deep kyoto

In my last “Up-and-coming” post I wrote that Kai Fusayoshi of Honyarado would be having a photography exhibition on the 5th floor of the Bal building this month, however I’m afraid my information was incorrect. The exhibition is on the 8th floor. As I wrote before this exhibition is a celebration of Kai Fusayoshi’s latest collection, which comes in the form of a box-set of postcards – one for every day of the year. Each picture is accompanied by a personal message from one of the many friends he has made over the years. Here is one that more or less sums his pictures up:

My name is Risa Nagashima.
Your photos make me smile.

Bal is a short walk south of Sanjo Dori on the east side of Kawaramachi. Not all of the staff seem to be aware of the current exhibition (it is quite small) and so my apologies to anyone who was unable to find it as a result of my previous post.

October 13th ~ One night only! Yui Katoh writes that there will be live music at Gojo Guesthouse Cafe on the 13th from around 6:30 pm. “There will be shamisen players, singers and so on…”. And don’t forget – they have Guinness on tap. You can find directions to the site at the above Gojo Guesthouse link.

October 14th ~ 27th Kai Fusayoshi of Honyarado will have an exhibition of his photography on the 8th floor of the Bal building on Kawaramachi. Kai Fusayoshi has spent his life documenting everday life in Kyoto in black and white. This exhibition is of his latest collection. Bal is a short walk south of Sanjo Dori on the east side of Kawaramachi.

October 17th ~ A performance at the “Kyoto Kyouiku Bunka Center” of the newest members to Kyoto University’s Accapella Circle Crazy Clef. Crazy Clef often perform out in the open by Sanjo Bridge, which is where I took the video below. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the show starts at 6:00. Tickets only ￥600! The place is on Konoe Dori between Kawabata and Higashioji. Here is a map: 京都教育文化センター.

October 21st ~ Vegetarian Festival 2007. And I quote: “This is the fifth annual Vegetarian Festival (formerly the “Veggie & Peace Festival”), a rare event bringing together vegetarian-, enviroment-, and peace-minded people from all over the country. An event for all ages, the festival gives you a place to enjoy vegetarian food and listen to music while learning about vegetarianism, the environment, and more.” The location is Okazaki Park (just south of Heian Jingu) and the time 10:00 am ~ 16:30. Admission is free and remember: TO REDUCE TRASH, BRINGING YOUR OWN EATING UTENSILS IS APPRECIATED!! There is a map and directions in English up here.

October 26th ~ Viva Sherry will be holding a rather unusual event at Nega/Posi: The Viva Sherry-Halloween-One-Man-Party! The idea is that other musicians perform Viva Sherry songs in whatever style they wish. Could be interesting. Start time is 7.30 pm and entry is ￥1500 in advance or ￥2000 on the door. Directions to Nega/Posi are at the above Nega/Posi link as is a video of Viva Sherry’s vocalist Satoko singing her little heart out.

If you know of any more up-and-coming events you would like to recommend, mail me at luain37@yahoo.co.jp or add a comment below.

ほんやら洞 (Honyarado) is a famous café on Imadegawa, that has been supplying coffee and cheap meals to nearby Doshisha University students for over thirty years. The owner, Kai Fusayoshi, is a very productive professional photographer and his prints and posters decorate the walls of the shop. Check out some of the books of his work littering the place. In black and white and with gentle humor he has documented the day-to-day life of ordinary people in Kyoto. His pictures have also documented the day-to-day life of ordinary Kyoto cats.

During the radical years of the peace movement, Honyarado became well-known as the “Folk Mecca” of Kyoto because of the musicians who gathered there and it is still occasionally a live music venue today. See the website for scheduled events and for the menu. Lunch and evening meals change daily and will set you back ￥600 and ￥700 respectively.

Honyarado is a delightfully, scruffy, cheerful place, piled up with books, flyers, postcards and all kinds of old, odd and interesting things that make wise people happy. To find it, go north on Teramachi, turn left onto Imadegawa, keep going and look out for it on your right. Here is a map.　Open every day 11:00 am ~ 10:00 pm. Tel: 075-222-1574.