Tokyo: What to See & Do: Day Trips: Kyoto

Kyoto

Okay, not really a day trip, as it takes up to three hours even with the super-zippy bullet train, but if the itinerary can be stretched, do include the ancient capital. The journey itself is extraordinary: it’s aboard a shinkansen, (www.japanrail.com), or bullet train, that leaves absolutely on the dot, with passengers waved aboard by uniformed and gloved station assistants. Each carriage has an attendant who gives a little bow before making announcements. Kyoto itself is a small city compared to Tokyo, fairly easy to get around, with temples galore, many in spectacular woodland and hillside settings. Hire a guide to maximize time, or pick two or three sites to allow plenty of time for contemplation and to appreciate nature as the Japanese do. The historic downtown of the city is nothing special; stay on the fringes, at the newly opened Hyatt Regency (www.hyattregencykyoto.com), which has its own mini spa, and dip in and out of Kyoto’s cultural treasures. This, rather than Tokyo, is where the full might of the nation’s ancient and cultured history is on open display. The temple’s ample grounds easily accommodate simple yet amazingly effective displays of rocks and stones that induce tranquility.