This is the first in a new, occasional series of profiles of Kyoto-based photographers. Each photographer will choose five of their favorite pictures from around Kyoto and tell us a little about what those pictures mean to them. To start us off, Kyoto Journal's John Einarsen was kind enough to send me some wonderful black and white images of Shinnyodo; a temple complex … [Read more...] about The Photographs of John Einarsen
C. W. Nicol at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies
A personal response to the lecture "Planting Trees in Your Heart" This is how trees got planted in my heart. My father's hobby was gardening. We had a very nice garden, with a big central lawn you could lie on in the summer, a vegetable patch at the back, fruit trees and flowers aplenty. As a child, I used to spend a lot of time with my dad when he was working in the … [Read more...] about C. W. Nicol at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies
Saiundo Traditional Art Supply Shop
Today's post from Ian Ropke is a continuation of yesterday's post on Nihonga... The classic Japanese artist’s best friend For well over one hundred years, Saiun-do has been supplying artists with quality Nihonga pigments and brushes. The business has an illustrious history. The famous painter Tomioka Tessai (1836-1924), just one of Saiundo’s illustrious clients, recommended … [Read more...] about Saiundo Traditional Art Supply Shop
Nihonga – The History of Traditional Japanese Painting
Ian Ropke writes... The history of traditional Japanese painting The history of Nihonga, the traditional Japanese manner of painting, can be traced back to the beginning of the Heian period. A manuscript from 999 mentions a style of painting called Yamato-e (Yamato was the old name of Japan). When exactly this new school of painting originated is not known, but it is … [Read more...] about Nihonga – The History of Traditional Japanese Painting
Alphabet Ave.
Here's a place I've been meaning to write up for the longest time. As regular readers may be aware, of a weekend my friends and I tend to gather at the wonderful music bar Joao.* However, Joao tends to close relatively early (around 11 pm), so if we still have a thirst upon us (and we invariably do) the bar of choice is Alphabet Ave. on Pontocho. Alphabet Ave. is a … [Read more...] about Alphabet Ave.
