Gion Matsuri

7/28/2013 - Kyoto, Japan

Today, Kyoto became one of my favorite cities. We walked along the east end: from Ginkakuji Temple all the way to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. We walked the "Path of Philosophy," through Murayama Park, and through Gion. We stopped at temples, parks, shrines, and restaurants. In such a developed country, we were surprised to see the traditional clothing worn by many Japanese (including, in Gion, two geishas). We even had a little excitement: I dropped my iPhone into a canal and had to jump in to rescue it. 

By noon, we had already decided it was one of the best days we would have in Japan. By 6:00, I'd decided Kyoto was a favorite. To top it off, we saw a ceremony that was part of Japan's biggest annual festivals, Gion Matsuri. We were briefly awed, but so hungry that we collapsed into an unagi (eel) restaurant in Gion. Our timing was perfect: as we exited the restaurant, we watched a parade leave Gion and stop on the Shijo-dori bridge.

Pictured: A ceremony at Yasaka-jinja Shrine in Kyoto's Gion area.

Fuji Rock Festival

7/26/2013 - Yuzawa, Japan

My friend surprised me with an early birthday present: tickets to Japan's main outdoor music festival. We bought some supplies, took trains and buses to distant Yuzawa, set up a tent, and headed into the festival. 

We walked in hearing My Bloody Valentine's "Come In Alone," and watched the full Nine Inch Nails set that ended close to 11:00. We thought the night would be over after that, but that's not how Fuji Rock Festival works. There were smaller tents with live music and DJs until 5:00 a.m. We partied until 3 a.m., singing and dancing with the Japanese. A great night.

Pictured: On our way into Fuji Rock Festival at a ski resort in Niigata, Japan

Soba at the Brewery

7/25/2013 - Naka, Japan

Our first stop in Japan was Kiuchi Brewery in Naka. When we arrived, our tour guide drove us from the sake brewery to the beer brewery. In typical Japanese fashion, we had to wear special shoes to keep the floor clean, and we rinsed the bottom of them every time we entered a new building. 

We tried their latest beer, flavored with a citrus fruit called "daidai." We ate soba, a very healthy and tasty noodle dish. I will dine well in Japan: I am with two friends who really know how to eat and drink. I've already found that I prefer Japanese food in Japan to Japanese food in America. This might seem obvious, but it isn't always like that. I think I prefer Chinese food in America to Chinese food in China, for example.

Pictured: Kiuchi Brewery's main building in Naka, Japan.

Feels Like Home

7/24/2013 - Tokyo, Japan

After China, Tokyo felt like I was almost back in the United States. There are so many little things: brushing my teeth without bottled water, having 3G Internet access, being able to use Twitter and Blogger, and encountering more familiar social norms on public transportation. I've studied Japanese, so I was excited to start reading signs on buildings and public transportation.

The biggest reminder of home is the change in my traveling companions. In China, I traveled with a tour group. In Japan, I will travel with two friends from Chicago, one of whom I have known since high school. We all arrived in Tokyo late and celebrated at a British pub.

Pictured: Looking for a British pub in Uemo. I was excited that I could read the Japanese: "ka-ra-o-ke" club.

The Venice of China

7/22/2013 - Suzhou, China

Suzhou is famous for its gardens and canals. It's the Venice of China. We walked through the gardens, took a boat down the river, and had a beer on the riverwalk. It was all very peaceful.

When I heard there was a "Venice of China," it seemed like everything in the Western world has a Chinese equivalent. It's huge! I guessed that for every city I could name in Europe, there was a more populous city in China. I would have thought they'd have little character to them, but I was proven wrong, at least in the cases of Xi'an and Suzhou.

Pictured: View from our boat in Suzhou

Bicycling above Xian

7/21/2013 - Xi'an, China

Bicycling around the city wall showed us the variety in Xi'an. We saw old pagodas and new construction. We heard traditional Chinese music in public places, and we heard contemporary dance music from shopping malls. We saw kites flying above city parks. We saw mobs of people moving through markets.

It reminded me of Robert Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. He says motorcycling across the United States is his preferred way to see the country. Driving a car is worse because the rider's panoramic views are constricted by windows, and the driver doesn't feel the environment as much. Biking around the top of Xi'an was certainly a highlight of China.

Pictured: The market crowd in Suzhou, viewed from the city wall (see top right).

Xian and Detroit

7/20/2013 - Xi'an, China

We were wowed by the terra cotta warriors: hundreds of years old, but only unearthed in the last few decades. When I think about Xi'an, though, I'll remember looking to the future, not the past.

While checking out the Xi'an nightlife, we met a young expat entrepreneur with a small business in Xi'an. He was enthusiastic and confident about opportunities in China. The interior of China is an exciting place for a capitalist: one of the cities could explode with wealth soon. 

I had Detroit on my mind since I had heard about the city's bankruptcy. I couldn't help but compare Detroit with Xi'an. With its current level of growth and its proximity to China's military power, it could be as important to the world economy as Detroit in the early 20th century. 

Pictured: The growing nightlife in Xi'an