Yesterday, i got the train to Shimbuya, a really nice district with lots of fun shops, including a great disney store, hello kitty stores, a barbie shop and lots of music and manga stores. Walked around getting lost and trying to avoid the temptations, then walked to Yoyogi park. Had a wander round and started talking to a Japanese guy who had lived in london for a year and wanted to practice his English. We went to the Meiji shrine which was really amazing,and he told me about his religion and the proper way to pray. We went to a reggae festival in the park which was massive with loads of live music, then he showed me a Japanese restraunt, and i tried some proper traditional food which was so good! had this weird green tea rice cake jelly thing for desert, and i even liked that! I bought a manga book, as he showed me the best (and cheap)places on the back streets. The area was buzzing at night and we went into a really nice bar for a drink. I learnt a few more words of Japanese, but i still have a long way to go! Had an early night as up at half 6 this morning, (i will never be rid of these early mornings) for my trip on the shinkansen (bullet train). tokyo to Kyoto in 2.5 hours and the train was lush! was sitting next to a lovely Japanese couple in their 60s who started talking to me about my travelling and where they had been. The woman had a bag of goodies and gave me loads of Japanese treats to try. they talked to me about Kyoto, and wrote down the best temples and Shrines to see which was so useful! Got to Kyoto station and after a little confusion, got the subway to my hostel. Left my bags and have been walking ever since! I walked across the bridge and had alittle look around the central shopping area, then to the Yasaka-Jinja shrine, where there was a traditional wedding taking place! The shrine was amazing and so colourful! I walkwed up to the Nanzenji ytemple, which is the headquarters of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism and had some beautiful gardens. I wlked through the Heian Jingu shrine which was bright orange, past alibrary with a bike park out front with hundreds of them, up to the Ginkakuji temple, also known as ythe silver temple which is in hte hills and spectacular! Saw hte temple and the gardens, and learnt about more emporers. The street to the temple is lined with stalls selling fans, kimonos, japanese snacks and tiny kittenbs and was really fun! i walked back along the river, which had shrines up one side and little stalls along the other and was so beautiful! Back to the hostel now and my legs are worn out! not sure i can manage much else today! The hostel is really bright and lairy but fun! The are round the corner has lots of Geishas so may go exploring later. Today felt so hot, it was only 20 degrees but so humid, and i managed some tan marks! well needed top up after NZ winter! Still amazed at how friendly the Japanese are, you can't manage to get lost as as soon as you look even a little confused some one will talk to you and ask if your ok! Feel like a real traveller now!