“People in Kyoto”

I have been living in Kyoto since I was born. Many people regard Kyoto as a very attractive city. I am often told the same about Kyoto.

People in Kyoto are vague and they don't express their opinion clearly.

They look kind and gentle on the surface. Therefore for people who come from other prefectures Kyoto is a good place to visit for sightseeing. But it is said Kyoto is a very difficult place to live in. It is said that Kyoto is closed to newcomers, too, because it is a very old historical city.

It seems these things are bad points of Kyoto. But I think it is a kind of culture of Kyoto.

Kyoto served as the formal capital for a long time. Many power holders had often come to Kyoto and had held on to power and had lost it and then had gone away. So it was very dangerous for people in Kyoto to express their own opinions clearly at that time.

And also people in Kyoto think it is a kind of modesty not to express clearly their own opinion.

I myself hesitate to express my opinion and I am vague. But even though I was born in Kyoto and grew up in Kyoto, it is still very difficult for me to understand Kyoto.

I think Kyoto is a very attractive and mysterious city. And I think it is one of the attractive things about Kyoto.

 (Photo: My aunt. My grandmother did her hair Japanese style.)