Originally Posted by
mosburger
I think one gets the most out of Kyoto by first making an itinerary and then scrapping about 90% of the planned activities.
Take your time, be wasteful with it and enjoy the small details and finer things in life rather than trying to see as much as possible.
Osaka and Kobe are more suitable for the Western idea of travelling. Northern Kyoto, home to artisans and artists, alone takes a lifetime to explore
Think that's true of most travel. You have to allow time for stumbling onto something or someone and exploring it/making the most of it. One of our best travel experiences in Japan was meeting a juggler who worked on the street outside the Osaka aquarium. He was from Australia - and we totally enjoyed taking him for a cup of coffee and some beignets at Cafe du Monde and hearing what he had to say about being an expat living in Japan. Robyn