I spent a little time learning basic Japanese phrases, but they’ve been mostly useless. Even if I know the phrase, I can’t understand the Japanese people because they often wear masks. The one phrase I truly needed but didn’t learn was, “Is this the right train?” I’ve ridden subways in big cities—Los Angeles, Paris, London, Saint Petersburg—but nothing prepared me for the sheer confusion of Japanese train stations. They’re an entirely different level of organized chaos. Their system is incredibly advanced, with trains going everywhere, but it left my head spinning. It also makes me a little sad about the sorry state of public transportation in the U.S.
We left at 6 a.m. to take the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto, giving ourselves a ridiculous amount of extra time. We had our luggage sent ahead to the next hotel—it’s a thing here!—and it was absolutely delightful to travel light.
Once in Kyoto we toured the Bamboo Forest and Tenryu-ji Temple, both of which were stunningly beautiful. At 9:00, the walking paths were pleasantly busy, but by the time we left at 10:30, everything was absolutely chock-a-block with people taking selfies.
We also walked along the Hozugawa River.
And, of course, had pastries. This bakery had so many choices we couldn’t decide what to try. And we were really hungry.
I’m really feeling my age these days. I’m like a toddler—I can’t just keep walking, doing, and seeing without a rest. So instead of the hike ChatGPT had planned for us, we opted for a fun, relaxing boat ride instead.
I’m loving Japan. It’s unlike anywhere I’ve ever been. I adore the bowing and the incredible politeness and kindness of everyone—even on the subway at rush hour, people form neat lines and speak softly. Even the children and dogs are remarkably well behaved. I also didn’t expect the nature here to be so breathtakingly beautiful.
A highlight this morning was seeing a young student studying English on the train. I asked if she wanted to practice with me, and she said, “Oh, yes!” She was adorable—and just needed a little confidence. The Japanese are often so worried about not doing something perfectly that they’re reluctant to speak English, even though most know at least a little from school.
Marsh Travels 
Yes, fond memories, but 50 years ago, wow, that was a long time ago. Beautiful isn’t really enough. However, my experience with the populace, especially in very crowded areas (and all areas were very crowded) the Japanese had no sense of personal space. Would intentionally bump into you in line to get you to move closer to the person in front of you. Just no sense of boundaries. Orderly and quiet, yes. I love traveling with you.
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