The day started with us catching up on sleep due to our walking and skyping the day before. Bags packed and stored at the hostel, we checked out and headed into Kyoto central. Cafe on the way called for a breakfast stop. The temperature had already starting to heat up and made the environment very humid.

With blood orange juice in us we grabbed the subway to the a Imperial Palace. The train dropped us off at the bottom edge of the Imperial gardens where we made friends with the local birds.

We walked through the grounds that where a mix of walled gardens and wild woods with small streams flowing through. Small children paddled in the cooling water as their parents sheltered under the aging trees. Between the gardens where wide open gravel roads. You can imagine how they would be lined with decorations to impress the visitors of the ancient palace.

Eventually we reached the perfectly formed outer walls of the Palace. Sadly we had missed judge our visit as the Palace is closed at weekends. We put it down to being so used to the UK with it's attractions open 7 days a week. We cooled off in a near by cafe and reworked our plans. We where going to visit the Imperial Castle but realised it to would be closed aswell. So we opted to grab our train to our next destination... Nagoya.

I left Beverley at a McCafe with lunch and tea and returned to grab our bags. One subway ride and we where back in the busy Kyoto Station waiting for the famous Bullet Train.

In no time we had arrived in Nagoya. It took sometime for Beverley to describe to a taxi driver where we where staying but they managed to work it out with the help of another taxi driver. Our hotel in the center of Nagoya was a great relief as we managed to freshen up and cool off with a cold shower. The heat and humility had worn us out.

The evening started from the moment we stepped out of the hotel. Rumbles of drums broke the silence of the night. We followed the sound through the city and stumbled across Nagoya's summer festival. With dancing and drum playing being demonstrated along the whole street. The crowds gathered to watch the show, take photos and clapped the performers. Along the side of the street where stalls seeing all sorts of food and drink. We brought a frozen can of mandarins each (although Beverley thought it was just orange juice when I first when to get them) Beverley ate all hers but I found them to sweet. A bag of sweet dough balls and a pack of handmade pork dumplings where a much welcomed purchase. The summer festival turned out to be a great surprise.

We returned back to the hotel looking forward to what tomorrow will bring.

Author: Adam Turner
Editor: Beverley Turner