Another Kyoto

by Alex Kerr, Kathy Arlyn Sokol

Another Kyoto is an insider's meditation on the hidden wonders of Japan's most enigmatic city. Drawing on decades living in Kyoto, and on lore gleaned from artists, Zen monks and Shinto priests, Alex Kerr illuminates the simplest things - a temple gate, a wall, a sliding door - in a new way.

Genres: Japan, Nonfiction, Travel, Art, History, Asia, Japanese Literature

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Born in 1952, he's an American writer and Japanologist that has lived in Japan since 1977.


Librarian note: There are other authors with the same name. To see the English historian go to Alex Kerr.

Reviews

[spillingthematcha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bardzo miło spędziłam czas na lekturze tej książki. Erudycyjna, pełna ciekawych powiązań, a przy tym przystępnie napisana.

[ola ✶ cosmicreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascynująca przeprawa przez Kioto - marzę o podróży z tym tytułem w ręku, żeby zobaczyć to wszystko na żywo

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

When this first popped up in my Goodreads recommendations, I immediately went out and bought it. Kyōto is my favorite major city in Japan next to Hiroshima, and I've been there half-a-dozen times. They were all with different people, though, so every time we went we'd make a circuit of the major attractions like Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, Nijō Castle, Sanjūsangen-dō, Yasaka-Jinja, Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, Hanamikoji Street and so on. Some of them are fantastic (Sanjūsangen-dō, Ginkakuji) and some of them are garbage (Kinkakuji), but we'd go to the same places every time, so I read Another Kyoto hoping to find additional places off of the usual tourist paths that I could go to next time I'm in Kyōto.

Well, that's not what this book is about at all. Another Kyoto isn't about places to see necessarily, it's about how to see the places that are there.

For example, plaques all over the places in temples. I'd noticed them, but most of them are a series of kanji, often done in calligraphy or even in 草書 cursive script, so I had no hope of being able to read them. A lot of modern Japanese people can't read them either, so they mostly get passed over as esoteric wisdom or just background details of the rooms they're in, but they're actually an essential part of the temple itself. At Manpukuji, one room has 瞎驢眼 (katsurome, "Eyes of a Blind Mule") written over the main hall, because when the founder of Rinzai Linji was dying, his disciples told him, "We will pass your wisdom and teachings on to future generations." In response, Linji cried out, “Then all is lost. My teachings will die with you, a pack of blind mules." And then he died, and and the plaque over the door is trying to remind those who enter of that incident. Without knowing that, there's no context for the hall.

Another example is tatami edging. The tatami in our house was edged all in black, and most of the tatami I saw out in the world was edged in either black or green, so I eventually stopped paying attention. It turns out that was a mistake, because some tatami are edged in patterns reminiscent of Korean pottery. Some have the mon of various families on them, and these can indicate status. There's a story about a tea room where one particular section has special tatami edging, because there's where a noble who would often attend tea ceremony there would come to sit and special tatami was placed there to reserve the spot for him. All are equal in the tea room, but some are more equal than others.

Kerr makes some conjectures during the book. He has a theory that Japanese architecture comes from southeast Asia and that they maintained a style designed for tropical weather--easy to open to the outside and let the breeze in, for example--even when the climate wouldn't support it, but most of the book is meticulously documented with pictures of the temples and gardens and paintings that it refers to. For people who haven't been to Kyōto, these do a good job of showing just what Kerr means when talking about painted tokonoma or yohaku in paintings.

As someone who has been to Kyōto multiple times, I loved this book. When Kerr mentioned the difference between the Heian-era simple Kannon statues vs. the Kamakura-era highly-detailed statues that stand in front of them in Sanjūsangen-dō, I could remember the sound of soft chanting, the darkness of the hall, and the smell of incense as I walked past hundreds of statues. When the book brought up Hōnen-in I was delighted, since I had made a special point of going there the last time I was in Kyōto and had recognized the value in the thatched gate and simple, rough-worn stone steps leading up to it. When it mentioned Jizō statues and the way they've been cutified, I remembered Daishō-in on Miyajima and the dozens of kawaii Jizō statues scattered around the grounds.

Another Kyoto is really intended for people who know Kyōto, because people who have never been will probably spend most of their time on Google looking up pictures of all the places mentioned within its pages. It's not an ordinary travel book the way I originally assumed it was. But for people who can bring up images of those places in their mind, it's invaluable. I'm really looking forward to my next trip to Kyōto, now that I know what I should be looking for.

[Bloodorange · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, full of erudition and humour, very enlightening on the matter of relations between Chinese and Japanese cultures. I particularly liked the essays on gates, the three levels of formality (shin-gyō-sō), tatami, and poetic inscriptions.

[Ian Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a bit torn on how to explain this book.
In some senses if you think of it as "next step Kyoto", you'll start in the right frame of mind.
This is not step one. (If you want a simpler read, pick up Lost Japan, which works well as an intro to the artistic beauties of the country as well as the author's world).
I am not a Kyoto expert, though have spent weeks there in total, and though I can say I knew 1/2 the references, I had to google many others as I read in order to fully paint a picture in my mind. (And turned out I knew another 20%, lost inside the back of my memory, and now have the final 3/10ths on my to do list).
But, even if you aren't a Kyoto expert, if you just accept that these places exist and stop worrying about locations, (AKA, less OCD a reader than I) than the lessons within this book are wonderful and again often one step past things I have encountered before.
As John Dougill described it, (to paraphrase) "it points things out in places you've often seen that you'd never noticed". This is a very good read, with beautiful illustrations to help most anyone over some of the tougher ideas...
So, why am I torn? Why ain't that the end? To be honest Alex Kerr has been a part of my feelings about Japan for the decade I've been aware of him. To explain;
Well, Mr. Kerr followed up Lost Japan with a book called Dogs and Demons... (Which, I was given second hand in 2006 by an angry Japanese friend, telling me, "if he hates Japan so much, he should go home")... And that was my intro to this author... And to be honest, though I've read nearly the whole thing over the last decade, I've never really read DAD straight through, and 10 years ago pushing into it, it made me so terribly sad that I kept putting it down, eventually picking up his other book and loving it so much that I just devoured and took it to heart... And pushed DAD to the back of my shelf.
I had the pleasure of meeting and asking questions of the writer, and will say that any slight doubts that may have lingered for me about whether or not he was a bitter Japan hater were easily quickly swept away. I politely, but directly asked questions about his feelings of Kyoto and Japan, and he honestly and openly expressed his love without hiding his disappointment in various areas. (I posted the YouTube clip earlier if you'd like to see for yourself). He said things that didn't avoid the truth, but explained it, and included something that answered a lot of my issues. He said, (to paraphrase):
"Lost Japan is for those fresh to the country, and DAD is better for those who have lived here a decade or more."
That struck home pretty damned close since, in 2006 I had lived here for just 2 years, had just gotten married and was expecting a child... And though far from a weeaboo, I was not in a frame of mind to read a book that in some ways felt like a man who had more experience than I did, certainly more education, and 30 more years in the country, was yelling... "Abandon ship"
I think it's finally time to read DAD straight through and give it a fair shot and be honest in how it strikes me at this point in my life.
Along with Robert Whiting, Alan Booth, and Donald Richie, I put Alex Kerr as a writer of extreme importance to my journey in this place, and writers whose next book will be pre-ordered (sadly only 2 of these men remain, but it'll take me a few years to polish off all the rest of Richie's work).
Highly recommended.

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was expecting to dislike this, and though I couldn't disagree more strongly on modern Japanese architecture, found it to be a v enjoyably friendly and relaxed explanation of how and why the country's traditional architecture works. Still extremely twee though.

[Patrick McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex Kerr a well-known Japanologist has just come out with another compelling book on Japanese aesthetics, Another Kyoto (2016). Kerr has previously written about Japanese arts in his seminal book Lost Japan and most recently he analyzed the arts of his new home Thailand in Bangkok Found. One of the strengths of the book is that Kerr writes authoritatively about South East Asian, Chinese, and Japanese culture seamlessly drawing comparisons between the three based on his experiences and expansive knowledge of the artistic traditions of the three regions. The book is based on conversations Kerr had with his collaborator Kathy Arlyn Sokol while visiting the many temples and shrines of Kyoto. Kerr's astute observations are based on received knowledge (from mentors like David Kidd) and his impressions, and discoveries rather than conventional scholarship. The tone is conversational and avoids the turgid prose that often accompanies most formal scholarship. However, Kerr has formally studied Chinese and Japanese (Chinese at Oxford and Japanese at Yale) and has been a student of Japanese culture most of his life living at least part-time in Japan, so his pronouncements are authoritative. Many of his observations are original and based on personal observations and ruminations about culture. For example, he points out that Chinese aesthetics are based more on the mind and logical constructs whereas Japanese aesthetics are more about he heart and feelings. The beautifully illustrated book is divided into nine chapters that discuss the aesthetics of temples and Shrines of Kyoto in great detail: 1. Gates, 2. Walls, 3. ShinGoSo (the concept of basic, standard and high style in a nutshell), 4. Floors, 5. Tatami, 6. Plaques, 7. Fusuma (sliding doors that usually have paintings on them), 8. Screens, 9. Enma-do (statues of the king of hell). All in all, a fascinating look at Asian art in general and the many beautiful temples and shrines of Kyoto which I have had the pleasure of visiting many six times and a place that I expect to continue to visit in the future. I will use this book as a guide and a reference in my future visits to the ancient capital.

[Taina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ihana kirja Kiotosta ja kaikesta piilossa olevasta. Nyt ei puhuta turistimössöstä vaan siitä, mitä erilaisia merkityksiä on Kioton temppeleiden lattioilla, porteilla, tatameilla, kylteillä ja seinillä. Historia vaan huokuu ihanine yksityiskohtineen kirjan sivuilta. Esimerkki: Kioton kuuluisista puutarhoista (esim. Ryoanji) on kirjoitettu loputtomasti kirjoja, mutta puutarhojen suunnittelijoista ja tekijöistä ei tiedetä mitään. Tämä johtuu siitä, että entisaikoina puutarhurit olivat köyhiä eikä heitä arvostettu. Sen sijaan maalaustaiteilijat olivat ennen arvostettuja julkkiksia - nykyään maalauksiin ei temppeleissä kiinnitetä juuri huomiota. Huhtikuussa matkustan taas Kioton ohi, vaikka tämän kirjan luettuani tekisi mieli pysähtyä edes hetkeksi...

[aster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this exploration of Kyoto through its culture and art. It reads like a conversation with the author while you're walking around the city and seeing the lesser known sights he's passionate about. There's some lovely illustrations too, so you don't have to look up everything. Reading this book felt like a peaceful break away from real life. It was a useful piece of preparation for my trip that gives me more to look out for than the usual tourist traps. 3.5 stars.

[Alex Pler · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Se suele hablar mucho del silencio del zen y de los misterios ocultos del viejo Kioto. Pero no hay nada silencioso, oculto o misterioso: está todo escrito, a plena vista."

[Rokas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very lively run-through of a few aspects important to Japanese culture. I’d thought the chapters were a bit random while flipping through the book at the store, but almost every page of every chapter has a branch off to a piece of history or design, showing connections I’d never have thought of.

As someone who didn’t know all that much about Japan, even so at the less obvious layers explored in the book, it was a bit eye-opening. I bought the book at Kyoto itself midway through my trip, and the aspects I managed to read about while still there, I saw in a different light, instead of “ooh pretty garden”. I had been searching for some kind of history or “guide” that’s not just a itinerary of all the sights, and while this book is far from both, I believe it was much more valuable to me in piercing the very surface of Kyoto and Japan in general. I still know next to nothing, the book did greatly help me notice the little things I had glossed over.

The book is written in a very accessible style, peppered with personal anecdotes and little detours that give even more context to it all. It was a much more enjoyable and informative read that I thought a book like this would be.

Even if you’re not planning on going to Kyoto and you want a first deeper dive into Japanese culture and aesthetics, I recommend this book. While it's short, rather limited in scope and basically blasts through the subjects, it's not pretending to be a comprehensive anything either. Its greatest value is in all the little questions and random facts you get to hook onto along the way, giving you loads of starting points for further research. If you *are* planning on going and don’t know anything about what you’re getting into, I’d say from experience this is close to a must-read.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third of Kerr's books I've read. The first, I found vital, the second not so much. So this sits neatly in the middle, for me. Where it departs from the first two books, though, is in its level of personality: in Another Kyoto I think the reader receives much more of a sense of the author as a person.

Why? Because this book focuses on parts of a city - Kyoto, as you've guessed from the title - and scrutinises them with exquisite focus. This is a at once travel book and a little treatise on tea and form, history and behaviour that makes you want to visit its subject and enjoy its riches anew.

But in Japan, compulsive behavior goes much further, and I think it's because Japanese society, especially Kyoto society — hierarchical, inbred, focused on itself, aristocratic, and for centuries at peace — was a fertile breeding ground for repetitive detail. Compulsive behavior was constantly reinforced and refined, until it became art.

Another Kyoto isn't aiming for a comprehensive survey, as earlier books may have done. Instead, this is the equivalent of a whispered conversation from a knowledgeable friend. It's full of the sort of arcane detail that delights the enthusiast, and while there's a lot of knowledge there's not quite so much criticism as you'll find in his earlier works. I like to think that this is because Kerr is writing about the things he loves, here, rather than becoming angry about the things he doesn't.

The book covers a couple of topics in great depth, mostly things which may be considered either structural or ornamental to some degree: walls, tatami, plaques, gates, screens and so forth. There's elements of history and design development in his writing, but it's all anchored in the idea of observation: of actually going to the places and seeing the things you're reading about. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't save the book for a week in the city, so I could visit and experience what's written about in person - such is the enthusiasm conveyed in the writing.

It's well-illustrated throughout, with clear line-drawings indicating the concepts at hand, be it multi-screen painting or demon exhalation.

If you know a little about Kyoto - ideally you've been there already and have seen the tourist spots before - then this book is delightful. It's a brief course in observation: Kerr's lifetime of studying and living in Japan is distilled in a series of quasi-histories which serve the purpose of teaching the reader how to see. The book serves to draw attention to some parts of Kyoto which may otherwise be unregarded, except by locals. While they may eventually end up on the tourist trail, for now the places described in here - and very specific aspects of those places in particular - serve as a guide for those who want to go beyond the well-known.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this reminds me of when I bought my copy in Kyoto, which shop it was I can't remember. Although skirting around a number of locations around Kyoto largely the book feels like an examination of how China influenced Japan in it's art, religion and architecture. Arranged in various subjects 'fusuma', 'plaques', 'tatami' etc, to read Kerr's insights and be in the company of his knowledge is a great place to be in. A concept here that he raises, that of Japan prior to China's influence is something I'd like to read more about. So this is more than a look solely of Kyoto but through it an engaging anthropological study of the migration of styles of art, architecture and religion throughout Asia.

[Caolan McMahon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this while on a trip to Japan (including Kyoto).

Kerr clearly has a wealth of knowledge, but resists the temptation to go into scholarly detail, instead treating you to a personal guided tour around Kyoto - with his own observations and theories thrown in. I have no idea how well respected these theories are, but this book was a more entertaining read for his free-flowing and personal style.

Thanks to this book, I enjoyed noticing things I would otherwise have missed on our trip to Kyoto.

[agnieszka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sięgając po tę książkę moja wiedza nt. Japonii ograniczała się do stwierdzenia „kraj kwitnącej wiśni”. Dowiedziałam się wiele, mam zdecydowanie większe pojęcie o japońskiej kulturze, historii, architekturze, ale też o tym, co Japończyków inspirowało. Niesamowitym dla mnie jest to, jak istotna i kluczowa jest symbolika – dosłownie wszystko na co natkniemy się w Japonii przenosi ukryte znaczenia.

[FranHunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taught me a lot about traditional Japanese architecture.

[colagatji · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/5

one more reason to visit Kyoto again
this time with this book in my hands

[Readingcarefully · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niezwykle inspirujący spacer po Kioto. Mam nadzieję, że chociaż część wspominanych rzeczy uda mi się zauważyć podczas podróży do tego miasta.

[DoctorM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been reading Alex Kerr's writing about Japanese life, architecture, and culture since the 1990s, and "Another Kyoto" is very much a favorite of mine. Kerr is very deft at drawing the reader into the sounds and look and colors of another culture. This one is as good as his "Lost Japan".

[Federico García · Rating 3 out of 5]

Para quien haya visitado Kioto que Kerr nos descubra una parte pequeña de los infinitos secretos de una ciudad de enorme riqueza artística, es un potente incentivo para volver.
Para el que no haya estado es un desvelamiento de un lugar teñido por la belleza y el disfrute de los placeres ligados al paisaje y a un mundo exótico nacido de una cultura singularísima.
Es lo que tiene poseer la visión sofisticada que se puede acumular tras cuarenta años de experiencia en un sitio extraordinario.

[Allen Hidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Another Kyoto by Alex Kerr is nothing short of a revelation. It’s not just a book—it’s an immersive journey through the heart and soul of one of the world’s most enigmatic cities. This isn’t a guidebook or a dry historical account; it’s a deeply personal and poetic exploration of Kyoto’s essence, written by someone who truly lives the culture. As I turned the pages, I felt like I was walking through Kyoto’s temples, gardens, and streets with Alex himself as my guide, whispering secrets about the city’s hidden layers.

The book is structured around Kyoto’s architectural and cultural elements—temples, gardens, gates, and sliding doors, to name a few—but it’s so much more than that. Each chapter delves into the philosophy, aesthetics, and history that underpin these features, revealing how they shape the city’s character. Kerr invites us to see beyond the surface beauty, to understand the thought and intention behind every detail.

What truly floored me was Kerr’s perspective. He has lived in Japan for decades, yet he approaches Kyoto with a mix of reverence and curiosity that feels fresh and alive. His deep knowledge of traditional Japanese culture is evident, but he never comes across as pedantic. Instead, he writes with warmth and humility, as though he’s learning alongside you.

And his descriptions—oh, they’re exquisite. Kerr’s prose is so vivid, it’s like he paints Kyoto with words. When he describes the interplay of light and shadow in a temple’s interior or the subtle asymmetry of a rock garden, you can almost see it, feel it, breathe it. There’s a lyricism to his writing that mirrors the elegance of Kyoto itself.

But what moved me the most were the philosophical insights. Kerr doesn’t just describe Kyoto’s beauty; he explains why it’s beautiful, drawing on concepts like wabi-sabi (the beauty of imperfection) and ma (the space between things). These reflections made me think about the nature of beauty, time, and transience in ways I never had before. It’s a book that doesn’t just teach you about Kyoto—it changes how you see the world.

Another thing I adored was the way Kerr connects Kyoto’s past to its present. He acknowledges the challenges of modernity—the loss of traditional crafts, the pressures of tourism—without losing sight of the city’s enduring spirit. His love for Kyoto is palpable, but it’s a love that’s grounded in reality, not romanticized nostalgia.

Why should people read this? Because it’s a book that goes beyond travel. It’s for anyone who loves art, architecture, philosophy, or simply wants to see the world in a new light. It’s a book that invites you to slow down, look closer, and find meaning in the details.

Alex Kerr, you’ve given us a masterpiece. Another Kyoto is a love letter to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, written with intelligence, heart, and soul. If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting Kyoto—or even if you haven’t—this book will make you fall in love with it. And when you do visit, you’ll see the city not just with your eyes, but with your heart. Thank you for that gift.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Resulta difícil clasificar un libro que se define a sí mismo como algo que «no es una guía de viaje, ni un libro de arte; aunque tiene parte de las dos cosas». Pero esa definición, un poco ambigua, es en verdad la mejor forma de definir este libro.

Kerr busca llevar al lector a un viaje por los pequeños detalles de Kioto; aquellos que el viajero (¡o incluso los residentes!) no alcanza a vislumbrar la totalidad de su belleza o significado. No es de ninguna manera un viaje exhaustivo donde haya detalladas explicaciones académicas, o plantee recorridos cerrados por ciertos monumentos. Es, por el contrario, un viaje basado en recuerdos y sensaciones, las experiencias del propio autor y el descubrimiento de una ciudad más allá de lo turístico a lo largo de las décadas en las que residió allí.

Dividido en nueve capítulos, uno por cada elemento que nos presenta, el libro te lleva a darte cuenta de la belleza de Kioto más allá de los elementos más reconocibles. Cuando lo leas, no podrás pasear por algunos de los lugares descritos y vivir la misma experiencia que los demás. Kerr te habrá enseñado a mirar mejor.

Aunque las ilustraciones del libro son realmente atractivas, merece la pena leer con un ordenador o un móvil cerca que permita buscar aquellos lugares y observar por sí mismo qué es lo que se está hablando. ¡En ocasiones, solo una ilustración no es suficiente!

[La Central · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Una de las grandes virtudes de Japón perdido, la anterior obra traducida de Alex Kerr, era que no se asentaba en una mirada romántica o melancólica de Japón. El autor era capaz de evidenciar las tradiciones perdidas a causa de la modernización del país con una mirada lúcida y con una emoción contenida. Todas esas virtudes críticas y analíticas se servían de una profusión de datos y de una prosa exquisita para sumergir al lector en un ensayo excelente.

De nuevo, y esta vez en conversaciones con Kathy Arlyn Sokol, Kerr hace uso de todo su conocimiento para exponernos temas tan diversos como las puertas y la «liminación», cómo ha incidido la caligrafía japonesa en la concepción del arte contemporáneo o cómo se conciben los muros a partir del budismo. Esto son sólo tres de los nueve ensayos que nos presenta el título y que se centran en ese Kioto que desconocemos y que se aleja de la visión superficial para adentrarse en un paraje desconocido y sumamente estimulante. Si a la riqueza de propuestas del libro le sumamos una edición cuidada al extremo, con dibujos de los diversos elementos arquitectónicos y artísticos a los que se hace mención, nos encontramos, de nuevo, ante un libro imprescindible. " Alberto Martín

[Sa Crou · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those books that I read and will not remember much but the general idea of the book. The book itself was a claim to focus on the mundane and to contextualise the sense of meaning that most aspects of Japanese instill in their architecture. This even includes aspects of the walls, doors, floors, signs, gardens, fences, barriers and gates to name a few.

It was a very pleasant read. I will read this again should I ever have a plan to visit Kyoto again.

My main take away is the power of shared meaning symbolised by objects, both historically and presently, and mapping that lens to objects within my culture. It has made me wonder about the mundane with a new light, and has also made me yearn to add meaning to objects as a means of building a relationship between myself and my world/history. It might be a strange means of trying to overcome a materialistic emptiness by embedding meaning in material through finding and focussing on relationships that material might have to stories and people/cultures before me/mine.

[Postscriptum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uwaga: Książka przeznaczona dla pasjonatów. Nie polecałabym jej nikomu, kto nie jest zainteresowany kulturą Japonii, jej estetyką i podejściem do tworzenia. To zwyczajnie nie jest pozycja, przez którą łatwo jest przejść bez napędzenia ciekawością. Jako jednak, że ja do grona zainteresowanych należę, to czerpałam z niej ogromną przyjemność i dosłownie przepełniłam ją swoimi notatkami i znacznikami.
"Inne Kioto" to wolna struktura, luźne przemyślenia wieloletniego mieszkańca tytułowego miasta, ale zbudowane na fundamentach zdobytej wiedzy o tamtejszej historii i kulturze. Czytając ją, czujecie się, jakbyście byli oprowadzani po mieście, gdzie każdy mijany obiekt daje pretekst, by opowiedzieć znacznie szerszą opowieść o ludziach. Naprawdę, byłam pod wrażeniem ile informacji może zawierać w sobie struktura podłogi w japońskich pomieszczeniach lub jak sposób pisania potrafi przełożyć się na całą nową filozofię. Alex Kerr prawdziwie przebudził we mnie cały nowy pokład fascynacji dla prostych przedmiotów.

[Laurel Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not really sure what to say about this book. The author’s name (as usual) was the magnet that drew me in and that has been the case ever since I read Lost Japan. There is something about his writing style that envelopes me like a comfortable blanket and sort of sets you down in the area he is talking about that is so visual and interesting. Could just be me though.

Regarding the contents of this book, it obviously settles on Kyoto and all of its seemingly contradictory quirks. Architecture is one of his main focuses as are screens and other decor. He even Praise of Shadows is referenced in text. While he has documented in writings a series of musings that he recognises the reader shouldn’t assume to be black and white facts, I would say it documents his experiences more than anything else.

On top of that, the illustrations included really add the finishing touches. Highly recommended if you want a book about Japan that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

[SL · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to explain what makes "Another Kyoto" so marvelous. The best would be to say that it's like wandering a city with an amazing guide. As a teenager, I once went to England with my dad, an art history professor, who didn't just know the facts about each place we went, but also loved them. This same feeling of deep knowledge all cradled in love of a place and its culture is exactly what shines through Alex Kerr's wonderful book. I'd recommend this as a MUST for anyone planning to visit Kyoto or who has been before. Even if you haven't been, this is an excellent little book.

I've left markers in various places, and dog earred a few others (sorry to say, but it is my book). This will definitely be one I'll revisit.

[Nadiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book! After reading it, you would never look in the same way at the gates, floors, screens, walls, gardens and paintings in Japan. It really transforms understanding of what one sees in Kyoto and broader in Japan.
I especially liked the concept of shin (sophisticated, high), gyo (medium) and so (simple, low), which can be applied to calligraphy, architecture, paintings, pottery, gardens, etc. and even to the countries themselves, where China, Korea and Japan take their respective places in the spectrum of shin-gyo-so.
The story of how Japanese minimalism and aesthetics "simple is beautiful" grew from a kind of national identity crisis was also thought-provoking.
“Every country in the world had shin gyo so. Where the Japanese are different is that we're the only ones who made so into shin.”
"The trick is how to make the ordinary extraordinary, blah into bling. Here's where the challenge arises. Anyone can appreciate the fascinating. Who can find beauty in the ordinary? That's Japan's extreme achievement.”
The chapter on Zen gardens was also enlightening. “The way the Japanese created their gardens was as frontal views that are seen as flat pictures."

I think this book is great for people who know almost nothing about Japan and for those who already know a lot. It's light, engaging and to the point. Just be careful as after reading it you may have an an overwhelming desire to go to Japan and visit all those temples and gardens described in the book.

[molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kerr is a detail oriented fellow with an immense depth of knowledge on (and perhaps more important, love for) Kyoto, and these essays read like a chat with him about some of his pet topics. They lean heavily towards architecture and design elements, but also how these tie into religious and historical periods in Japan. Maybe the biggest strength of the book is the way it teaches you to pay attention to details you would have otherwise missed.

I lagged in different parts that were less interesting to me, but you could easily skip sections and still get a whole lot out of the book as a whole.

[Catu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tengo que hacer una relectura de este libro sí o sí. Lo necesito para llegar a Kioto y no sentirme perdida y abrumada.

Me ha encantado la fluidez entre historia, arquitectura y metáforas y anécdotas del autor.

El problema ha sido (y es totalmente mi culpa) no haberme cogido un mapa y estudiado cada sitio que nombraba antes. A causa de esto, la lectura se me hacía un poco pesada a veces.

Sin embargo, lo recomiendo totalmente como guía de viaje (aunque el autor se quite méritos) para ir más allá del turismo convencional.

Nota final: 8

:)