This year's Summer Antiquarian Book Fair will be held from August 11th - 16th from 10.00 till 17.30 (until 16.00) on the last day. As always it will be held under the trees of Tadasu no Mori woods which are just in front of Shimogamo Jinja Shrine. Though this book fair takes place at the hottest time of the year it is always noticeably cooler under the shade of those ancient … [Read more...]
Book & Bed (+Beer) Hostel Opens in Kyoto
The Book & Bed Hostel who opened their first branch in Tokyo in late 2015 are opening a new hostel in Gion entertainment district of Kyoto this December. This time the minds behind this bibliophile's dream have added a crafty bar space into the mix. I've written all about it for the ZenVita blog and you can read that right here: Browse and Carouse at Kyoto’s Newest Hostel: … [Read more...]
Alex Kerr Book Launch Party – Another Kyoto
Last night I attended a book launch party for Alex Kerr's latest book, Another Kyoto. The setting was a lovely old machiya townhouse in the Kamishichiken area of Kyoto where his friend and co-author, Kathy Arlyn Sokol has been living. Apparently about 70 people attended the event, and it certainly did feel like a crowd in the unseasonably hot weather. It was a nice occasion … [Read more...]
Geiko & Maiko of Kyoto by Robert van Koesveld now on sale at Maruzen Bookstore
Last week I was very happy to catch up with photographer Robert van Koesveld while he was in town. Robert was kind enough to give me a copy of his new book, "Geiko & Maiko of Kyoto" which he self-published after an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign. If you are at all interested in the world of geiko and maiko then I would happily recommend this book. Robert's … [Read more...]
Maruzen Bookstore on Inside Kyoto
My review of the new Maruzen Bookstore & Cafe is now up on Inside Kyoto... After a 10-year interval Kyoto’s best bookstore, Maruzen Books has returned! Our resident bookworm, Michael Lambe, went to take a look at the new premises and see if the new store matches up to its legendary past. Check out the full story here: Maruzen Bookstore Returns to Kyoto! … [Read more...]
Kyoto’s 39th Autumn Antiquarian Book Fair 2015
Kyoto’s annual Autumn Antiquarian Book Fair starts Thursday Oct. 30th at Chion-ji Temple – just a stone’s throw away from the Hyakumanben intersection. Though the majority of the books available (about 200,000 in all) are Japanese, there are always some English books available, as well as art books and ukiyo-e prints etc. The grounds of the temple are also a very peaceful and … [Read more...]
Maruzen Bookstore Returning to Kyoto!
It's been ten long years since Kyoto's best bookstore closed it's doors... but now Maruzen is coming back! Kyoto's legendary bookstore occupied a special place in the hearts of expats because of it's huge English language book section. Locals too were sad to see the historic shop close down, for Maruzen had occupied a spot on Kawaramachi Street since 1907. The new … [Read more...]
Writers in Kyoto – Launch Party with Amy Chavez on April 19th
This month sees the birth of a new group in Kyoto: Writers in Kyoto (WiK). This from the website sets out its aims: Writers in Kyoto is a group of published and self-published English-language authors working or living in the city. It is run on a membership basis and its purpose is for writers to help each other by creating opportunities for promotion, book launches, … [Read more...]
Regarding the Cherry Blossoms in Okazaki, Kyoto
Just over a year ago I took a walk in Okazaki just before the cherry blossoms bloomed, and recorded my thoughts for the book Deep Kyoto: Walks. I was primarily focused on the architecture of the area, a lot of which dates from the Meiji era. Throughout my walk though I was very conscious of those cherry blossom buds which were "just about to pop". So a week later I went back … [Read more...]
Kyoto Botanical Gardens by Izumi Texidor Hirai
In this post we have a special excerpt from Deep Kyoto: Walks written by Izumi Texidor Hirai. In her walk through the Botanical Gardens, Izumi weaves personal recollection with finely observed details of life in the gardens as they pass through the four seasons. Let today's excerpt from Izumi's walk serve as a happy reminder of all the special seasonal joys that the year ahead … [Read more...]
A Deep Kyoto Christmas Book List
Here are some last minute Christmas stocking filler suggestions for the Kyoto lovers in your life. Zenbu Zen - Food writer and photographer Jane Lawson, escaped her overworked and stressed out life as a publisher and ran away to her dream city: Kyoto. Here she spent five months exploring Kyoto culture, particularly Kyoto food culture, and her book is a record of that … [Read more...]
Kōtō-in – An Excerpt from “Deep Kyoto: Walks” by Joel Stewart
This month's extract from Deep Kyoto: Walks is taken from a very fine ramble by the artist Joel Stewart, titled "In Praise of Uro Uro". Uro uro is a Japanese expression for aimless wandering. Kōtō-in by Joel Stewart I really don't think much needs be said here about Kōtō-in, other than it's a real escape from the city, right in the city. And beside all the interesting … [Read more...]
Christine Flint Sato Sumi Workbook Review in Kyoto Journal #81
The latest issue of Kyoto Journal includes my review of Christine Flint Sato's Sumi Workbook. Christine Flint Sato’s Sumi Workbook presents a complete introductory course for amateur or professional artists who would like to try the traditional brushed ink arts of East Asia. Sumi, a black ink made of soot and animal glue, is the essential medium for the arts of calligraphy and … [Read more...]
Whisper of the Land – Visions of Japan: Ed Levinson Talk & Book Signing
Here's an upcoming event of interest hosted by Cafe Foodelica. Edward Levinson is an American photographer and writer living in Japan for 35 years. He will be speaking about his approach to photography, writing, and life with visual examples and readings from his new book of essays "Whisper of the Land". The talk will be mainly in English with a little Japanese as … [Read more...]
