Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links from which I will earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. "Contemporary maiko are young women, typically between fifteen and twenty years of age, who have chosen to train in an arts profession with roots in the merchant culture and pleasure quarters of the Edo period (1603–1867). … [Read more...]
monk: Light and Shadow on the Philosopher’s Path – Reflections and Recipes from a Kyoto Restaurant
Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links from which I will earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As this long, strange interlude continues, many of us are hankering for a trip overseas, craving fresh cultural encounters, and hungering for a taste of authentic foreign cuisines. No doubt many have Kyoto at the top of their … [Read more...]
“Time-traveling on Gojo” – A Deep Kyoto Walks Movie with Jen L. Teeter
Here is the final video showing scenes from our book Deep Kyoto: Walks. In this short movie, Jen L. Teeter guides us through an area of Kyoto famous for its ceramics and also as a portal to the world of the dead! A hat tip to film-makers Roger Walch and Ted Taylor for putting this series together. https://youtu.be/jj98Ivw9z60 Deep Kyoto: Walks is now available as a print … [Read more...]
“Gods, Monks, Secrets, Fish” – A Deep Kyoto: Walks Movie with John Ashburne
Here is the third video showing scenes from our book, Deep Kyoto: Walks. In this short movie, John Ashburne takes us on a tour of "Kyoto's kitchen" - Nishiki Market. A hat tip to film-makers Roger Walch and Ted Taylor for putting this series together. https://youtu.be/z9upUjhjDGM Deep Kyoto: Walks is now available as a print on demand paperback and Kindle e-book. Here are … [Read more...]
Deep Kyoto Walks Movie: Kamogawa Musing with John Dougill
Here is the second video showing scenes from our book, Deep Kyoto: Walks. In this short film John Dougill guides us down the Kamogawa River which runs through the heart of Kyoto. A hat tip to film-makers Roger Walch and Ted Taylor for putting this series together. https://youtu.be/KnO6fQdqces Deep Kyoto: Walks is now available as a print on demand paperback and Kindle … [Read more...]
A Look Inside “Kyoto: A Literary Guide”
Our book Kyoto: A Literary Guide received a very fine review from Stephen Mansfield in the Japan Times last month. However, for the most part, the book can only be bought online, which means uncertain shoppers don't really know what they are getting before they make that purchase. To remedy this problem, I have made (with the assistance of Mewby) a short video which presents a … [Read more...]
Deep Kyoto Walks Movie: “Not Sure Which Way to Go” with Robert Yellin
Local film-makers Ted Taylor and Roger Walch have put together a series of short movies showing scenes from our book - Deep Kyoto: Walks. Here is the first video which features autumnal scenes from Kyoto's Path of Philosophy and Robert Yellin reading from his piece, "Not Sure Which Way to Go". Deep Kyoto: Walks is now available as a print on demand paperback and Kindle … [Read more...]
The Gion Festival – Exploring Its Mysteries by Catherine Pawasarat
Links on this page are affiliate links from which I will earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Gion Matsuri, Kyoto’s most famous festival, is held each summer in the month of July. It features gorgeously decorated floats, parades and processions, purification rituals, traditional music, displays of family heirlooms, and a giant street … [Read more...]
Here Comes Kenji – Short Stories for a Worthy Cause this Christmas
Kevin Ramsden is well-known in Kyoto's expat community for his tireless and creative fundraising efforts for charitable causes. This Christmas he has come up with a new fundraising initiative: a collection of eight short stories he has both written and published himself - with all proceeds going to support the educational needs of children in rural areas of Cambodia and … [Read more...]
Deep Kyoto: Walks Paperback Edition Now Available
This is a delightful collection of essays written by a diverse group of writers who share an obvious and contagious affection for Kyoto. – Matthew Stavros (Author: “Kyoto: An Urban History of Japan’s Premodern Capital ”) I am delighted to annouce the release of Deep Kyoto: Walks as a paperback edition. This is a print on demand (POD) edition and has been independently … [Read more...]
The Sixth Annual Writers in Kyoto Writing Competition
It's that time of year again! Thanks to Karen Lee Tawarayama for passing on the news of the 6th annual Writers in Kyoto writing competition. There are a variety of prizes on offer again this year and of course the chance to be published in the next WiK anthology. Here are some details: THEME: Kyoto (English language submissions only) DEADLINE: March 31st, 2021 (Midnight … [Read more...]
Virtual Tours of Kyoto Now Available on Amazon Explore
Explore Higashiyama & Nanzenji Temple with Amazon's New Interactive Livestreaming Service Disclosure: Links in this article to Amazon.com are affiliate links from which I may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Many people will have had frustrated travel plans this year due to the global pandemic, and worldwide the tourist … [Read more...]
Byodo-in Without the Crowds
In August I was in Uji one day and took the opportunity to visit the Byodo-in temple. As the pandemic has drastically reduced the number of tourists in Kyoto, I thought it was a good opportunity to view the famous Phoenix Hall minus the hordes of visitors that were there on my last visit - a good five years ago. Although this time there were a fair number of domestic tourists … [Read more...]
Kyoto: A Literary Guide – New Translations from Twelve Centuries of Japanese Literature
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...]
