We took the bullet train (shinkansen) from Tokyo to Kyoto on Tuesday morning. When we arrived, the city was in full preparation for Gion Matsuri, one of the most famous festivals in Japan, complete with parades, performers, floats, and music. We explored the city in the afternoon, visiting some shrines and getting caught in the rain. Today we had breakfast in the famous Nishiki Market and then split into several groups to see the Imperial Palace, or Nijo Castle. In the afternoon, some students went to Arashiyama to see the temples and bamboo forest there while other students bought and tried on kimonos. Here are some pictures of our time in Kyoto, before heading back to Tokyo.

— Pre College Tokyo 2019