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Deep Kyoto: Walks
Deep Kyoto: Walks is a new anthology of 18 meditative strolls in Japan’s ancient cultural capital. Independently produced by 16 writers who have made their home in Kyoto, this book is both a tribute to life in the city of “Purple Hills and Crystal Streams”, and a testament to the art of contemplative city walking. In a series of rambles that express each writer’s intimate relationship with the city, they take you not only to the most famous shrines and temples, but also to those backstreets of memory where personal history and the greater story of the city intersect. Join Pico Iyer, Judith Clancy, Chris Rowthorn, John Dougill, Robert Yellin, John Ashburne and more as they explore markets and mountains, bars and gardens, palaces and pagodas and show us Kyoto afresh through the eyes of those who call it “home”.
Included are:
18 walks
16 photographic illustrations
A specially commissioned woodblock print by Richard Steiner
12 detailed maps
Links to all locations on Google Maps
Cover Art by internationally acclaimed artist Sarah Brayer
Included are:
18 walks
16 photographic illustrations
A specially commissioned woodblock print by Richard Steiner
12 detailed maps
Links to all locations on Google Maps
Cover Art by internationally acclaimed artist Sarah Brayer
- GenresJapanTravelNonfiction
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
62 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
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July 20, 2019
When you visit Kyoto for the first time, you simply can't avoid visiting famous spots like Ryoanji's Stone Garden, the Silver Pavilion and Nijo Castle. And some unseen force (convention?) compels you to make a selfie with the Golden Pavilion as background. But once these and other touristy preliminaries are out of the way, you can take a deep breath, for now you are free to really start exploring and enjoying Kyoto as a city. Of course, you don't do that by tourist bus, but by using your own legs. Kyoto happens to be one of the world's cultural cities that is most suitable to explore on foot. Kyoto in fact begs you to start walking... walking is the only way to see Kyoto properly.
That was also the experience of the authors of Deep Kyoto: Walks, a wonderful new book containing the records of 18 residents of Kyoto who introduce their favorite walks in and around the city. The book has been carefully edited and contains clear maps to help you find your way. It is, as editor Michael Lambe writes, "an anthology of meditative walks that express each writer's deeper relationship to the area in which they live." Most of the writers are foreign residents and all have put down their roots in the Ancient Capital. They have lived here for something between 10 and 40 years and are all "old-Kyoto hands." This book is therefore an excellent guide for those who have had enough of touristy sights and finally want to see the real Kyoto. The authors are all well-versed in Japanese culture and history and prove to be thought-provoking and reliable guides.
The charm of this anthology is that the authors - whose profiles are given at the back of the book - all have quite varied interests. John Ashburne, for example, is a writer on Japanese food culture and a dashi specialist who takes the reader to his favorite shops in Nishiki, "Kyoto's Kitchen," in an article spiced up with delicious musings on food. In contrast, poet Stephen Henry Gill has embellished the walk he guides through Sagano and Arashiyama with interesting poems - no doubt stimulated by the fact that in the early 13th c. Fujiwara Teika compiled here the classical anthology Hyakunin Isshu and Basho's haiku disciple Mukai Kyorai owned a cottage, called Rakushisha ("The House of Fallen Persimmons"), where the master stayed when he visited Sagano.
Travel writer Perrin Lindelauf engages in his hobby of mountain walking by following the Kyoto Trail, that runs through the eastern, northern and western hills that encircle the city. He cuts up the 75km long trail in bite-sized bits, starting with Higashiyama and its temples and shrines; then a climb up Mt Hiei and descent into Kyoto's northern villages; a quiet stroll through Kitayama's forests; and finally a walk through the river valley of Takao and Arashiyama.
There are two more mountain walks in the collection. Shiatsu specialist Miki Matsumoto observes the "Ki," the vital essence, of Daimonji - famous for the huge bonfires lighted here in the evening of August 16 - on a climb of that mountain to enjoy the view over Kyoto. Sanborn Brown is not only a teacher at Osaka Kyoiku University, but also an avid cyclist, so he proceeds on two wheels to Kiyotaki - but from there he has to rely on just his legs for the arduous climb up Mt Atago. He makes this climb on the night of July 31, the annual Sennichi Tsuyusai Festival, when people come to the shrine to receive amulets preventing fires - a festival that was once so popular that there was even a funicular railway line up the mountain.
Travel writer and tour guide Chris Rowthorn delves into his own past by retracing the spots connected with his first visit to Kyoto in 1992, such as his lodgings, language schools and favorite bars. "Intending to stay a year, I stayed 18. I came with a suitcase and left with a wife, two children, and more stuff than you can cram into a shipping container." I guess others who have fallen in love with Kyoto have had a similar experience.
Michael Lambe, the chief editor of the present book, takes us on two walks: one is a tour along various music bars in Kiyamachi, the other a tour of monuments of Japan's modernization in the Meiji period. This last walk starts at the Incline in Keage, part of a hydroelectric power generation project undertaken in 1891 by the young engineer Tanabe Sakuro. Water was brought via a canal from Lake Biwa to supply the city's industries and an aqueduct of red brick was built in the grounds of Nanzenji (which blends so perfectly with the wooden temples that it now looks as if it has always been there).
Other writers take a stroll in the neighborhood of their Kyoto residence. Bridget Scott, who has studied Butoh and traditional Japanese dance and is a shiatsu therapist, lives near Shisendo and takes us to that magical temple (in fact the villa of a 17th century recluse), as well as to nearby Enkoji, and finally Manshuin and the Sagi no Mori shrine (all personal favorites of mine, as my first Kyoto home was also in this area). I also enjoyed reading how American artist Joel Stewart "wanders aimlessly" (uro uro as he calls it himself) from Daitokuji north to beautiful Shodenji. Shodenji is far off the beaten path and has a wonderful garden looking out towards Mt. Hiei. Travel writer Ted Taylor takes his little daughter on a promenade of his neighborhood, Murasakino (near Daitokuji). He visits no temples or gardens, but just saunters through a mundane section of Kyoto, showing us how interesting the real face of the city is.
Kyoto University lecturer Jennifer Louise Teeter, who lives near Gojodori, takes us on a long excursion that starts with the Gojozaka Pottery Festival (held on August 7) and the magical house and studio of mingei potter Kawai Kanjiro, and then north to Rokuharamitsuji Temple with its marvelous statues... and a shop selling "child raising ghost candy."
Japanese ceramics specialist Robert Yellin guides us along the Philosopher's Path, where he has his Yakimono Gallery (which alone is reason enough to come here). John Dougill, author of Kyoto: A Cultural History, one of the best books I know about Kyoto, takes us on a walk he frequently makes to Ryukoku University, where he is professor: from Demachi Yanagi along the Kamo River to Gojo, observing the different faces of the Kamo River which can be rightfully called the "heart of Kyoto."
Izumi Texidor Hirai guides us through one of her favorite Kyoto spots, the Botanical Gardens, again a very attractive destination that is blissfully free from tourists. The gardens afford a magnificent view of Mt Hiei and preserve part of the original vegetation of the area, besides being a great spot for hanami. On the other hand, Pico Iyer, the internationally famous writer of The Lady and the Monk, walks from Sannenzaka to Pontocho, showing us the contrast between the quiet path stretching along the temples at the foot of the Higashiyama hills and the noisy city bustle that engulfs you as soon as you step out of the Yasaka Shrine unto Shijodori.
Judith Clancy, known from various guidebooks such as Exploring Kyoto: On Foot in the Ancient Capital, which years ago already introduced us to the "Way of Walking" in Kyoto, wraps up with an epilogue in which she muses on the joys of experiencing the Ancient Capital on foot.
Two artists have contributed in kind, rather than recording walks: washi artist Sarah Brayer has made the beautiful cover and woodblock artist Richard Keith Steiner has contributed a wonderful mokuhanga of Daimonji.
It cannot be stressed enough: to really get a sense of Kyoto, to feel the pulsing heart of the city, you must walk. Kyoto is not only interesting for its temples, craft shops, restaurants, museums and gardens, but also as a city in its own right: it is great fun to observe the residents whose lives are partly lived on the streets, and to enjoy the city's ever changing expression. That is why Deep Kyoto: Walks is also a great read for those who are familiar with Kyoto and already have made many similar walks. I particularly enjoyed the different perspectives the various writers bring to Kyoto, the personal way in which they express their relation to the city. It in fact made me feel that I want to live in Kyoto again myself.
That was also the experience of the authors of Deep Kyoto: Walks, a wonderful new book containing the records of 18 residents of Kyoto who introduce their favorite walks in and around the city. The book has been carefully edited and contains clear maps to help you find your way. It is, as editor Michael Lambe writes, "an anthology of meditative walks that express each writer's deeper relationship to the area in which they live." Most of the writers are foreign residents and all have put down their roots in the Ancient Capital. They have lived here for something between 10 and 40 years and are all "old-Kyoto hands." This book is therefore an excellent guide for those who have had enough of touristy sights and finally want to see the real Kyoto. The authors are all well-versed in Japanese culture and history and prove to be thought-provoking and reliable guides.
The charm of this anthology is that the authors - whose profiles are given at the back of the book - all have quite varied interests. John Ashburne, for example, is a writer on Japanese food culture and a dashi specialist who takes the reader to his favorite shops in Nishiki, "Kyoto's Kitchen," in an article spiced up with delicious musings on food. In contrast, poet Stephen Henry Gill has embellished the walk he guides through Sagano and Arashiyama with interesting poems - no doubt stimulated by the fact that in the early 13th c. Fujiwara Teika compiled here the classical anthology Hyakunin Isshu and Basho's haiku disciple Mukai Kyorai owned a cottage, called Rakushisha ("The House of Fallen Persimmons"), where the master stayed when he visited Sagano.
Travel writer Perrin Lindelauf engages in his hobby of mountain walking by following the Kyoto Trail, that runs through the eastern, northern and western hills that encircle the city. He cuts up the 75km long trail in bite-sized bits, starting with Higashiyama and its temples and shrines; then a climb up Mt Hiei and descent into Kyoto's northern villages; a quiet stroll through Kitayama's forests; and finally a walk through the river valley of Takao and Arashiyama.
There are two more mountain walks in the collection. Shiatsu specialist Miki Matsumoto observes the "Ki," the vital essence, of Daimonji - famous for the huge bonfires lighted here in the evening of August 16 - on a climb of that mountain to enjoy the view over Kyoto. Sanborn Brown is not only a teacher at Osaka Kyoiku University, but also an avid cyclist, so he proceeds on two wheels to Kiyotaki - but from there he has to rely on just his legs for the arduous climb up Mt Atago. He makes this climb on the night of July 31, the annual Sennichi Tsuyusai Festival, when people come to the shrine to receive amulets preventing fires - a festival that was once so popular that there was even a funicular railway line up the mountain.
Travel writer and tour guide Chris Rowthorn delves into his own past by retracing the spots connected with his first visit to Kyoto in 1992, such as his lodgings, language schools and favorite bars. "Intending to stay a year, I stayed 18. I came with a suitcase and left with a wife, two children, and more stuff than you can cram into a shipping container." I guess others who have fallen in love with Kyoto have had a similar experience.
Michael Lambe, the chief editor of the present book, takes us on two walks: one is a tour along various music bars in Kiyamachi, the other a tour of monuments of Japan's modernization in the Meiji period. This last walk starts at the Incline in Keage, part of a hydroelectric power generation project undertaken in 1891 by the young engineer Tanabe Sakuro. Water was brought via a canal from Lake Biwa to supply the city's industries and an aqueduct of red brick was built in the grounds of Nanzenji (which blends so perfectly with the wooden temples that it now looks as if it has always been there).
Other writers take a stroll in the neighborhood of their Kyoto residence. Bridget Scott, who has studied Butoh and traditional Japanese dance and is a shiatsu therapist, lives near Shisendo and takes us to that magical temple (in fact the villa of a 17th century recluse), as well as to nearby Enkoji, and finally Manshuin and the Sagi no Mori shrine (all personal favorites of mine, as my first Kyoto home was also in this area). I also enjoyed reading how American artist Joel Stewart "wanders aimlessly" (uro uro as he calls it himself) from Daitokuji north to beautiful Shodenji. Shodenji is far off the beaten path and has a wonderful garden looking out towards Mt. Hiei. Travel writer Ted Taylor takes his little daughter on a promenade of his neighborhood, Murasakino (near Daitokuji). He visits no temples or gardens, but just saunters through a mundane section of Kyoto, showing us how interesting the real face of the city is.
Kyoto University lecturer Jennifer Louise Teeter, who lives near Gojodori, takes us on a long excursion that starts with the Gojozaka Pottery Festival (held on August 7) and the magical house and studio of mingei potter Kawai Kanjiro, and then north to Rokuharamitsuji Temple with its marvelous statues... and a shop selling "child raising ghost candy."
Japanese ceramics specialist Robert Yellin guides us along the Philosopher's Path, where he has his Yakimono Gallery (which alone is reason enough to come here). John Dougill, author of Kyoto: A Cultural History, one of the best books I know about Kyoto, takes us on a walk he frequently makes to Ryukoku University, where he is professor: from Demachi Yanagi along the Kamo River to Gojo, observing the different faces of the Kamo River which can be rightfully called the "heart of Kyoto."
Izumi Texidor Hirai guides us through one of her favorite Kyoto spots, the Botanical Gardens, again a very attractive destination that is blissfully free from tourists. The gardens afford a magnificent view of Mt Hiei and preserve part of the original vegetation of the area, besides being a great spot for hanami. On the other hand, Pico Iyer, the internationally famous writer of The Lady and the Monk, walks from Sannenzaka to Pontocho, showing us the contrast between the quiet path stretching along the temples at the foot of the Higashiyama hills and the noisy city bustle that engulfs you as soon as you step out of the Yasaka Shrine unto Shijodori.
Judith Clancy, known from various guidebooks such as Exploring Kyoto: On Foot in the Ancient Capital, which years ago already introduced us to the "Way of Walking" in Kyoto, wraps up with an epilogue in which she muses on the joys of experiencing the Ancient Capital on foot.
Two artists have contributed in kind, rather than recording walks: washi artist Sarah Brayer has made the beautiful cover and woodblock artist Richard Keith Steiner has contributed a wonderful mokuhanga of Daimonji.
It cannot be stressed enough: to really get a sense of Kyoto, to feel the pulsing heart of the city, you must walk. Kyoto is not only interesting for its temples, craft shops, restaurants, museums and gardens, but also as a city in its own right: it is great fun to observe the residents whose lives are partly lived on the streets, and to enjoy the city's ever changing expression. That is why Deep Kyoto: Walks is also a great read for those who are familiar with Kyoto and already have made many similar walks. I particularly enjoyed the different perspectives the various writers bring to Kyoto, the personal way in which they express their relation to the city. It in fact made me feel that I want to live in Kyoto again myself.
February 27, 2021
Beautiful collection of love letters to the city of purple hills and crystal streams. Well-structured, with a section containing maps intended for those who want to follow along the walks. Filled with delightful but specific local details, and often requiring an image of previous travels to regions like Mt. Hiei to be understood, it won’t work as a travel guide for first timers at all. It is intended for those who have had the lucky opportunity of having lost themselves on similar strolls.
June 8, 2014
As a frequent visitor to Kyoto, I really enjoyed this book. The authors are all people who have moved to Kyoto from elsewhere, and have spent time getting to know the city as residents. The book explores areas of the city that are on the tourist trail, but puts a personal spin on where to go and what to see. I have been to around 70% of the places covered in the walks and have discovered new things that I want to explore next time I am there. I liked the different styles of the authors and the way their personalities and passions came through. My enjoyment of the book is coloured by my previous experiences, but even if you have never been to Kyoto, the walks provide an introduction to the city that goes further than standard tourist texts. It's a must read for any visitor to Kyoto who wants to dig a little deeper into the city's history and its present.
Initially released as an e-book, I read it on both my Kindle 3 and on the app on my tablet computer. Both were easy to navigate, but reading on my tablet gave me access to live links to Google maps and to websites included in the end notes. The photographs and woodblock illustrations look better in colour, too.
Altogether a very thoughtful, engaging and well put together book. I'd be interested to see it as a print book, too.
Initially released as an e-book, I read it on both my Kindle 3 and on the app on my tablet computer. Both were easy to navigate, but reading on my tablet gave me access to live links to Google maps and to websites included in the end notes. The photographs and woodblock illustrations look better in colour, too.
Altogether a very thoughtful, engaging and well put together book. I'd be interested to see it as a print book, too.
September 1, 2016
After my first two trips to Kyoto, which were essentially identical since I had visitors with me the second time and felt the need to take them to the most well known sites like Kinkakuji, Kiyomiizudera, Ginkakuji, etc. It was on the most recent trip two years ago when I realized that I would need to visit many time to see all that is worth seeing there. So Deep Kyoto Walks (2014) edited by Michael Lambe and Ted Taylor is the perfect guide for someone like me who wants to know about things off the beaten track, since it gives personalized views of what to see and do in Kyoto by people who have lived there for extended periods of time. In a sense, it offers a personalized curated guide to one of the most beautiful and fascinating cities in the world. Full disclosure, I am friends with the editors, but the contributions in this books come from a variety of informed viewpoints and expertise. As pointed out in the forward by Lambe, the size and layout of Kyoto make it perfect for walking and exploring and as Taylor mentions in the introduction most of Asian life is lived out of doors, so there is much to take in while out exploring in the city. There are useful interactive end notes throughout to explain aspects of Japanese culture or history and other digressions, links to places mentioned, as well as 12 maps with links to Google maps. Thus, it is very user friendly guide.
"Time Travelling on Gojo" by Jennifer Louise Teether is unique in her exploration of her neighborhood through a Gojo Pottery festival co-mingled with musings on Japanese aesthetics in general and pottery in particular. Lambe contributed two essays in the collection and the first, "Red Brick & Sakura: A Walk in Modern Kyoto" was of particular interest to me since I also enjoy seeking out notable architecture. Lambe is particularly interested in the Meiji (1868-1912) era architecture. But he also discusses some of the more controversial buildings in the city, like the Kyoto Tower (1964), which Alex Kerr describes as a "symbolic stake through the heart of the city," but contrarily, Lambe accepts it as a Kyoto landmark. However, he agrees with Kerr, unlike me, with the assessment of Kyoto Station as being out of place and garish. Lambe's second essay, "Up and Down the Ki,'" is a meditation on the drinking culture of Kyoto. He recounts a 10 bar crawl with a local musician duo playing for an hour at each location that he took on November 30th in 2103, the 9th such event. Bridget Scott contributed to the collection with "Ghosts, Monkeys, & Other Neighbors" and brings thoughts on her expertise in butoh to light in her essay about her neighborhood. A more personal account of a place is found in Miki Matusmoto's musings on her many memories related to "Climbing Mount Daimonji." Cultural and historical references abound in Robert Yellin's essay "Not Sure Which Way To Go" on the Philosophy Path route. Perhaps, the best known writer in this collection is Pico Iyer, author of several books on travel and other subjects, who praises the melding of the new and old in Kyoto in his essay "Into the Tumult." Chris Rowthorn's essay, "Old School Giaji Kyoto" is personal look at old Kyoto haunts on a return to a city he had lived as a young man arriving in 1992. It seems that not all of his remembrances are happy ones, but it also seems that he has since come to terms with these demons. History and poetry are at the forefront of John Doughill's "Kamogawa Musing." John Ashburne's (a noted food writer) essay "Gods, Monks, Secrets, Fish" is notable for a focus on the food based culture of Kyoto including a detailed look at Nishikikoji Market, and a map of some of the noteworthy stalls discussed in the essay is provided in the maps appendix. Co-editor Taylor's first of two essay is "Across Purple Fields" which is a personalized account of typical walk he takes with his young daughter in his neighborhood and includes musing about zen philosophy. His second essay, "A Long March" broaches the political with the personal as he recollects a protest march he participated in after the 3.11 tsunami caused the nuclear accident in Tohoku. Stephen Henry Gill also brings an unusual perspective to his essay, "Blue Sky" seeing that he is a conservationist and poet-so both of those aspect get their due in the account of his walk near Mt. Ogawa and the splendid Arashiyama area. An event is at the heart of Sandborn Borwn's essay, "Hiking Mount Atago," a group event that takes place every summer. This essay was informative in that I learned about the Giant Salamander and 10 cm poisonous centipedes that inhabit those parts. I am now interested in visiting both Koto-in and Shodenji after reading Joel Stewart's descriptions of them in his essay on his walk in North Kyoto, "In Praise of Uro Uro." Izumi Texidor Hirai has also piqued my interest in her subject with her lively descriptions in "The Botanical Gardens." Perrin Lindelauf's final essay, "Rounding Off: The Kyoto Trail" is fitting since this 75 km trail encompasses most of Kyoto. According to the essay there are four sections: Higashiyama (25km), Kitayama East (18km) and Kitayama West (19km) in the north and Nishiyama (12km) in the western Arashiyama district. I found his four day-69 km walk inspiring. "The Epilogue: On Foot in the Ancient Capital" is provided by 40 year resident Judith Clancy, author of several books on Kyoto, in which she discusses the small changes and details she has observed over the years in the ancient capital.
I think this volume is indispensable for short term, long term, and repeat visits. There is wealth of suggestions for a prolonged visit. And it can also provide assistance for a short time visit; in that it provides local knowledge for that day or afternoon when you want to get off the tourist trail. The amount of incidental information about Japanese history, culture, and society collected in these essays is invaluable in itself. For people like me, who live in Japan and have the opportunity for repeat visits, it provides inspiration and a variety of courses for exploration deep in the heart of Kyoto.
"Time Travelling on Gojo" by Jennifer Louise Teether is unique in her exploration of her neighborhood through a Gojo Pottery festival co-mingled with musings on Japanese aesthetics in general and pottery in particular. Lambe contributed two essays in the collection and the first, "Red Brick & Sakura: A Walk in Modern Kyoto" was of particular interest to me since I also enjoy seeking out notable architecture. Lambe is particularly interested in the Meiji (1868-1912) era architecture. But he also discusses some of the more controversial buildings in the city, like the Kyoto Tower (1964), which Alex Kerr describes as a "symbolic stake through the heart of the city," but contrarily, Lambe accepts it as a Kyoto landmark. However, he agrees with Kerr, unlike me, with the assessment of Kyoto Station as being out of place and garish. Lambe's second essay, "Up and Down the Ki,'" is a meditation on the drinking culture of Kyoto. He recounts a 10 bar crawl with a local musician duo playing for an hour at each location that he took on November 30th in 2103, the 9th such event. Bridget Scott contributed to the collection with "Ghosts, Monkeys, & Other Neighbors" and brings thoughts on her expertise in butoh to light in her essay about her neighborhood. A more personal account of a place is found in Miki Matusmoto's musings on her many memories related to "Climbing Mount Daimonji." Cultural and historical references abound in Robert Yellin's essay "Not Sure Which Way To Go" on the Philosophy Path route. Perhaps, the best known writer in this collection is Pico Iyer, author of several books on travel and other subjects, who praises the melding of the new and old in Kyoto in his essay "Into the Tumult." Chris Rowthorn's essay, "Old School Giaji Kyoto" is personal look at old Kyoto haunts on a return to a city he had lived as a young man arriving in 1992. It seems that not all of his remembrances are happy ones, but it also seems that he has since come to terms with these demons. History and poetry are at the forefront of John Doughill's "Kamogawa Musing." John Ashburne's (a noted food writer) essay "Gods, Monks, Secrets, Fish" is notable for a focus on the food based culture of Kyoto including a detailed look at Nishikikoji Market, and a map of some of the noteworthy stalls discussed in the essay is provided in the maps appendix. Co-editor Taylor's first of two essay is "Across Purple Fields" which is a personalized account of typical walk he takes with his young daughter in his neighborhood and includes musing about zen philosophy. His second essay, "A Long March" broaches the political with the personal as he recollects a protest march he participated in after the 3.11 tsunami caused the nuclear accident in Tohoku. Stephen Henry Gill also brings an unusual perspective to his essay, "Blue Sky" seeing that he is a conservationist and poet-so both of those aspect get their due in the account of his walk near Mt. Ogawa and the splendid Arashiyama area. An event is at the heart of Sandborn Borwn's essay, "Hiking Mount Atago," a group event that takes place every summer. This essay was informative in that I learned about the Giant Salamander and 10 cm poisonous centipedes that inhabit those parts. I am now interested in visiting both Koto-in and Shodenji after reading Joel Stewart's descriptions of them in his essay on his walk in North Kyoto, "In Praise of Uro Uro." Izumi Texidor Hirai has also piqued my interest in her subject with her lively descriptions in "The Botanical Gardens." Perrin Lindelauf's final essay, "Rounding Off: The Kyoto Trail" is fitting since this 75 km trail encompasses most of Kyoto. According to the essay there are four sections: Higashiyama (25km), Kitayama East (18km) and Kitayama West (19km) in the north and Nishiyama (12km) in the western Arashiyama district. I found his four day-69 km walk inspiring. "The Epilogue: On Foot in the Ancient Capital" is provided by 40 year resident Judith Clancy, author of several books on Kyoto, in which she discusses the small changes and details she has observed over the years in the ancient capital.
I think this volume is indispensable for short term, long term, and repeat visits. There is wealth of suggestions for a prolonged visit. And it can also provide assistance for a short time visit; in that it provides local knowledge for that day or afternoon when you want to get off the tourist trail. The amount of incidental information about Japanese history, culture, and society collected in these essays is invaluable in itself. For people like me, who live in Japan and have the opportunity for repeat visits, it provides inspiration and a variety of courses for exploration deep in the heart of Kyoto.
September 27, 2018
"Deep Kyoto: Walks" is a book I got for my Kindle to read in my spare time when I felt that I'm in need of a chunk of Japaneseness in my European everyday life. So it took me a while - more than a year - to get through it, but that was because of those special moments I got to read it. It's an enjoyable book, depending on the author sometimes more, sometimes less.
You get to know a lot about the city of Kyoto and its surroundings, and a lot of expat love for Japan (the main reason, why I read it - not living in Japan, myself) tickles through. I'll kep it on my reader, for when I'll get back to Kyoto in the forthcoming years, as I will surely do, I will use some of the walks as my tourguides. This book is a nice little gem.
You get to know a lot about the city of Kyoto and its surroundings, and a lot of expat love for Japan (the main reason, why I read it - not living in Japan, myself) tickles through. I'll kep it on my reader, for when I'll get back to Kyoto in the forthcoming years, as I will surely do, I will use some of the walks as my tourguides. This book is a nice little gem.
November 12, 2019
Lovely series of essays and guides around Kyoto, good to read before going and afterwards.
June 25, 2014
"They say Kyoto is ancient and elegant. And this is true. Sort of. But Kyoto is also a mishmash of architectural madness, from post-war era concrete buildings on up to recent prefabricated monstrosities made of plastic. It’s all over the place aesthetically and I love it. … [E]ventually the whole chaotic collage of the city seeped into my life and work, so I gave up lamenting “progress.”
I am comforted by knowing the city well enough to know where my own private “old” Japan still exists, and also I must say that I have a fondness for urban grunge and the detritus of modern city life. I love the forgotten corners, the less trod paths, unknown buildings stained with the patinas of age and all of the head-turning eclecticism. For me, a lot of the magic lies in the nameless details here that change day to day, and the light as it shifts from season to season. To see all of this stuff for what it is, see what the city continues to become, and accept it all, right alongside the cultural icons here is what makes things all the more interesting. It’s connecting the dots; seeing the continuum between present-day Kyoto, as a functioning, transforming city and it’s romantic past." ––Joel Stuart, “In Praise of Uro Uro”
"I had to acknowledge that I had to come to Japan in order to see that a 7-Eleven here was just as Japanese — as foreign — as any meditation-hall, and no less full of wonder (or even kindness and attention). Sanctity lies not in any object but in the spirit you bring to it." ––Pico Iyer, “Into the Tumult”
These two quotes perfectly encapsulate the spirit of the city I call home, and this collection of eighteen essays from long-time residents are as diverse as Kyoto herself.
This book should not be considered a guidebook. While it is true that there are directions, here and there, on how to find the intimate locations mentioned in Deep Kyoto Walks‘s pages, the true heart of the collection is in the people, and their experiences, both as Outsider Looking In, and Already Through the Looking Glass. A memoir of multiple consciousnesses, readers can expect to be taken into the lifeblood of Kyoto’s real culture, not just the stereotype emblazoned by so many years of postcards painting geisha crossing red-lacquered bridges.
Step into the tsukemono (pickle) shops of Nishiki Market, the mish-mash architectural landscape of Kyoto’s ever-changing streets, ancient forests and mountain trails, shrines with less than peaceful origins, and the many smiles (or scowls) of Kyoto natives.
[FULL REVIEW ON: http://alex-hurst.com/2014/06/26/deep...]
I am comforted by knowing the city well enough to know where my own private “old” Japan still exists, and also I must say that I have a fondness for urban grunge and the detritus of modern city life. I love the forgotten corners, the less trod paths, unknown buildings stained with the patinas of age and all of the head-turning eclecticism. For me, a lot of the magic lies in the nameless details here that change day to day, and the light as it shifts from season to season. To see all of this stuff for what it is, see what the city continues to become, and accept it all, right alongside the cultural icons here is what makes things all the more interesting. It’s connecting the dots; seeing the continuum between present-day Kyoto, as a functioning, transforming city and it’s romantic past." ––Joel Stuart, “In Praise of Uro Uro”
"I had to acknowledge that I had to come to Japan in order to see that a 7-Eleven here was just as Japanese — as foreign — as any meditation-hall, and no less full of wonder (or even kindness and attention). Sanctity lies not in any object but in the spirit you bring to it." ––Pico Iyer, “Into the Tumult”
These two quotes perfectly encapsulate the spirit of the city I call home, and this collection of eighteen essays from long-time residents are as diverse as Kyoto herself.
This book should not be considered a guidebook. While it is true that there are directions, here and there, on how to find the intimate locations mentioned in Deep Kyoto Walks‘s pages, the true heart of the collection is in the people, and their experiences, both as Outsider Looking In, and Already Through the Looking Glass. A memoir of multiple consciousnesses, readers can expect to be taken into the lifeblood of Kyoto’s real culture, not just the stereotype emblazoned by so many years of postcards painting geisha crossing red-lacquered bridges.
Step into the tsukemono (pickle) shops of Nishiki Market, the mish-mash architectural landscape of Kyoto’s ever-changing streets, ancient forests and mountain trails, shrines with less than peaceful origins, and the many smiles (or scowls) of Kyoto natives.
[FULL REVIEW ON: http://alex-hurst.com/2014/06/26/deep...]
December 7, 2014
The offshoot of a blog, this book is a collection of loosely-planned walks through the ancient city (and former capital) with a variety of themes. There's plenty of history, sure - you can't really avoid it in a place like Kyoto - but there's also a lot of personal history brought to bear, here. (Sometimes, a little too much - some of the writers' digressions aren't as amusing as they presumably believe, but I accept this may just be a personality clash.)
Initially I bought this book as a planning aid (after reading parts of the mostly-excellent Deep Kyoto blog) for an upcoming trip to Japan, including four nights in Kyoto. By the time the trip rolled around, I'd only read a couple of the walks, though, and I ended up finishing the book during shinkansen trips across the country.
It was during these trips that the real worth of the book became apparent. Could you plan your journey using the book and the maps therein? Yeah, you could. But that doesn't seem to be the most important thing. What's crucial is how some of the writers - not all, mind - convey the way their lives intersect with Kyoto, the living entity. Most of the walkers are not Kyoto natives. True, they've lived there for a long time, on the whole, but their histories are woven into the stories they tell. The book becomes less about the attractions of the city, or about planned walks, and more in line of the wandering Wordsworth-style examination of self, a kind of autobiographical derive.
The city's never far away, mind. Though I must admit, in the entry following an annual musical procession through bar after bar, I found it blearily difficult to find much of interest I couldn't find in my own watering-hole with my own band of choice. But maybe that's the point - in every city, even one as storied as Kyoto, there's someone with exactly the same sort of boring-to-non-fans musical excitement as you, dear reader.
So, three stars. It's not a success, but then I probably expected something different than the authors intended. As it is, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of Kyoto which seeps around the corners of these portraits. There's love - coupled with a bit of self-love, on and off - within.
Initially I bought this book as a planning aid (after reading parts of the mostly-excellent Deep Kyoto blog) for an upcoming trip to Japan, including four nights in Kyoto. By the time the trip rolled around, I'd only read a couple of the walks, though, and I ended up finishing the book during shinkansen trips across the country.
It was during these trips that the real worth of the book became apparent. Could you plan your journey using the book and the maps therein? Yeah, you could. But that doesn't seem to be the most important thing. What's crucial is how some of the writers - not all, mind - convey the way their lives intersect with Kyoto, the living entity. Most of the walkers are not Kyoto natives. True, they've lived there for a long time, on the whole, but their histories are woven into the stories they tell. The book becomes less about the attractions of the city, or about planned walks, and more in line of the wandering Wordsworth-style examination of self, a kind of autobiographical derive.
The city's never far away, mind. Though I must admit, in the entry following an annual musical procession through bar after bar, I found it blearily difficult to find much of interest I couldn't find in my own watering-hole with my own band of choice. But maybe that's the point - in every city, even one as storied as Kyoto, there's someone with exactly the same sort of boring-to-non-fans musical excitement as you, dear reader.
So, three stars. It's not a success, but then I probably expected something different than the authors intended. As it is, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of Kyoto which seeps around the corners of these portraits. There's love - coupled with a bit of self-love, on and off - within.
November 9, 2014
How best to experience Kyoto? A great place to start is here, a collection of 18 essays mostly from resident ex-pats with a palpable love for the city. They were given the loosest of marching orders – to take the reader on foot through the Kyoto they know.
The result is a hotch-potch of illuminating experiences worthy of such an interesting city. We are treated to a walk along the banks of Kamo and Takano rivers, a hike up Mount Atago and all points in between, tours of inner-city neighbourhoods that are home to the writers.
You could strap your Kindle to your backpack and take off on any of the walks yourself (there are maps, pictures and Google Maps links included) but it's so much more than a traditional guidebook. At every step, we are treated to personal insights and opinions that you would miss if you didn't sit down and give the writers the contemplation their writing deserves. From my Abiko bunker I was able to witness journeys of all sorts – a middle-aged American retracing his youth through a changed Kyoto, a newbie watching a troupe of monkeys stealing veg from her garden, and barflies who would turn their heads every time the door opened expecting to see David Bowie (he did pop in once for a shochu or such, so it wasn't completely out of the realms of possibility).
There are enough temples and tea rooms to satisfy the tourist, but for my money it was the bar crawls, anti-nuclear demo and journeys back in time that grabbed my attention.
If you are interested in Kyoto, the ex-pat life in Japan, independent publishing, or just fancy a stroll along the streets of Japan's greatest cultural attraction, read this book. It takes you there, with or without your boots on.
The result is a hotch-potch of illuminating experiences worthy of such an interesting city. We are treated to a walk along the banks of Kamo and Takano rivers, a hike up Mount Atago and all points in between, tours of inner-city neighbourhoods that are home to the writers.
You could strap your Kindle to your backpack and take off on any of the walks yourself (there are maps, pictures and Google Maps links included) but it's so much more than a traditional guidebook. At every step, we are treated to personal insights and opinions that you would miss if you didn't sit down and give the writers the contemplation their writing deserves. From my Abiko bunker I was able to witness journeys of all sorts – a middle-aged American retracing his youth through a changed Kyoto, a newbie watching a troupe of monkeys stealing veg from her garden, and barflies who would turn their heads every time the door opened expecting to see David Bowie (he did pop in once for a shochu or such, so it wasn't completely out of the realms of possibility).
There are enough temples and tea rooms to satisfy the tourist, but for my money it was the bar crawls, anti-nuclear demo and journeys back in time that grabbed my attention.
If you are interested in Kyoto, the ex-pat life in Japan, independent publishing, or just fancy a stroll along the streets of Japan's greatest cultural attraction, read this book. It takes you there, with or without your boots on.
August 30, 2017
A very good smorgasbord of experiences from a group of writers with a great deal of experience with the streets of Kyoto. Something for everyone, but probably best for those moving beyond the main sites of the city.
I'll bring it the next time I visit the city
I'll bring it the next time I visit the city
August 26, 2022
Lovely book. Any reader planning a trip to Kyoto should have a look, a wonderful accompaniment to the other great readerly book on Kyoto, Gouverneur Mosher's
Kyoto: A Contemplative Guide
.
February 11, 2016
A mixed bag - some walks more interesting than others. It was more about the writers than the walks.
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