Today we have a special guest post from our old friend, Lisa Y. Allen. Traditional Japanese Craftsmanship: Tatami in the 21st Century An interview with award-winning tatami craftsman, Mitsuru Yokoyama Tatami is a rush-covered straw mat used for flooring and dates back to the Nara Period when the word, tatami, first appeared in the Kojiki, the oldest Japanese book written … [Read more...]
Writers in Kyoto Fourth Annual Writing Competition
Thanks to Karen Lee Tawarayama for sending in details of the Fourth Annual Writing Competition conducted by our inexhaustible friends at Writers in Kyoto. ◆THEME: Kyoto (English language submissions only) ◆DEADLINE: March 31st, 2019 (Midnight JST) ◆GENRE: Short Shorts (unpublished material only) ◆WORD LIMIT: 300 Words (to fit on a single page) ◆FORM: Short poems, … [Read more...]
Following the flow of the Takasegawa on Kiyamachi Street
This month our friend, Edward J. Taylor, continues his exploration of Kyoto's streets with a thoughtful stroll along Kiyamachi. To view previous installments of this ongoing series see the links at the end of this article. It is a well-known fact that Japan is very strict about controlled substances. Never a big user myself, I’ve always felt that drugs aren’t necessary … [Read more...]
Heidi S. Durning’s Tapestry – A Dance & Music Project at Urbanguild, Kyoto; November 23rd – 25th
Heartfelt congratulations to our friend and local dance legend, Heidi Durning, for her upcoming 60th birthday celebrations! Join Heidi and her friends at Urbanguild for a three-day festival of music and dance at Urbanguild later this month! Tapestry - Dance & Music Project Celebrating Heidi S. Durning’s 60th Birthday in November a collaboration of traditional & … [Read more...]
Oyuna Walker Exhibition at Kyoto Daimaru; November 21st – 27th
Thanks to Aaron Walker for sending in the following information. Oyuna Walker will hold a solo exhibition of her oil paintings in DAIMARU department store, Kyoto. Exhibition title: “Blowin’ in the wind of the meadow” Dates: November 21st(Wed) through the the 27th(Tue), until 5pm on the final day. Place: Kyoto DAIMARU Department Store, 6F Art Salon, ESPACE … [Read more...]
The Benten Residences; Machiya House Accommodation in Kyoto’s Higashiyama District
The Benten Residences are two beautifully restored traditional machiya townhouses sitting side-by-side in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto. Shimaya Stays, the Singapore-based company responsible for their restoration, recently invited us to stay in the Benten West house for a couple of nights, so we could see for ourselves what good work they have been doing. We also had the … [Read more...]
Kyoto Insider Sake Experience – Discovering Nihonshu in the Fushimi Brewing District
Today I would like to introduce the Kyoto Insider Sake Experience; a wonderful brewery tour and sake tasting that Mewby and I recently enjoyed with our friendly guide, Kotaro Hashimoto, in the historic Fushimi district of Kyoto. These days Kyoto's Fushimi district is best known among international travelers as the location of Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and the … [Read more...]
The Lake Biwa Canal Cruise from Kyoto to Otsu
Here's a special guest post from our friend, Edward J. Taylor. As part of the sesquicentennial celebration of the Meiji Restoration, Kyoto has a calendar packed with events that expound upon the city’s role during that time of great social upheaval. Though the Restoration is considered by many to be a relatively bloodless end to the 268-year feudal Edo Period, Kyoto did … [Read more...]
Visiting Kyoto’s Tech Hubs
Guest post by Neil Buckland. Japan has had a long history associated with electronics, technology and futuristic designs. Think of Tokyo and it’s all bright lights, dazzling street screens and robots that often spring to mind. Yet in the past couple of decades the rise of Silicon Valley seems to have taken a lot of the technology focus away. Instead, the likes of Fukuoka, … [Read more...]
Strolling in Kyoto: Takeyacho & Ebisucho
This month Edward J. Taylor continues his ongoing exploration of Deep Kyoto’s streets by strolling not one but two: Takeyacho and Ebisucho. The whisk of brooms has replaced the wail of sirens. Typhoon Jebi had roared through the day before, supposedly the strongest storm to hit Japan in 25 years. I could certainly believe it, the way that my old wooden house shook as if in … [Read more...]
