My son and I are going to atake this trip, weather permitting, next week. What is the "gaijin trick?

The gaijin trick is when you make like you don't know a word of Japanese (easy to perform if you really are fresh off the boat) and they (Japanese attendants) accomodate you with extra-favorable treatment out of their innate sense of politeness and fear of embarrassment the longer the gaijin "bull" is in the china shop.

At Hozugawa-kudari it takes this form: According to the protocol, you have to fill out a reservation card and wait your turn. On a sunny day/weekend/national holiday (I hit the trifecta the first time I went) there is a considerable wait. Without filling out the card, I went up to the window and said "Two please, two people for the boat ride, I'm here with my mother" while helpfully illustrating the number two with my clumsy paws. Wanting to get me out of there as soon as possible, and realizing they had two distinguished guests from abroad, they shepherded us into front-row seats on the next boat.

Thank you. I'll try it.

Hi, I love reading your comments, think they are really funny (as in "hahaha" funny =) Anyways, I'm travelling to Kyoto in mid-July (in time to catch the Gion Matsuri!) and was wondering whether it's worth the time to do this Hozugawa boat ride.

I plan to cover the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Katsura Rikyu and then back up north to Kinkaku-ji (must reach there before 4pm) in one day, starting with the boat ride (guess I should take the earliest one at 9am). Do you reckon I have sufficient time or am I too optimistic about my ability to get around Kyoto's public transport, given that I'm a gaijin and "arigatou" is about as far as my Japanese goes ;)?

that's a very busy schedule for one day, Yvonne. I guess you know Katsura Rikyu requires reservations by mail in advance. Also, don't be late for your appointed time there. It's an imperial property, so it is managed by the imperial household agency, kunaicho, and they are somewhat arrogant. Arashiyama is where the boat ride ends, so those two go together. I'm curious as to why you write "bamboo forest," as that is not very long, and just a part of Arashiyama/Sagano. The subways, trains and buses mostly have English announcements, and as long as you know the name of where you want to go, you can confirm the route with any passerby, just remember that many of the Japanese you come across will also be visitors, and may be as lost as you. If you ride the cool old Keifuku streetcar that goes from downtown out to Arashiyama, keep a look out Koichi Tanaka, a scientist who won a Nobel Prize last year, and has been a celebrity nerd ever since. He loves riding that train so much, he turned down a promotion that would have given him a chauffered ride into work every morning. The boat ride is best for the heat of the day, but if you have to go early... The Golden Pavilion is the one I would drop out of the schedule if time was tight, there isn't much there beyond one postcard shot, compared to the stuff on the eastern side of the city, but I say that because I live in Kyoto. That kind of flashiness is not really typical, so no one lists Kinkakuji among their favorites. It's a crowd-pleaser, though.

I'm taking a group of teenagers from school (6) and the Principal to Kyoto for 3days as part of a general trip to Japan. I thought the river ride would be a nice change from the heat of the city. How much does it cost? Where do you catch the boats? Is it all easy to find? How long would it take from the Holiday Inn in Nishihiraki-cho?
Also, are there any cheap places where you can still see Geisha/Maiko that are pleasant and would suit kids? Where can I take teenagers at night that is safe and fun?
Thanks so much for your help.
Elizabeth

It's a great experience, 2 hours of floating through a beautiful gorge with deep green waters. It's ¥3900 each for 13 and older, not cheap. Hozugawa-kudari ( website in Japanese only) is usually part of spending the full day at Arashiyama: You catch either the JR or the old fashioned Sagano Scenic Railway (package deals available) to Kameoka and board the boats there. Finding your way there is not an issue. In warm months. lots of people will be going the same way. There are no rail lines near the Holiday Inn, but you can catch Kyoto bus 17 from there heading downtown and get JR to Osaka. Real maiko don't entertain for cheap, so you either want to wait on the street to get a glimpse of them in the hanamachi, or take one of Peter Macintosh's tours.

Hi,

Stumbled across your website looking for information about the 'toroko' train down the Hotsu River gorge. Do you know where I can get more info on it? Where to catch it? How much it costs? Where does it end?

Hope you can help. The last entry here is back in May!!

Moogs

Hi,

Stumbled across your website looking for information about the 'toroko' train down the Hotsu River gorge. Do you know where I can get more info on it? Where to catch it? How much it costs? Where does it end?

Hope you can help. The last entry here is back in May!!

Moogs

Read before you ask.