Last week I visited the artist Brian Williams at his studio, sat down for a chat and had a sneak preview of his upcoming exhibition at Kiyomizu Temple. Brian is due to have a special one night exhibit of his parabolic paintings this Saturday evening (May 14th) - the first time ever in 1200 years that any art has been exhibited on the famous Kiyomizu balcony. Brian is famous … [Read more...] about The Artist Brian Williams
Kyoto Kanban: Unique Shop Signboards in the Old City
Ian Ropke writes, Japan’s ingenious and eye-catching signboards known as kanban are unique. The earliest examples avoided the use of words, presumably because they couldn't have been read by an illiterate public, and often focused on the shape of the product, or the form of the container in which it was sold. Larger than life carvings of objects such as geta, candles, … [Read more...] about Kyoto Kanban: Unique Shop Signboards in the Old City
The Hojoki
Visions of a Torn World To understand the world of today, hold it up to the world of long ago. - Kamo-no-Chomei The Hojoki The recent tragedy in northern Japan has brought to the forefront of all our minds just how vulnerable these islands are to natural disaster. Here in western Japan, even as we assure our friends and families overseas that we are safe, we know … [Read more...] about The Hojoki
Clearing up the Mountain
Lovely view, isn't it? Sadly, right below where I stood to take this picture there are piles of rubbish that people have illegally tipped down the wooded slopes of Mount Ogura. A lot of the discarded trash is domestic; buckets, bicycles, old refrigerators, motorbikes... But in this case a building company seems to have dumped some unwanted bags of cement. … [Read more...] about Clearing up the Mountain
Goya
Asian Chample Foods Goya is an Okinawan/Asian style eatery recommended to me quite some time ago by Barbara Stein. I went there yesterday and fell in love with the place. The atmosphere of cheery colorful comfort, the super friendly staff, and the great tasting food combined to make me very happy indeed. Barbara swears by the salads there, but it was the Nasi Chample … [Read more...] about Goya
Ginko-no-renga in Iwakura
On March 12th I joined the Hailstone Haiku Circle for their Ginko-no-renga event (a poetry composition stroll), on this occasion in Iwakura. Originally the linked verse, or renga, was meant to begin with a hokku (starting verse) that Buson had written in Iwakura. 遅き日や雉の下り居る橋の上 The days grow longer - A pheasant has fluttered down Onto the bridge. However, the Tohoku … [Read more...] about Ginko-no-renga in Iwakura
“TÔTEKIKO” by Javant Biarujia
Keiji Minato writes... I wrote the article below before the big disaster hit the northern part of Japan. I guess you might find it strange to read about something very small with a tremendous incident on the background, but I will post it anyway. It must be very important for us to calm ourselves before rushing toward unnecessary … [Read more...] about “TÔTEKIKO” by Javant Biarujia
Sencha – The Chinese Way of Tea
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links from which the owner of this website may earn a commission. Ian Ropke writes... Mention tea ceremony and most Japanese will think of chanoyu, the way of tea based on a ritual for drinking the powdered green tea called matcha, which was formalized by Sen no Rikyū in the sixteenth century. Much closer to … [Read more...] about Sencha – The Chinese Way of Tea
Ushinohone Anaza
Here's another comfy, little izakaya style restaurant in an old machiya building on Sanjo. There are lots of simple but tasty Japanese dishes to choose from here. Behold the food! Appetizers. Unusually (but happily for me) none of them contained meat! This Crab and tomato tartare was luscious... Potato Salad with Mentaiko (marinated roe of pollack) - a very … [Read more...] about Ushinohone Anaza
Three Poets at Minase
Here is this month's poetry column from poet and translator Keiji Minato... The Minase Sangin Hyakuin by Sogi, Shohaku, and Socho 雪ながら山もとかすむ夕かな 宗祇 Yuki nagara yama-moto kasumu yube kana As it snows the base of the mountain is misty this evening (Sogi) 行く水とほく梅にほふ里 肖柏 Yuku mizu toku ume niou sato Far in the way the water goes a plum-blossom-smelling hamlet … [Read more...] about Three Poets at Minase
Plum Blossom at the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park
It was pretty chilly out yesterday morning and more than a few flakes of snow were falling, but worth it all the same. A small gaggle of photographers agreed with me too, clustering round the 梅 trees in the Imperial Palace Park in a thicket of tripods... Here are my pictures... … [Read more...] about Plum Blossom at the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park
