On the morning of July 1, I headed off to Kyoto via the famous Japanese bullet train, or Shinkansen. The 319 mile trip took only 3 hours 29 minutes to complete. As a result, I arrived early in the morning at Kyoto Station, a sprawling modern structure at the heart of the city.
Kyoto served as Japan’s capital and the residence of the Emperor from 794 to 1868. During World War II, the city was dropped from the list of target cities for the atomic bomb and spared from air raids. As a result, many of the traditional structures, temples, and shrines survive to this day.
While staying in Kyoto, I lodged at the Kyoto Hana Hostel. This hostel was comfortable and located very close to Kyoto Station, making it easy for me to travel by bus or train to the many destinations I planned to visit while staying in Kyoto.
