Kyoto: The Forest Within the Gate

by Edith Shiffert, John Einarsen (Photographs), Marc Peter Keane (Contributor)

"This book resonates with the sublime and perceptive visions of this city by its very talented contributors. With a few deft strokes of a pen and a meditative use of the camera lens, they capture the heartbeat of the allusive moment nestled within."—Judith Clancy, Exploring On Foot in the Ancient Capital A sensitive response to Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. The heart of the book is a dialogue between the poems of Edith Shiffert and over one hundred duotone photographs by John Einarsen. Enriched by essays from garden designer Marc Keane, aesthete Takeda Yoshifumi, and author Diane Durston.

Genres: Japan, Travel

140 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Catherine Pawasarat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful images, poems, prose, calligraphy by a team of very talented artists and writers who've lived in Kyoto and studied Japanese culture long term. Sometimes I wonder whether our tributes to the world-class city of Kyoto can be overly sublimated, as though the city is nothing but heavenly. When in Kyoto, the heavenly parts are counterpoised by qualities that are less so (sometimes much less), as surely it's always been. It seems to me that the art of appreciating Kyoto is to find the middle way between the two extremes. Regardless, this book was an enjoyable and uplifting read, and visually exquisite.

[Kasey Mazak · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful tapestry of pictures and poems. I love this Haiku:

Fragrance of incense
by Yoshidayama’s graves,
pine needles sprkle.

(松冴える線香かほり吉田山)