plate. You go out to eat already knowing you're not going to finish your meal unless you are super hungry that day. There's nothing to worry about though because you know the server will ask if you need a to-go box. In Japan there's no such thing as a to-go box. It is expected that you eat all your food. This is not a hard task because the meals you buy are perfectly portioned. The only way it can go wrong is if you purchase too much thinking you need more food. A way to avoid this is to order as you eat. If you're done your first dish and still hungry you can order more food. Another thing about restaurants that can be surprising is if you visit a more traditional restaurant. At these restaurants you are most likely going to be taking off your shoes and possibly sitting on the ground. This can be very uncomfortable for some people but it's not that bad if you just give it a try.

4. Going Up

What I mean by going up is that Japan works by floors. Japan is a tiny country with a big population, especially in the cities. It is not common for people to have their own house. Most people live in apartments that have many floors. The same can be said for business establishments. Say you went on your phone looking up nail salons in Tokyo, Japan. You found the address of one and decided to go check it out. You come to a tall building that houses many establishments. It can get pretty frustrating and difficult trying to find this place. There are even restaurants that are in these multi level buildings. Try not to get impatient, you'll be able to find where you want to go if you pay close attention to signs and advertisements.

Those are the ways I feel most people would get culture shock. I hope this helps some people. I would like to advice that the best way to overcome culture shock is to study up on the culture before traveling and to accept their way of life. That is the reason why I have never experienced culture shock. 

If you have experienced culture shock please share. I'd love to hear your stories. If you have any further questions on this subject please don't hesitate to ask. Until next time!

If You Like New Orleans, You'll Like Japan

New Orleans and Japan have a lot more in common than you may think. I know it's hard to believe since the biggest difference is language, but trust me.

Anyway, let's get to it! Here are the similarities of New Orleans and Japan.

Drinking Life

When I say drinking, I mean alcohol. In New Orleans we have a street dedicated to drinking called Bourbon Street, located in the French Quarter. We have a lot of people who like to go out and get really drunk, like drunk enough to where they can't walk straight and can't think about what they're saying, and then you have the ones who like to go drink socially. New Orleans is definitely a culture of drinking, not that it's always a bad thing down here because I like the social aspect of it, I'm just not a fan of the kind of drinking that's done on an extreme level.

Japan is kind of like New Orleans in that aspect. Drinking in Japan is very social. In Japan friends are always going out to bars to catch up and have a good time. If you're not drinking with your friends you're drinking with your co-workers after work. It's actually looked down upon if you don't go drink with your co-workers. This is the time for all the workers to be at the same rank. There's no such thing as a boss when you go out drinking in Japan. Everyone is equal. It can be very relaxing but plan to stay out late on a weekday if you go drink with your co-workers. Don't forget to "Kanpai!" (Kanpai means cheers).

A friend of mine drinking at Mardi Gras.

Haunted Attractions and Folklore

New Orleans is big on haunted places and the supernatural. We use these as tourists attraction when visitors come down. One of our biggest attraction for tourists and locals is the Myrtle's Plantation, outside of the New Orleans area. You can make a reservation and stay the night to experience a real haunting. Then there's voodoo which is like a supernatural connection to spirits. Watch Princess and the Frog for more details on voodoo. It's nothing you want to mess with.

Japan has it's own horrors just like New Orleans. Have you ever seen the movie The Ring? It's a scary movie about a dead spirit girl rising from a well shown on a video tape and pops out of the TV. Scary stuff. Well, this is a real thing in Japan. It's called Okiku's Well and it's said that a maid was killed by being thrown into the well because she didn't accept a samurai's offer to be his lover. Now the place is haunted and they say you can hear her scream. You can find this well at the Himeji Castle. The Japanese even have a ton of folklore. My favorite is Kuchisake-onna. I'll stop there because I can do a whole other post on Japanese folklore later.

Festivals

An excuse to party is something New Orleans and Japan shares. Festivals are mostly organized to appreciate or celebrate something. In the New Orleans area we have a Strawberry Festival, Oyster Festival, French Quarter Festival, and of course Mardi Gras. These festivals are huge and bring in a lot of people. Japan can relate to this. They have festivals all over the country for all kinds of things. There's a snow festival in Sapporo, Sanja Matsuri in Tokyo to celebrate a shrine, Gion Festival in Kyoto to celebrate a shrine, and Awa Odori, a dance festival. These matsuri or festivals bring in many people and have a tin of attraction for the public. If you ever go to Japan you should go to at least one festival just for the experience.

At Meiji Shrine in Tokyo.

Unique Food

This goes for both New Orleans and Japan. You WILL NOT taste anything similar to their foods. Yes, they both have foods that everyone has access to but they also have their own unique foods that can be really hard to replicate. When it comes to New Orleans it's all about the boiled BBQ shrimp, charbroiled oysters, red beans, jambalaya, and gumbo. All of these are a must if you come down to New Orleans. The uniqueness of these dishes really add up to the way we season our food down here.

Japan has a unique taste of their own. If you want to experience the food life of Japan the foods you need to try are okonomiyaki (cabbage pancakes), takoyaki (octopus ball), sushi (simply raw fish over rice), teriyaki burger, yakiniku (Japanese BBQ), shabu shabu (cooked meat) and ramen. All these Japanese foods are uniquely Japanese and are very hard to replicate yourself and even from restaurants. To taste the real thing, you have to go to Japan.

Cooking Okonomiyaki in Osaka.

Follow me on social media!!!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/japantherapynola

Instagram: www.instagram.com/japantherapy       #japantherapy

Why You Should Visit Japan

Japan is a country dear to my heart, even though I’m not from there. It has so many great things to offer. Whether you have always wanted to go to Japan or it never even crossed your mind to go I can tell you why you should visit Japan.

The Traditions

Japan’s traditions run deep and are still practiced in their society. You don’t have to feel like you can’t participate in their traditions because all of them cater to tourists such as wearing a kimono and sitting in a tea ceremony. Some countries lose their traditions over time but Japan has kept it alive for generations of people to experience. The only thing I could compare it to in New Orleans is visiting a plantation and going to a Mardi Gras Ball, but even that isn’t the same. Japan has a much older history compared to New Orleans. Not only that, but Japan has also kept its traditions unchanging. In New Orleans if you were to go to a Mardi Gras Ball now it would be more modernized than when it first started and plantations are more like old museums now. So experience wearing a kimono for rent around the city for a day and go sit in on a tea ceremony to enjoy the art of the ceremony while trying the tea and sweets. Be a part of the traditions.

Tea ceremony in Uji prefecture.

The Culture

Japan is a culture of order, presentation, and convenience. These qualities sum up life in Japan. Going to work or meeting a friend? Their train, subway, and bus systems will get you there in time. The transportation system is the definition of order and only one of many examples I can give right now. It’s pretty entertaining to time the buses to see if they get to the bus stops at their designated times.

Go out to eat at any restaurant in Japan and order whatever you like. I can bet you it’ll be a beautiful plate of food. I remember going to a parfait restaurant in Kyoto. I didn’t know what to expect because the closest thing to a parfait I had in New Orleans was a parfait at McDonald’s. When my strawberry shortcake parfait came out I died. I never knew ice cream could look so beautiful. And that’s what Japan does, makes their food beautiful along with tasting delicious.

Last but not least, Japan is a country of convenience. I’m sure if you go visit Japan you’re going to want to see as many tourist attractions as possible. In order to gain more time you and your friends decide to skip lunch because going to sit at a restaurant will decrease your time spent on exploring Japan. You don’t have to make those sacrifices when there are convenient stores at every turn, supplying you with quality to-go meals such as yakisoba, sushi, spaghetti, and sandwiches. Another example is if you visit Japan during the summer and you’re walking the streets visiting all the shrines you can find. It’s a hot day and you’re getting thirsty. No worries. There are vending machines filled with cold drinks at every corner. If that’s not convenience, I don’t know what is.

Strawberry shortcake parfait at a restaurant in Kyoto, Japan.

The Best of Both Worlds

Ever wanted to travel back in time? In Japan, you can while staying in the comfort of the 21^st century. Japan has the best of both worlds. You can travel to small rural cities to enjoy the simple lifestyle or go to the big cities to enjoy the luxurious shopping malls and restaurants. Either way you can always find history in Japan by visiting temples, shrines, and castles. Japan has some of the oldest structures, long before America was even discovered, that are still standing today. It is breath taking to stand in front of a castle that had a crucial function to history. A prime example of the phrase “best of both worlds” is the city of Kyoto. Kyoto used to be Japan’s capital during the samurai times so it has a lot of history to offer. Some of that history can be seen by visiting landmarks such as Nijo Castle. Even though the city is old it has developed a lot over time. Take a 5-10 minute bus ride from Nijo Castle to step out onto the streets of the Shijo shopping district where you can find great shopping, delicious restaurants, arcades, and karaoke. You can’t go wrong with the city of Kyoto who has the best of both worlds.

Inside the grounds of Nijo Castle.