Today I am very happy to share news of a brand new publication, Kyoto: A Literary Guide, which was launched this month by Camphor Press. This book was born from the shared efforts of the Kyo-centrics: a long-standing poetry in translation discussion group - of which I happen to be a member. In addition to myself, the six Kyo-centrics who collated, translated and edited this … [Read more...]
Pictures from Enso Watt & Instant Eternity!
Enso Watt performed Sanka's 5th Season Ritual at Urbanguild on Sunday night and as always it was a fantastic show. If you are not familiar with what they do, it is a choreographed multi-media extravaganza, of experimental music, pre-recorded soundscapes, live video, art, poetry, heaps of talent, color, and a whole lot of enthusiasm. All of it conducted by classical … [Read more...]
Sanka’s Spring Ritual: A Mixed Media Performance by Ensō Watt @ Urbanguild; April 29th
The fourth and final part of the epic seasonal rites sequence by the experimental arts collective, Ensō Watt will take place at Urbanguild, Kyoto on April 29th. This is an event not to be missed! Date: Wednesday, April 29th Doors Open: 19:30 Show Starts: 20:00 Tickets on the door: 2700 yen Tickets in advance: 2000 yen Student Tickets: 1500 yen (all tickets include … [Read more...]
Kyoto Conference on Contemplation, 27-29 March 2015
“The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions - the little, soon forgotten charities of a kiss or a smile, a kind look or heartfelt compliment.” ― Samuel Taylor Coleridge Many thanks to Peter Cheyne for sending me the following information on an upcoming conference on contemplation at Kyoto Notre Dame University. Peter writes, While the title is 'Coleridge … [Read more...]
Plum Blossom at the Imperial Palace Park
On my way home from Kitano Tenmangu Shrine the other day, I stopped by the Imperial Palace Park to enjoy the plum blossom. The trees at Kitano Tenmangu are probably more famous, but the shrine grounds were also a lot more crowded. Though each tree in the park had its admirers, there was really only a small scattering of people around, and so I could enjoy the blooms in a more … [Read more...]
Images from Sanka’s Winter Ritual
On January 25th I attended Sanka's Winter Ritual; a performance at Urbanguild by the mixed media collective Ensō Watt. Just as when I attended the Autumn Ritual in October, I was completely enthralled by the mounting energy of this show. It really is a treat to see talented artists from so many varied disciplines blending their abilities so successfully. Of course, it … [Read more...]
Hiking the Rice Buyers’ Way
Two of the most rewarding activities I have been involved in during my time in Kyoto, are the events organized by the Hailstone Haiku Circle, and the conservation activities of People Together for Mt. Ogura (PTO). Stephen Gill is a primary organizer of both organizations, and so some of their activites tend to merge. So it was that on October 26th Mewby and I took part in a … [Read more...]
Autumn Poetry Reading from Kyoto Journal at Be-Kyoto; November 16th
Here's an up-coming event hosted by the good folks at Kyoto Journal. An Autumn Reading Sunday November 16th. 2pm~3:45pm at Be-Kyoto (http://www.be-kyoto.jp/) Entry: ¥500 RSVP: feedback[at]kyotojournal.org Be-Kyoto is just west and north of the Imadegawa/Karasuma intersection. About the Poets MARGARET (MAGGIE) CHULA has been writing and teaching haiku, tanka, … [Read more...]
Pictures from Sanka’s Autumn Ritual by Ensō Watt
I am now officially a fan of Ensō Watt! Last Friday's performance was excellent and I enjoyed every minute of it. With musicians posted in various corners of Urbanguild, and Yannick Paget both conducting and performing with hypnotic percussion from the center, we were fully immersed in a landscape of sound. Simultaneously the live video art of Andy Couzens and Masato Tokumaru … [Read more...]
Honke Owariya with Sean Lotman
On Sunday Mewby and I had the pleasure of lunch with writer/photographer Sean Lotman. Sean's wife manages the Honke Owariya soba noodle business, a family company which is pretty famous in Kyoto. The business actually dates from 1465, though they "only" started making noodles Sean told me about 300 or 400 years ago, as they were originally a confectionary business. They still … [Read more...]
Blue Sky – An Excerpt from Deep Kyoto Walks
Today I am posting another in a series of short excerpts from our ebook Deep Kyoto: Walks. In Blue Sky, the poet Stephen Henry Gill acts as a guide to the Saga & Arashiyama area for a young visitor who has come to learn more about the conservation NPO, People Together for Mt. Ogura. Stephen whimsically names his visitor Blue Sky, because that was the first thing he saw that … [Read more...]
ECHOES: Painting & Poetry Exhibition at KICH – February 25 ~ March 2
ECHOES is an upcoming poetry and art exhibition organized by the Hailstone Haiku Circle, and featuring the conservation efforts of PTO (People Together for Mt. Ogura). Click on the flyer below for details! H a i g a c o l l a b o r a t i o n Hailstone Haiku Circle is an international group founded in 2000 by Stephen Gill and centred on Kyoto. Its main activity is to … [Read more...]
Meltdown – An Anthology of Haiku, Z – A
MELTDOWN メルトダウン (2013) An Anthology of Haiku, Z to A. ISBN: 978-4-9900822-5-3 Edited by Stephen Henry Gill Includes almost 500 haiku and a short 4-part seasonal renku cycle over 228 pages. Cover by Richard Steiner. Price:￥1,500; airmail $20, incl. p&p Dimensions: 19 x 13 cm. Covers feature a tactile matt paper finish. How to order: details are at the Hailstone Haiku … [Read more...]
Highlights from the Bob Dylan & Allen Ginsberg Poetry & Song Celebration at Tadg’s Bar Kyoto
Friday night's Bob Dylan & Allen Ginsberg celebration at Tadg's was a whole lot of fun. High praise to all the performers and musicians who took part and to our hard-working hosts Tadg & Mika McLoughlin. Apologies also to Mika for trying to pay the same bill multiple times. I must be more careful when supping craft beers... Here below are some video highlights I managed … [Read more...]
