Solo Trip to Kyoto

I recently took a solo trip to Kyoto, it was not planned I originally wanted to go to another place, but a lot students and even the student coordinator suggested that I go, because it was one stop away from where I originally wanted to go. So I gave in an took a trip to Kyoto. Also this was my first time going out by myself! I had a friend and my mom tell me not to go places solo, of course I told them I'd be fine, and beside going on an adventure is fun~

The day I planned on going on my adventure was the same day the JCMU pop culture class was going to the Manga Museum so I pretty much tagged a long with them until I got to Kyoto. Upon arriving at the station I was told by one of the students that the Kyoto station as huge and I could pretty much do whatever I wanted to do just in the station alone. It was huge, I didn't even attempt to venture inside of it.

 Not having any plans I thought about walking around the station for a little bit, but I think I got so overwhelmed and walked out to the closest convenience store & ATM. After getting food and drink I basically walked around the perimeter of the station, because I didn't have any plans and it was actually pretty warm that day, now that I think about it that day was the warmest day this month ( March).

The Kyoto Station

After walking around the perimeter of the station I then decided to venture a little further away to see what I could find that was close by and easy to walk to, and that happened to be a mall. Haha of course me and shopping habits that's where I went.
Alright so I didn't just go there to shop, I wanted to get a feel for the differences between a Japanese Mall and an American one. There are lots of differences.

• More stores packed into small spaces
• The stores are all open spaces
• Occasionally there's people shouting about the 'timed' sales

The timed sales are the most interesting to me, because it lures people in to see what's the best deal that they could get with the discount sale that is going on. Of course I didn't venture in I would have burned a hole into my wallet and through my debt card! I did so some shopping though, I think that day I bought a sweater from the store called Zara and some Yellow-Green Headphones that doesn't work with my phone, but with my zune. It also has a mic on it and I didn't realize it until I opened it.

Needless to say I was overwhelmed and didn't do a lot of sight seeing, I'm actually starting to wonder if I am that type of person that will spend an entire day sight-seeing by myself. So far it doesn't seem that way I think I would eventually venture off to a shopping centre or something. I do intend to return to Kyoto because I NEED to go to the shrines and see a statue of Izumo no Okuni, the woman who started Kabuki. That's a must!

Shopping calls to me I can't help it.