Nara, Japan

A short train ride from Kyoto takes you to Nara, Japan's first imperial capital and a smaller city that feels a world apart from Kyoto. It's far less touristy, for one thing, and much better preserved, architecturally. It's also a lot cheaper in every respect, but particularly where food and lodging are concerned. A city of temples, it's also full of the kind of quiet spaces that drew me to Japan in the first place.