Deep Kyoto

Patti Smith to Perform with Soundwalk Collective in Kyoto

February 14, 2025 By Michael Lambe

Patti Smith and Soundwalk Collective will give their premiere live performances of CORRESPONDENCES in Japan on Tuesday, April 29th at the Rohm Theatre in Kyoto.

CORRESPONDENCES CORRESPONDENCES is an ever-evolving project between Soundwalk Collective and Patti Smith that spans over ten years and traverses a wealth of geographies, histories, and natural environments. The process sees Soundwalk Collective’s Stephan Crasneanscki visit distant lands of poetic inspiration and historical significance, collecting sonic memories through field recordings. Smith then composes poems through an intimate dialogue with his recordings, whilst Soundwalk Collective edits visuals to match the soundtrack. This process of “correspondence” has resulted in the eight video works that form the core of the exhibition and performance. These works explore themes such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, forest fires and the mass extinction of animals, while also referencing artists and revolutionaries such as Andrei Tarkovsky, Jean-Luc Godard, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and Pyotr Kropotkin; questioning the relationship between man and nature, the role of the artist and the nature of humanity.

Patti Smith in performance — *Image courtesy of Soundwalk Collective*

Previous formats of CORRESPONDENCES have included live performances, exhibitions, film screenings, poetry readings and workshops. These works have been presented around the world, including at the Venice Biennale and the Museum of Modern Art in Medellín, Colombia. In 2022, they also produced an exhibition titled Evidence at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

An advanced sales lottery for the matinee and evening performances begins on the e+ website on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 10:00 AM. For more details, please see the Kyotophonie website.

This event is part of the Kyotophonie music festival which will be held at various locations across the city from Saturday, April 12th to Sunday, May 11th alongside its sister event, KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival.

“Each year KYOTOPHONIE brings together an eclectic mix of local and international artists to perform in Kyoto. Held annually in the Spring and Autumn, the festival was established in 2023 by Lucille Reyboz and Yusuke Nakanishi, co-founders of the KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival. Both festivals connect Kyoto with the world, transcending traditional genres, venues, and boundaries.”

Other artists scheduled to perform are Filipe Catto and KOM_I — both at Hulic Hall Kyoto on April 19th.

The KYOTOGRAPHIE / KYOTOPHONIE / KG＋ Kick-Off Party will be held at Japan’s oldest nightclub, CLUB METRO, on Saturday, April 12th. For more details, please see the Kyotophonie website.

Kyoto University Developing Human Habitats for the Moon

December 27, 2024 By Michael Lambe

Kyoto University and the construction company Kajima Corporation are working together on research to develop habitats for humans on the moon.

Called “Lunar Glass Neo,” each habitat would be 200 meters wide, 400 meters high and big enough for 10,000 people. The habitats would create their own gravity by rotation and have a closed ecosystem that would include an artificial ocean.

*Image courtesy of the Human Spaceology Center, Kyoto University*

Designs and a concept video released by Kyoto University, show trees growing on the inside of the habitat’s walls with boats sailing on its artificial ocean.

The low gravity on the Moon could create a variety of health problems for humans who live there in the future, such as weakening bones and muscles. But a habitat that creates its own artificial gravity would remove this problem.

To research the structure and construction of such a habitat, the researchers’ plan is to create the world’s first artificial gravity facility in Japan some time in the 2030s.

In a press release, the research team points out that the development of artificial gravity could also have medical benefits on Earth, such as preventing osteoporosis, a disease that weakens the bones.

The research team also wants to look at the possibility of using artificial gravity to create a transport system, called “HEXATRACK,” that would connect habitats on the Moon and Mars.

To create a closed ecosystem for a Lunar Glass Neo habitat, the researchers will need to look at the Earth’s ecosystem and decide what are the minimum elements needed to support life on the Moon.

And they point out that artificial gravity could have medical benefits on Earth, such as preventing osteoporosis, a disease that weakens the bones.

The researchers hope that the knowledge gained from studying the elements needed for a closed ecosystem, will not only help with the development of Lunar Glass Neo habitats, but also help with solving environmental problems on the Earth.

And because building artificial gravity facilities on the Moon would require the countries of the world to work together, the research team says this project could also help promote peace and human unity.

Saganoyu Cafe

August 28, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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If you’re in the Saga area, the cafe Saganoyu is a pleasant spot for lunch or a cup of coffee. Originally built as a public bathhouse in 1923, the building has been thoroughly renovated and was reopened as a cafe in 2006. You can still see the original tiling on the floors and the faucets along the walls.

Here’s what we had. Miu chose a cheese curry…

…which she washed down with an iced “Island milk tea” – so-named because it contains coconut milk.

And I had a peperoncino with anchovy and nanohana (rapeseed flowers) …

…with a refreshing framboise squash.

Everything was tasty and the service was good too. Saganoyu is not so cheap, but the Saga/Arashiyama area is rather touristy so cheap places are hard to find…

Saganoyu is located a short walk south of the JR Saga/Arashiyama Station. Here is a most convenient map. Check out the Saganoyu website more details and for their online shop: http://www.sagano-yu.com/
Open: 11.00 – 18.00 (Last orders: 17.30)
Telephone: 075-882-8985

This article first posted in March, 2014. Updated and reposted in August, 2023.
All text and images by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.

Dog Cafe

August 25, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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Dog Cafe is one of Kyoto’s “wan-chan” cafes catering to all good dogs and their walkers. A spacious establishment, on the ground floor you can browse among a huge array of dog-related products for your favorite pooch, or dog-themed goods for dog-loving humans.

The cafe has a menu that caters for both bipedal customers and their four-legged friends. For dogs the scooby-snacks include: cake, cookies and milk, and for peeps: a full drinks menu (coffees, smoothies, teas, beers etc.) and delicious home-made cakes at ￥500 a pop. Check out the pictures below.

Dog Cafe is on Instagram and has an official website here: https://dogcafe.co.jp/
Open: 11:00~19:00 (Last orders: 18:00)
Closed: Monday and Tuesday.
Tel: 075-257-3865.

This article first posted in June, 2008. Updated and reposted in August, 2023.
All text and images by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.

Cafe Kocsi

August 5, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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This is a really lovely cafe on Aneyakoji Dori. If you’re in the mood for a sandwich and you are in the Kawaramachi area, I definitely recommend it. There’s plenty of space, lots of comfy chairs, a peaceful bookish atmosphere and a nice view from the windows over the tiled roofs of Kyoto. Check out the pictures below:

They have a full bar, and refreshments menu alongside a food menu of soups, sandwiches, cakes etc. We had the sandwiches and they were super tasty. The bread lined up in the showcase is home-baked fresh each day. And the dressing they put on their salads is something else.

To find it go north, one block from Sanjo Dori on Tominokoji Dori and you’ll find a nice white clean looking building on the corner with Aneyakoji. カフェ・コチ is on the second floor. Here is a map.

Opening Hours: 12:00 ~ 18:00
Closed: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Tel: 075-212-7411

This article first posted in September, 2008. Updated and reposted in August, 2023.
All text and images by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.

Ran Hotei Cafe – Vintage Taishō Romance & Excellent Cake

July 25, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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One day I took a walk over to the Sanjo-kai Shōtengai shopping arcade and popped into Randy Channell’s machiya cafe Ran Hotei.

Randy is well known as a master of Japanese tea ceremony, and he does teach a few tea ceremony classes at Ran Hotei. But if you are not interested in tea ceremony, that’s ok, Ran Hotei is essentially a cafe, a place to relax, with coffee, tea and other standard beverages plus some damn fine cake.

On my visit I had a coffee and cake set. It was a maple chiffon cake, not too heavy and not too light and tasted excellent.

Randy opened the cafe in 2007, after having the building, a traditional wooden townhouse, or machiya, thoroughly renovated. He explained that he was looking for an art-deco, “Taishō Roman” kind of style when decorating the interior. Taishō refers to the Taishō Era (1912-1926), a short period of liberalism in Japanese politics and culture, which in popular memory stands in sharp contrast to the chaotic drive towards modernism of the Meiji Era that preceded it and the more militaristic early Shōwa Era that followed. “Roman” is short for romantic, so essentially Taishō Roman stands for a kind of vintage romance.

The stained glass doorway above was found for him by our old friend Rob Mangold.

Take a pew – the seating above was originally from a church!

Or if you prefer you can kick off your shoes and relax on a tatami floor.

Randy has decorated the machiya very nicely with some lovely items. Check out that beautiful chandelier.

The Ran of Ran Hotei is from Randy’s name and the Hotei comes from the popular figure above. Randy has an extensive collection of Hotei statues and images, over 3000, but the one above he tells me, is his “treasure”. Hotei is a folkloric figure representing contentment and generosity.

Plus points: Ran Hotei is non-smoking and it is also officially a “Dog Cafe” meaning you can pop in here after taking Rover out for walkies. If you are lucky, you may get to meet Snow, above, so named because she is black (?), but perhaps also because she is すなお, a very calm, gentle natured dog.Randy is a very welcoming and friendly chap and he has been in Kyoto long enough to have a few stories under his obi. Before he was a tea master, he was a practitioner of various martial arts. I was very glad to meet him and am looking forward to getting to know him better. Mostly though I just want to go back and have another piece of that cake.

Ran Hotei is situated on the south side of the Sanjo Arcade which lies between Horikawa and Senbon Streets. Here is a MAP.
TEL: 075-801-0790
Opening hours: 11:30 〜 20:00 (until 23:00 on Fridays)
Closed Thursdays
No Smoking
Check out Randy’s online tea shop here: https://ranhotei.thebase.in/

Original article posted October, 2014. Updated and reposted July, 2023.
Text and images by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.

Ain Soph Journey Kyoto (Formerly Matsuontoko) – Vegan Burger Cafe

July 20, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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Update 2023: Matsuontoko is now known as Ain. Soph Journey Kyoto (catchy!) — but it is still a vegan restaurant serving delicious burgers, curries and kara-age!

Though there are quite a large number of vegetarian establishments in Kyoto, most of them are located in the north of the city, and the few there are in the city center tend to sell nothing that isn’t healthy and nutritious. Good vegan junk food is pretty hard to come by. There used to be a branch of Speakeasy on Shijo that did a passable veggie burger, but that closed down back in 2010. Since then our vegan brethren have been denied the delights of fast and convenient processed treats at a convenient location and forced to endure a steady diet of tofu and wholegrain rice. No more! Vegan cafe ~~Matsuontoko~~ Ain Soph. Journey Kyoto is here to save the day, slap bang in the center of town, with a fine array of vegan fake-meats!

So convincing are these fake-meats that one of Mewby’s friends was half-way through her “kara-age” before she realised it wasn’t chicken at all. And that was only because Mewby told her.

“Really,” Mewby told me. “You’ll be amazed.”
“Well, alright then.” I said. So I went. And here’s my order.

How good was it? Very good. The bread was actually really nice too. I was entirely satisfied. But I decided to pig out on onion rings anyway. They were nice sweet onions and non too greasy.

And they also had this lovely little cup of tofu ice-cream, cream and vegan brownies.

In short, whether you are vegan or no, if have a hankering for fast food at a reasonable price, ~~Matsuontoko~~ Ain Soph. Journey Kyoto is the place to go.

Ain Soph Journey Kyoto is just east of Shinkyogoku, three streets up from Shijo. Here is a map. Check the website for other items on the menu. There are a lot of choices.

Ain Soph Journey Kyoto has some slightly complicated business hours.
Normal business hours are as follows:
Open: 11:30～17:00 (Last Orders: 16:00), 18:00 ~ 20.00 (Last Entry: 18.45, Last Orders: 19.00)
But sometimes they are only open for lunch and then business hours are as follows:
Open: 10.00 ~ 16.00 (Last Orders: 15.00)
Holidays are irregular.
Tel: 075-251-1876

Original article posted February, 2013. Updated July 2023.
Text and images by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.

Lush Life

July 19, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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This is a real find to be treasured. An unassuming little café near Demachiyanagi station, I must have walked past Lush Life a thousand times before finally noticing it one day, stepping inside, and bursting out laughing.

Outside, it just looks like your average run-of-the-mill café. But inside – it’s so nice! Like a little wooden jazz-lover’s den, with one wall decorated floor to ceiling with record covers and a nice cozy counter to sit at.

Everyday, there’s a simple but tasty “dish of the day” if you want something to eat. Or you can enjoy some of the luscious looking homemade cake. On the day I visited lunch was chicken curry (the owner was kind enough to make me a vegetarian bean curry instead) which I thoroughly enjoyed while listening to Nina Simone singing her Backlash Blues. And the coffee? That made me laugh too, because it was so good! Better than how I like it!

Here are some more pictures, to put you in the mood.

Lush Life (named after the jazz standard by Billy Strayhorn) has been open here since 1988, but its history dates back to earlier jazz cafés with different names and in different locations – all the way back to the first cafe “SugarHill” in 1966. Judging by the number of regular customers who have their “keep” coffee tickets tacked to the walls, I’d guess Lush Life will be around for a long time to come. Although, it’s a small shop, they have sponsored a number performances at Kyoto’s Kamigamo Shrine by the major jazz pianists Abdullah Ibrahim and the late great Randy Weston. I was fortunate enough to attend two of Randy Weston’s performances at Kamigamo and on both occasions I was blown away by his vitality, profound talent and deep, deep, joyful tunes.

This happy little place is open from 12:00 ~ 22:00 everyday except Tuesdays. Tel: 090-1909-0199.
You can find it to the side of the taxi rank just opposite the Eizan exit of Demachiyanagi Station. Here is a map.

Cafe Bibliotic Hello!

July 17, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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Situated on Nijo/Yanagiyabamba, “Cafe Bibliotic Hello” is a converted old machiya, one of the traditional old wooden townhouses of Kyoto. Bring a book with you or just grab one of the many off the walls. Here you can enjoy coffees, teas, cakes, pastries or grab some dinner if you are really hungry. They do some pretty awesome sandwiches but one night I treated myself to the day’s special. It was pleasing both to the eye and tongue.

I also recommend the “Old Fashioned” a kind of fruit crumble with ice-cream.

The atmosphere here is super relaxed, and unlike Starbucks you aren’t expected to leave or order more as soon as your coffee is finished. Here are some pictures.

Sitting here, surrounded by lights and books and old wood is a balm to the soul.

To find it just head west on Nijo from Teramachi and look out for the ridiculously oversized palm leaves. Here’s a MAP
Cafe Bibliotic Hello! on Instagram.
Open every day: 11:30 ~ 23:00
Tel: 075-231-8625

This article was first posted in July 2007, then updated and reposted in July 2023. Some items on the menu may well have changed in the interim!

Les Freres Moutaux

July 14, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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Les Freres Moutaux is a popular bakery in Iwakura, a quiet residential area of Kyoto.

Previously, they also had a very nice branch with a cafe on Aburakoji Dori that sold all kinds of tasty meals – but that branch has now GONE.

From white bread and baguettes to sweet buns, croissants and scones, there are many types of bread on sale. And all of them are top knotch when it comes to flavor, texture, and the heady, bready aroma of baked dough, so you might have some trouble choosing between them.

You should also watch out for the showcase of temptation which is filled with all kinds of colorful cakes and pastries. And answering the call of sweet-toothed fans from afar, baked sweets and cakes can also be ordered online.

Les Freres Moutaux is a two-minute walk from Kino Station on the Eizan Kurama Line. Here is a map showing it’s location.

Check out the official website and online shop here: Les Freres Moutaux
Phone: 075-724-3299
Business hours: 9:00-19:00
Closed: Thursdays

Salut Ya

July 14, 2023 By Michael Lambe

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さるぅ屋 is a cafe/bar/diner in a lovely old renovated machiya on Imadegawa. The food menu concentrates on burgers, sandwiches and curries and is generally pretty meaty. As I don’t do the meat thing, I settled for an advocado and cottage cheese sandwich, expecting something bland and was surprised by its sweet deliciosity. And the bread! That was something else.

I finished off with chocolate cake and ice-cream — smashing!

Below are some more pictures and you can see some pictures of the renovation process up here.

The drinks menu includes coffee, a full range of Yogi teas and fruit smoothies. As well as wine, cocktails and shochu, the bar also has Premium Malts on draft and also some Mexican and Belgian beers.

Salut Ya is super easy to get to from the Keihan Demachiyanagi Station. Take the number two exit and go east from the Family Mart on the corner of Imadegawa/Kawabata and Salut Ya is right there on your right. Here is a handy map.
Opening hours: 11:30~22:00 (Last orders for food: 21:00, and drinks: 21.30)
Telephone: 075-203-6552
Salut Ya on Instagram
On the way out I asked where they got their delicious bread from.
“レ・フレール・ムトウ”, she said.
And I said: “What?”
Next post: the bakery/cafe Les Freres Moutaux.

Quarirengue

July 12, 2023 By Michael Lambe

日本語はこちら
Here’s a nice quiet place for coffee and cake. Mewby and I found this cafe one Saturday and spent a pleasant afternoon there enjoying the tasty fare and the cosy mood and burying ourselves in our books. Tucked away down an old residential machiya alleyway it’s not a place you’d find by chance. It’s word of mouth that gets you there, and Quarirengue has clearly earned its reputation as a place of quiet retreat and fine confections.

Let’s take a look at those cakes shall we? This chocolate cake (自慢のクラシック・ショコラ – Classic Chocolate Pride) will set you back 750 yen. And yes folks, those are real blackberries you see on that plate.

[Read more…]

Deep Kyoto Walks Used for University English Reading Course

September 5, 2022 By Michael Lambe

I was delighted (and somewhat stunned) lately to learn that our book, Deep Kyoto: Walks, is being used as the basis of a university course here in Kyoto. The course at Kyoto Prefectural University is taught by Dr. Eleanor Yamaguchi and is called “欧米から見た京都”, or “Kyoto viewed from the West”. Eleanor, who has used supplemental materials on the course, such as our Deep Kyoto: Walks videos, writes, “I couldn’t think of a better book to read.”

Kyoto botanical gardens — *Eleanor’s class wandering through Kyoto Botanical Gardens*

She continues,

“It’s been an excellent book for the course. The students were worried at first that they might not be able to read it, but with the extra materials like the YouTube videos and then looking at the websites of the different temples and shrines that get mentioned, they found that they could really get into the text. They learned a lot about Kyoto and about the international residents that live here, so it was perfect! We read through a couple of chapters each week and picked up on some of the English phrases and the content of each chapter… Some of the students and myself followed some of the routes in the book and I got them to do their own walks and do their own written pieces…

…Using a regular book rather than a typical textbook helps the students to gain the confidence and see for themselves that they can read a regular book. They didn’t think they could at first, but they did! They are only 1st year students, but by setting them up with the confidence to read a normal book in English, by the time it comes to writing their graduation theses in English in their 4th year, they will hopefully have the confidence to tackle any book they might want to use for references!”

Apparently the last class of the semester involved a trip to the Kyoto Botanical Gardens which is conveniently close to the university campus, and is also featured in a very fine chapter of the book by Izumi Texidor Hirai. Inspired by the text, the students did their own walk and wrote about it. And by sheer happy chance they bumped into Judith Clancy, who was good enough to supply our book’s epilogue.

Kyoto Botanical Gardens zigzag bridge — *The zigzag bridge in Kyoto Botanical Gardens which features in Izumi’s walk.*

Well, when I learned of Eleanor’s class, I was quite moved to think of it playing such a part in young people’s education. It was never something I expected, but somehow I feel it has made the whole enterprise worth while. It also strikes me as a very innovative and imaginative way of teaching a reading class: getting the students outdoors, writing their own original pieces, and really living the text! Many thanks, Eleanor. You are clearly an excellent teacher!

*****************************************************************

About Eleanor Yamaguchi

Eleanor Yamaguchi is an Associate Professor at Kyoto Prefectural University and a specialist in Japanese history and culture and UK-Japan relations. Her research covers the history of British-Japanese relations, the history of Japan (primarily late Edo/Meiji Periods), international relations and British history & culture (especially of the Victorian period). You can find her at her website, “Eleanor in Japan“, and on Twitter and Instagram.

About Deep Kyoto: Walks

Deep Kyoto: Walks is an independently produced anthology of meditative strolls, rambles, hikes and ambles around Japan’s ancient capital. All of the writers and artists involved in this project have lived and worked in Kyoto for many years and know it intimately. The book is in part a literary tribute to the city that they love and in part a tribute to the art of walking for its own sake. Deep Kyoto: Walks is available as a paperback or e-book from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.jp.

Rounding Off: The Kyoto Trail – An Excerpt from Deep Kyoto: Walks by Perrin Lindelauf

August 25, 2022 By Michael Lambe

Here’s a new excerpt from our book, Deep Kyoto: Walks. In this piece Perrin Lindelauf does a complete circuit of the Kyoto Trail, a hiking route through the mountains and forests that surround Kyoto. Along the way, pacing the ancient city’s perimeter and seeing it with fresh eyes, he finds his love for Kyoto rekindled…

Rounding Off by Perrin Lindelauf

“This book has covered a lot of ground now, from temples and shrines to the seedy streets of Kyoto’s nightlife and the deep shadows beneath the gables of fading machiya. Hoping to see something new of the city I have called home for nine years, I set out to take a good long walk on the Kyoto Trail. Just twenty years old, this route traverses the horseshoe of mountains that define Kyoto’s edges, linking shrines, temples and quiet villages while bobbing over most of the city’s notable peaks. For a city that lacks for central parks and can be overrun with tourists, the route is a refreshing step away from the crowds and noise. It will probably take several hundred years before the Kyoto Trail is venerable enough to attract the seeker of “Old Japan”—so much better for the rest of us.

About 75km in total, the circuit can seem intimidating, but the ease of access to nearly every section means that you can
split up the walk or linger at some of its sights without feeling rushed to meet a bus at the trailhead. There are four official sections: Higashiyama (25km) in the east, Kitayama East (18km) and Kitayama West (19km) in the north and Nishiyama (12km) in the western Arashiyama district. In my own experience on the Trail, I found that the official division was more a product of city hall’s development plan, rather than a consideration of what makes for a good hike.

Instead, I split my walking by theme: temples and shrines in Higashiyama (17km), the Mt. Hiei climb and descent to Kyoto’s villages (25km), a quiet stroll through Kitayama’s forests (15km) and the river valleys of Takao and Arashiyama (11km). While the course can be hiked from sign-post to sign-post, the maps available at any hiking shop in Kyoto are reassuring when you haven’t seen a marker in a while.”

To read the rest of this story, purchase your copy of Deep Kyoto: Walks. The book is now available as an e-book or paperback from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.jp, and Amazon.co.uk.

About Deep Kyoto: Walks

About Perrin Lindelauf

Perrin Lindelauf lived in Kyoto for 10 years, starting out as an English teacher and gradually working on a travel writing career that has taken him to some of the most distant corners of Japan, as well as the rest of Asia. Born in the Canadian Rockies and an avid hiker, he has written articles for several English publications, and is the author of National Geographic Traveler: Japan. He can be found online at www.perrinlindelauf.com and @perrinl on Twitter.

About the Kyoto Trail

To learn more about the Kyoto Trail, visit the official website here: kyoto-trail.net. A complete set of detailed maps for the Kyoto Trail (京都一周トレイル) has been published by the Kyoto Trail Association and can be bought at bookstores and hiking shops in Kyoto adn from Amazon.co.jp. There is now also an English language Kyoto Trail Guidebook which is available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.co.jp.