Sean Roe invited me out to this place ages ago. "￥380 a beer," he said. Very hard to resist. So I went. And here's what I found: Kanso is a bar, and an art installation combined. Its concept can be roughly summarized as drink x cans = fun The art here is nothing precious, consisting as it does of cans. Big cans that you sit at like tables and walls of cans to dazzle … [Read more...] about Kanso
Kyoto: A Cultural History
Disclosure: Links in this article to Amazon or Amazon Japan are affiliate links. The owner of this website may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. In the movie “Lost in Translation”, the character of Charlotte (played by Scarlett Johansson) takes a day trip alone to Kyoto. As she wanders through a temple and a shrine her sense of being lost in this alien land is … [Read more...] about Kyoto: A Cultural History
Kimono Old & New
As today is 成人の日 ("seijin no hi" or "Coming of Age Day") it seems timely to post Ian Ropke's article on the kimono. First though here is a picture of some brand new adults sporting their kimono's for the day, and one other of a lady I spotted at Ebisu shrine. Ian writes... An industry caught in time An enduring and potent symbol of traditional Japan, the kimono is … [Read more...] about Kimono Old & New
An Interview with Mara Alper
To celebrate the 400th anniversary of ties between Mexico and Japan the Kampo Museum is currently exhibiting the art and crafts of the indigenous Huichol people. Dominating the exhibition are the extraordinary peyote inspired yarn paintings of the late Huichol artist and shaman José Benitez Sanchez. On the 24th of January, Professor Mara Alper, award winning media artist and … [Read more...] about An Interview with Mara Alper
Hamacho
I had a wafu Christmas dinner at Hamacho, a nice traditional Japanese style restaurant just north of Sanjo on Kiyamachi. I had a little peak at the first floor before heading upstairs... … [Read more...] about Hamacho
Ogoto Onsen
I wanted to do something special for Christmas Eve and my friend Andrew suggested getting an onsen hotel room in Ogoto. Once infamous as the soapland capital of Kansai, Ogoto has been working hard over the years to create an alternative image as a family spa resort. You can get reasonably priced rooms there, with gorgeous views over Lake Biwa. And as it is only a twenty minute … [Read more...] about Ogoto Onsen
Garden Stones & Superstition
Ian Ropke writes: Stones are, believe it or not, the most important feature of a Japanese garden. If the soil is its "flesh", then the stones are its "bones". Garden stones fall into three basic categories: "named" stones, unimportant "unnamed" stones, and stones which already existed on the site. The most famous named stone in Japan is called Fujito after the … [Read more...] about Garden Stones & Superstition
Yoramu
Last Thursday Nick Coldicott, was in town and invited me out to sake bar Yoramu. Nick is the editor of Time Out Shortlist Kyoto and also writes a drinks column for the Japan Times, so when he said that Yoramu was his favorite bar, I was naturally intrigued. Yoramu lived up to his promise. The master, Yoram, a quietly spoken Israeli perfectly fluent in English and Japanese, … [Read more...] about Yoramu
Mount Hiei’s Marathon Monks
Ian Ropke writes... The world of Buddhism is full of stories of amazing human feats achieved through meditation and power of the mind. In Tibet there are especially powerful monks who travel so fast that they appear to fly; they can travel non-stop for 48 hours and cover over 320 km a day! There are also stories of diamond-like crystalline substances found amongst the ashes … [Read more...] about Mount Hiei’s Marathon Monks
Autumn Japanese Tea Ceremonies in Kyoto
Ian Ropke writes: Experiencing an Autumn Tea Ceremony For many tea connoiseurs, autumn is considered to be the finest time of the year to hold a tea ceremony; the stifling hot weather has passed, and the autumn mood is sublime. The basic form and aesthetic of today’s Japanese tea ceremony is largely credited to Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591), who was inspired to develop a form … [Read more...] about Autumn Japanese Tea Ceremonies in Kyoto
Blue Note
A couple of weeks ago, jazz singer Allison Adams Tucker invited me to Blue Note to see her live performance there. It was a great show but also an excellent opportunity to check out this legendary live music venue. I spoke to the current master Ohigashi-san. A mild-mannered chap, he goes by the nickname of Chooper-san (after blues musician Al Kooper), and is as Allison put it … [Read more...] about Blue Note
