Being Korean in Japan: Kyoto

They were so pretty that I creeped and took a picture ^__^

This is the second part of my Japan travels. Get to the first, here.

(picture heavy post)

I would have to say that the best part of the trip was going to Kyoto, for me. Don’t get me wrong, Tokyo is such an amazing, bustling city, that has so much going on all the time, is vastly interesting, immensely exciting, and perpetually new.

But more and more I am understand how much of a non-city girl I am. I hesitate to call myself a country girl, but there’s an unsquashable desire in me to be among open spaces, clear skies, fresh air, greenery and bluery.

And when I think about Japan, what excited me about Japan was perhaps not Shibuya Crossing as much as Gion. Harajuku as the Miyajima Torii. Compound that with my tendency to love all old, traditional, historical things… and it was easy for me to love Kyoto.

first up: Fushimi Inari Shrine

I bought a yukata after the woman pulled and tucked me into one. so pretty!

going to see the golden palace ^^

By the end of the trip, I kind of felt like Seoul was Japan’s kid brother, trying to be like their more mature older sibling, but never quite being as put together as Japan… but honestly, by the time those 5 days were over, and I crossed back to Korea, the thought crossed my head that it was good to be home.

Which leads me to another topic entirely. This trip was the first time ever that I had refered to Seoul as home. When I was stopped at customs in Japan (coming back to Korea) and there was an issue with my VISA, all the airport people were asking me why I was going to Korea, and what I would do there. I kept having to say, I’m going home. They would ask me, where is home? And I would say, Seoul. I live there.

After all of the panic (I was seriously worried I wouldn’t be allowed back into Korea when I had to teach class the next day), everything worked out and I had one of the most beautiful flight experiences of me life.

I was seated at the window, and my flight being late on a clear night, left me with a breathtaking view. I saw Japan with all its bright lights, I saw the clouds being sliced through the plane wings, I saw the brightest moon I had witnessed in a while, and I saw layers and layers and layers of city, clouds, and still night. Not wanting to forget it, I tried to take a picture of the perfection, but all manmade contraptions couldn’t capture the beauty before me, sadly.

thanks Japan!

Japan was an amazing experience, but nowhere complete. There’s so much I want to see and experience in Japan, that it merits another trip somewhere in the future.