2019-10-01 Wanderlust

34 wanderlust.co.uk October 2019

EXPLORE

Tokyoisacityofparks,fromthevast

ShinjukuGyoenNationalGarden(pictured)

tothelushly-forestedYoyogiPark.These

greenspacesareoftenbuzzingwithlive

musicandlaughter,butespeciallysothan

duringcherryblossomseason–whenlocals

lockforbeer-fuelledpicnicsbeneaththe

pinksakurapetalsthatdanceonthebreeze.

Likethecityitself,Kyoto’soutdoorspaces

areserene.Strollbetweentheswaying

trunksofArashiyamaBambooGrove,or

takeabreathinaquietcentralpark.The

rakedgravelgardenofUNESCO-listed

Ryoan-jiTempleisparticularlymeditative,

andisdesignedsothatnomatterwhichway

OUTDOORS youlook,oneofits^15 rocksisalwayshidden.

JAPAN

VERDICT:GohardinTokyoandslowinKyoto.Everythingaboutthecapitalisfast,rightdown

toitspedestrians’walkingpace.Kyoto,bycontrast,revealsthecalmersideofJapaneselife.

Together,theyoerrealinsightintolocalcustomsandculture,sodon’tjustpickone:doboth.

The evocative Japanese cities of Tokyo and Kyoto will headline most visitors’

to-do lists – but do you opt for the capital’s neon lights and Michelin-starred

sushi spots, or choose Kyoto’s more serene, temple-rich oerings?

TokyobecameJapan’scapitalsurprisingly

recently,onlyearningthetitlein1868.

Ithasn’tbeenwithoutitstroubles–from

devastatingearthquakestoSecondWorld

Warbombings–butthecityalwaysbounces

backstronger.Today,itstandsasashining

exampleofprosperity,hometooneofthe

largesturbanpopulationsintheworld.

KyotoservedasJapan’scapital for over

1,000years.Thecityhasresisted the urge

tomodernise:thereareno airports, only two

metrolines,andabanonbuildings over ten

storeyshigh.Itfeelslikeatime capsule,

especiallyinthecobbledstreets of the Gion

district,withitstemptingtea shops and

beguilinggeisha(pictured).

HISTORY

Tokyomightlookfuturistic,butitstillhas

ahistoricalheart.You’llindquiettemples

tuckedintosidestreets,andbustling

shrines–likeAsakusaJinja–hiddenbehind

cloudsofincense.Makesureyouvisitthe

ImperialPalace(pictured),theEmperor’s

primaryresidence,whichstandsabove

astillmoatinKokyoGaienNationalGarden.

KyotoisJapan’scultureking, home to over

2,000templesandshrines. Walk through

the5,000toriigatesthatwind through the

mountainsbehindFushimi Inari Shrine, or

visitthedazzlinggoldpavilion of Kinkaku-ji.

There’salsotheKiyomizu temple, which is

festoonedwithblossoming cherry trees in

springandgoldenmaples in autumn.

CULTURE

Dreamstime; Shutterstock

Fromtinysushishopstorowdyizakayabars,

Tokyo’srestaurantshavemoreMichelin

starsthanParisandNewYorkputtogether.

AfunplacetospendanightisOmoide

Yokocho(‘MemoryLane’)inShinjuku,fullof

narrowalleywayslinedwithtinylantern-lit

eateries.Hitthesaketoohard?Slurpsome

ramennoodles,thelocalhangovercure.

InKyoto,it’sallaboutkaiseki (pictured),

awonderfullyreinedmulti-course menu

ofdelicatelavoursandseasonal

ingredients,originatingfrom the city’s

traditionalteaceremonies. It doesn’t come

cheap:atop-qualitykaiseki can set you back

30,000JPY(£225),butit’s worth it for a true

tasteofKyototradition.

FOOD

Head to Head

Tokyo VERSUS Kyoto

TRAVEL

SECRET

If you’re travelling

from Tokyo to Kyoto

by shinkansen

(bullet train), make

sure you sit by a

window on the

right-hand side of

the train: about 40

minutes into the

journey, you’ll get

the best views of

snowy Mount Fuji.

AT A

GLANCE

Tokyo

Population

13.9million

Totalarea

2,188sqkm

Famousfor:

Food,futuristic

architectureand

funnightlife

Kyoto

Population

1.4million

Totalarea

827 sqkm

Famousfor

Temples,shrines

andtraditional

gardens

TOKYO KYOTO

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