As Gion Festival's pipes and bells chime throughout central Kyoto, Edward J. Taylor continues his ongoing exploration of Deep Kyoto's streets with a stroll through the matsuri preparations on Shinmachi. July rolled around, and not long afterward the rainy season came to an end, albeit with a devastating coda. The end of the rains ushers in the cadence of the cicada, and in … [Read more...]
Mosaic Machiya KSK (Kamishichiken)
Mosaic Machiya KSK is a great little guesthouse in a quiet area of north west Kyoto. This guesthouse is located in a beautifully renovated machiya, a traditional wooden townhouse, in Kamishichiken, which is the oldest geisha district in Kyoto. Mewby and I were recently invited to their 2nd year anniversary party and we were very impressed with what we saw there. Prior to … [Read more...]
Tracking the Changes on Kyoto’s Bukkoji-dōri
This month, once again, our good friend Edward J. Taylor continues his ongoing journey through Kyoto’s past and present with the fourth installment of his “Kyoto Streets” project and a stroll along Bukkoji-dōri. The pieces I’ve written thus far have all travelled from south to north, in keeping with how travelers would have entered the city during the Heian period. I … [Read more...]
First Fridays with the Joshua Breakstone Trio at Bond’s Rosary, Kyoto
Good news for Jazz fans! Renowned American jazz guitarist, Joshua Breakstone has moved to Kyoto and will be playing here regularly in a special series of "First Fridays" starting this July. The venue is a great new jazz club in Gion called Bond's Rosary. Says Joshua, "On the first Friday of every month I’ll be there with my trio and we’ll invite a special guest to play with … [Read more...]
Conserv’Session: Documentary Screening of “SEED – The Untold Story” at Kyoto University
Thanks to Zsofia Budai of the Conserv'Session group for the following message. On June 23rd, we will screen the documentary “SEED – The Untold Story” (2016, 94 min), at Kyoto University, in English with a presentation and discussion in Japanese in English. Film synopsis: Few things on Earth are as miraculous and vital as seeds. Worshipped and treasured since the dawn … [Read more...]
A Stroll Along Teramachi: Kyoto’s “Temple Street”
This month, once again, our good friend Edward J. Taylor continues his ongoing journey through Kyoto’s past and present with the third installment of his "Kyoto Streets" project and a stroll along Teramachi. I choose to start just below Gōjō-dōri, at one of my favorite cafes. Efish unfailingly feels welcoming, well-lit with broad windows open to the river and an … [Read more...]
From Industry to History on Kyoto’s Muromachi-dōri
In this special guest post, our friend, Edward J. Taylor continues his Kyoto walking project; exploring both the historical and modern aspects of the city's famous streets. Today's walk takes him along Muromachi-dōri; once just a pathway in the old capital of Heian-kyo, and today a busy street of restaurants and kimono shops, the way bears evidence of 1,200 years of cultural … [Read more...]
Mitsu Salmon to Perform at Urbanguild’s “Velvet Moon” Music & Dance Night; March 31st
After a six-year absence our old friend Mitsu Salmon will soon be making a brief stop in Kyoto on her way to an artist residency in Taiwan. We are very pleased to hear that on March 31st she will be making time for a reunion with accordion player Ryotaro for a song and dance performance at Urbanguild. Here are the event details: Velvet Moon Vol.139 - Saturday March … [Read more...]
Walking through the history of Kyoto’s “Oil Alley”: Aburanokōji
Here's a special guest post from our good friend, Edward J. Taylor; taking a stroll through the multi-leveled history of Kyoto's "Oil Alley". Around the time that we were preparing our Deep Kyoto Walks project, I mentioned to Michael that I thought that a lot of Kyoto’s history could be read in the names of its streets. I proposed then that I thought it would be interesting … [Read more...]
Villa Pontocho – A Luxury Two-Roomed Hotel in Kyoto’s Geisha Quarter
The narrow alleyway of Pontocho is one of the most atmospheric and best-preserved traditional areas of Kyoto. One of five geisha quarters in Kyoto, it lies between the Kamogawa River and leafy Kiyamachi Street and is a popular spot in which to imbibe the scenery and mood of the old capital. In March 2018 a new luxury boutique hotel opened in this prime location: the Villa … [Read more...]
