Leaving early
The bamboo grove at dawn is almost silent — only the creak of stalks in the wind. By nine it would be full.
Coffee and the Katsura
A riverside café opened just as we reached the bridge. Steam from the cup, mist on the hills, rowboats drifting by.
What stayed with me
Kyoto taught me that the best hours of a trip are often the ones you wake up early for.