Every season of Core Kyoto ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Core Kyoto!

Kyotoites have lived in kyo-machiya townhouses for centuries. Each year, 1,000 are demolished, but Kyo-machiya Sakujigumi, a group of craftsmen skilled in machiya restoration, use natural materials and traditional methods to preserve them. Megumi Hata, whose family kyo-machiya was built in 1869, discusses how living in a machiya means living comfortably in harmony with nature. Within their walls, the wisdom, the way of life and the spirit of Kyotoites remain unchanged through the generations.

Kyo-machiya: Connecting People's Hearts

Stimulating all five senses, kaiseki-ryori is a Kyoto culinary work of art. Eiichi Takahashi, 14th generation owner of Hyotei, stresses kaiseki's roots in cha-kaiseki meals served at tea ceremonies. Leading chefs and researchers explore new potential for kaiseki. Takuji Takahashi, 3rd generation owner of Kyo-ryori Kinobu, creates novel dishes using Western methods while preserving the form of Japanese cuisine. These inquisitive minds pursue the ultimate in culinary hospitality.

Kaiseki-ryori : The Ultimate in Culinary Hospitality

Kyoto has about 2,700 temples where an array of benevolent, meek, and ferocious Buddhist statues are worshipped. World Heritage temple Toji has a configuration of statues in an imposing, 3D mandala and a beautifully woven mandala, which captures the cosmos. The jizo statues standing on street corners have a special place in the lives and hearts of Kyotoites. Today, sculptors continue to breathe life into Buddhist statues, and skilled craftsmen create magnificent works using gold leaf in microns.

Buddhist Statues: Figures of Belief and Beauty

Various locations in Kyoto have been famous cherry-blossom-viewing spots for 1,200 years. As spring approaches, the locals' actions revolve around thoughts of hanami. The cherries keep family ties strong; 3 generations gather once a year for hanami festivities. A 3rd-generation cherry gardener who conserves cherry trees and a photographer who has snapped Kyoto's cherries for about 40 years talk about the enduring allure of these flowers, which feature in bento meals and embroidery designs.

Hanami: Kyoto's Cherry Viewing Festivities in the Spring

Japanese-style paintings are the embodiment of Kyoto aesthetics. Their delicate scenes are created using unique mineral pigments. Flower artist Rieko Morita emphasizes life in her work. She infuses it with the vitality she feels within the flowers. Modern artists, like her, are grounded in a history that stretches back 1,000 years to the dynastic paintings of the Heian Period. All kinds of schools with distinctive styles were born throughout the long history. The Kano School of painting was favored by samurai. The Rimpa School was characterized by decorativeness. The Maruyama School stressed realism. Various traditions give Kyoto paintings diversity and allure.

Japanese-style Paintings: The Breathing World of Beauty

The quality of hospitality found at accommodations in Japan's old capital, Kyoto, is known worldwide. They exude a time-honored culture and uniqueness. The entrances are cleansed with sprinkled water and the rooms have peaceful atmospheres with a seasonal touch of flowers. This ingrained sensibility is drawn from Shinto and Buddhist teachings. Once billeting monks, a Zen temple offers pilgrims' lodgings - the roots of Kyoto lodgings. Established inns uphold their founding standards. The essence of consideration that soothes travelers exists in diverse lodgings around the city.

Kyoto Lodgings: Hearty Consideration That Soothes Travelers

The main stage for hospitality in the glittering kagai entertainment district is the ozashiki function. Geiko and maiko refine their skills over years in dance and other performing arts to present at ozashiki. In this world, shikitari customs and etiquette are dictated by strict protocol drilled into the girls by their elders in their daily lives. A shidashiya caters meals for ozashiki. A yuzenshi dyer creates unique maiko kimono. Many people live within the culture at the heart of the kagai.

Kagai: Kyoto's Flower District Where Elegant Dreams Bloom

The origin of Aoi Matsuri, one of Kyoto's 3 great festivals, goes back more than 1,500 years. Diviners advised the people to ride horses in prayer for bumper crops and to appease the Kamo deities, who were causing storms and floods. Emperors thereafter paid homage to Shimogamo Jinja Shrine and Kamigamo Jinja, and solemnly performed these now-ancient rituals that are reminiscent of the dynastic culture. Aoi Matsuri, its splendid parade and rare customs are full of mystery, even for Japanese.

Aoi Matsuri: A Dynastic Festival in the Presence of the Deities

Sen-no-Rikyu (1522-1591) began the chanoyu, or tea ceremony, that is practiced today, 400 years ago. His simple, rustic wabi philosophy is still discernable in the designs, movements and mindset. In Uji, Kyoto, the year's first shoots from shaded tea plants are ground into a fine powder to make the koicha tea used in the ceremonies. Artisans use time-honored methods to craft the chanoyu utensils. People immerse themselves in this art in which each bowl of tea is considered a once in a lifetime encounter.

Chanoyu: A Bowl of Tea Draws Hearts Together

Gion Matsuri began as a prayer for the country's health when 66 halberds were erected and 3 mikoshi shrines were paraded through plague-ravaged Heian-kyo in 869. The 33 yamahoko floats in today's climactic procession on July 17 are "moving museums". Revived in 1952, the Kikusui-hoko float was adorned this year with a new tapestry in gratitude to the ancestors. The festival music is traditionally taught orally. The floats are assembled with age-old technics. The streets are alive with revelry on the eve of the parade.

Gion Matsuri: The Spirit of the Townspeople During Summer's Grand Festival

In the 1200's, the monk Dogen brought shojin-ryori, a vegetarian cuisine, from China along with Zen Buddhism, which forbids the killing of animals and the eating of meat. He once said, "Meals and their preparation are part of aesthetic training". Kaiseki-ryori and other Japanese cuisine have their base in and developed from shojin-ryori, which wastes nothing of the seasonal vegetables and cereals used. Chefs, including a chef at a Michelin-rated restaurant, work to spread shojin-ryori worldwide.

Shojin-ryori: Zen Cuisine as Training Within the Teachings

Kyoto has many mountain springs, rivers and groundwater. The capital relocated here about 1,200 years ago for the water supply that enriched the citizens' lives and gave rise to Kyoto's culture. Farmers grow vegetables in the fertile delta. Craftspeople continue the kurozome dying traditions. A namafu wheat-gluten store relies on quality groundwater. Supporting them are well sinkers with an extensive knowledge of groundwater arteries. Ever grateful, the locals use water as their livelihood.

Water Traditions: The Old Capital's Rich Natural Blessings

As demand for lacquerware grew in the political and cultural hub of Kyoto, artisans refined their designs and techniques with a distinctive approach to aesthetic beauty. This became kyo-shikki, or Kyoto-style lacquerware. The maki-e drawing technique uses sprinkled gold dust on a jet-black background to reproduce dazzling Kyoto scenes. Modern sensibilities combined with traditional techniques produce innovative pieces. Lacquer and gold dust engender the lavish world of this traditional craft.

Kyo-shikki: The Jet-black, Golden Beauty of Kyoto Lacquerware

A pointed boulder with a large stone at its foot reaches for the heavens. The white gravel between them represents a swift flowing river, without the use of water. Karesansui is a unique dry-gardening style that developed in the 14th century from ascetic practices at Kyoto's Zen temples. Monks aim for enlightenment within a world of rippling patterns that run between curious rock arrangements. Enter the infinite Zen cosmos through the karesansui gardens at Tenryu-ji, Daisen-in and Ryoan-ji.

Karesansui: The Zen Cosmos in a Garden for Spiritual Training

Nishijin-ori symbolizes the ancient capital's elegance and luxury. The obi-weaving process is divided into detailed tasks, such as mon-template design and yarn dying. Each artisan has a specialist role. With a deep sense of responsibility and a mutual trust, they strive for higher levels of perfection. Noh costumes have unsurpassable beauty. Some artisans weave with their fingernails. This magnificent textile meshes the city's 1,200 year-old history and the fervor of artisans through the ages.

Nishijin-ori: Beauty Crystallized in a Kyoto Brocade

The ancient capital has many shinise, or established businesses, with unbroken histories. Kyoto Prefecture classes a firm founded at least a century ago as shinise. Over generations, more than 1,100 Kyoto shinise have maintained imperial court culture and life; and provided for temples, shrines, samurai clans and the common people. Through the ups and downs, they have upheld their trade, reputations and family mottos; and kept the Kyoto entrepreneurial spirit of status and trust alive.

Shinise: Established Businesses Survive the Centuries

The changing leaves vividly color Kyoto, which lies in a basin and has marked temperature differences. For more than a millennium, people have delighted in their beauty and picnicked under the trees. Today, the changing leaves continue to enchant Kyotoites, who live within the changing seasons. The exquisite leaves adorn traditional kaiseki cuisine dishes, and the trees lit up at night are a magical sight. Some are so captured by their magnificence they express it in waka poetry and the arts.

The Changing Leaves: The Transient Fall Beauty of the Ancient Capital

Kyoto confections are wagashi, or traditional confections, infused with Kyoto's charm and influenced by the tea ceremony. With beautiful designs and names that subtly reflect the seasons, tea confections are an art form to be appreciated with the 5 senses. When making these confections, importance is placed on the semblance and name they are given. Inspiration is drawn from local nature, art, music and literature. Feel Japan's culture, nature and climate through flavorsome Kyoto confections.

Kyoto Confections: Experiencing Kyoto Culture Through the Five Senses

Traditional washi paper flourished in the temples, shrines and palaces of the ancient capital. Enduring today, this versatile paper is used to decorate interiors, such as sliding doors and hanging scrolls. Kurotani has been the papermaking center of Kyoto washi for 800 years. Katazome-washi is dyed with traditional yuzen-dyeing patterns. Useless washi and centuries-old books are used in recycle-themed artworks. The efforts of Kyoto's artisans and artists nurture Kyoto's washi culture.

A Washi Capital: Paper of Diverse Beauty and Use for City Life

Obanzai are the frugal side dishes that grace dinner tables daily in Kyoto - the home of washoku, or Japanese cuisine. Cooked to make the staple dish of rice taste delicious, they use only simple ingredients. The wisdom in the preparation is eco-friendly; scraps are reused, none are discarded. The menu handed down in the Sugimoto clan for more than 200 years embodies the spirit of obanzai. Washoku was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013, and obanzai is in the spotlight.

Obanzai: The Frugal Wisdom of Kyoto's Home Cooking

Ikebana is the traditional art of flower arranging. Developed in Kyoto it merges Asian naturalism with the floral offerings to Buddhist altars. The Ikenobo headmaster upholds the school's 550-year-old tradition. A potter imagines vases as extensions of the flowers they hold. A practitioner creates progressive arrangements steeped in tradition. Plants are not mere ornaments. Practitioners impose their lives on that of the flowers. Ikebana's quintessence is in the representation of life as beauty.

Ikebana: Revealing the Full Potential of Flowers

Calligraphy is the art of writing characters with a brush. The use of kanji characters, which entered from China, spread with the practice of copying sutras. In temples and shrines, the art projects the state of the practitioner's mind. Calligraphy developed independently through the kana syllabary 1,200 years ago. Kana calligrapher Koho Hibino, master of a flowing style, says it embodies Japanese emotional and aesthetic sensibilities. Discover the essence of the black-and-white realm of calligraphy.

Calligraphy: Elegance Within a Black-and-white Universe

The butsudan Buddhist family altar was built as a miniature of the temple dais upon which the main image stands, so families could worship at home. Reflecting the Pure Land in this world, butsudan not only hold Buddhist images but are also vehicles for people to communicate with their ancestors. Kyoto altars, called kin-butsudan, are decked with gold metalwork and maki-e lacquer. Their beauty is an unparalleled work of art. Strongholds of the heart, kin-butsudan show the core of Kyoto culture.

Kin-butsudan: Faith Shines Brilliant in Craft That Embodies Nirvana

Tawaraya Sotatsu, who emerged from Kyoto's merchant class, was one pioneer of the Rimpa School in the early Edo Period, and Ogata Korin consolidated it in the mid-Edo Period. The school is not hereditary but is propagated by artists, who admire Sotatsu and Korin, and follow their styles. Rimpa is characterized by a notable use of space; abstract, vibrant designs; and creative playfulness. The works of Kyoto-based Nihonga artists continue the Rimpa style 400 years after its inception.

Rimpa: An Artistic Style Transcending Time

Kyoto has long-been a leading bamboo-growing region. Bamboo was considered holy in ancient times for its strong vitality. It is used at shrines and palaces as the barrier between the sacred and secular worlds. Gagaku music for the deities is played on bamboo instruments. Since Heian times, this durable, pliable material was important in the development of Japanese architecture in Kyoto, such as garden gates and fences. Bamboo also appears in various capacities in the diet and clothing of Kyoto.

Bamboo Culture: New Life in Spring Enriches the Ancient Capital

Kyo-yuzen fabric has distinct patterns and splendid, delicate colors. Kyo-yuzen dyed kimono brighten special occasions in Kyoto. A lady takes extra care of her grandmother's kimono that is filled with joyous memories. An established wholesaler and its skilled artisans resolutely provide the ultimate in kyo-yuzen. An artist, whose one aim is to make women shine beautifully, breathes life into kyo-yuzen. Admire the beauty of Kyoto attire through kyo-yuzen, nurtured by a refined eye for beauty.

Kyo-yuzen: Garments of Beauty Radiate Elegance

Filled with noble, graceful dignity, Kyoto dolls have long embodied people's prayers, relieved loneliness, and represented prayers for their children's growth. Connected to dynastic culture, these dolls evolved in the hands of talented Kyoto artisans. Edo-period craftsmen honed their doll-making skills, and these techniques are still practiced. Hina dolls reflect adoration for the nobility. Gosho dolls were adored at the palace. Find out how people's hearts are connected through Kyoto dolls.

Kyoto Dolls: Adored by All, Their Grace Brings Peace

Kyoto is home to most Buddhist head temples, which shaped the ancient capital's historical landscape and fascinate visitors. Shichido-garan, the 7 most important buildings for Zen religious training, are positioned in the shape of a person. Maintaining temples for centuries, carpenters conduct major repairs at Chion-in and thatch Kiyomizu-dera's main-hall with cypress bark using traditional roofing methods. Look at the world of Buddhist architecture, sustained by craftsmanship and faith.

Buddhist Architecture: Craftsmanship Unites Places of Worship

Shinto shrines have sacred shimenawa ropes, bells with cords attached, mirrors, various fittings, and ceremonial ornamentation that have adorned these places of worship since time immemorial. Made from wood, metal, silk threads, hemp, and other materials, this ornamentation became more elaborate and brilliant in the hands of artisans who gathered in the ancient capital, Heian-kyo, when it was established some 1,200 years ago. These crafts, which live on today, link worshippers with the deities.

Fitting for the Deities: Sacred Ornamentation Purifies and Elevates

The Kyoto basin is blessed with fertile soil and an abundant supply of good water. Kyoto winters are frigid; and summers, scorching. This environment yields eggplants, pumpkin, and other produce known as 'Kyoto vegetables', many of which have been grown for more than 150 years. One local farmer works to promote new varieties, while students try to revive an almost extinct variety of gourd. Discover the allure of nutritional, flavorsome Kyoto vegetables in the hands of various chefs.

Kyoto Vegetables: Nature's Blessings Provide Fine Food for the Ancient Capital

Ogres, specters, demons, ghosts and hell. The ancient capital's many myths of the spirit world seem fantastic today. Kyoto's citizens lived in fear and awe of the other world and appealed to the deities for help. They honored milestones and kept the annual events in thanks to the deities for their protection. Consequences of the city's prosperity, the legends have origins in the deep in the recesses of the human mind, and the epidemics and wars that occurred throughout Kyoto's history.

Legends of the Spirit World: The Mysterious Inspires Awe in the Townsfolk

The Japanese believe their ancestors' spirits return from the other world to visit during Obon in mid-August. The Gozan-no-okuribi ceremony to send them off is held in Kyoto at the end of Obon on August 16. Bonfires are lit on 5 Kyoto mountains as guides for the spirits to find their way back safely. Watch the locals' prepare for this fiery traditional event in the Matsugasaki area of Kyoto, where 2 of the bonfires are lit, and discover the ancient customs of the living and the dead.

Gozan-no-okuribi: Ceremonial Bonfires Give Ancestors Safe Passage

Fushimi Inari Taisha is famous worldwide for the vermillion shrine gates that line the paths in the mountain behind it, where its origins lie. Worshippers seeking happiness have visited this sacred ground where the deities rest for centuries. One family prays religiously every month for business prosperity. Another has the divided spirit of the deity protecting their home and business. Kyotoites live for the future, every day in thanks, through the shrine that embodies their unwavering faith.

Fushimi Inari Taisha: A Manifestation of Prayers to the Deities on the Mountain

Noh is one of the oldest, extant performing arts and is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It has been performed in Kyoto some 650 years, and its form remains largely unchanged. Through few moves and props, the plays portray human drama around age-old themes, such as love and parent-child bonds. Protagonists are mostly spirits of the dead telling of their earthly grief and joy. Within the seemingly expressionless masks lies a subtle beauty, drawing spectators into a dream world.

Noh: A Spiritual Performing Art Bridging Fantasy and Reality

Dynastic culture thrived some 1,200 years ago in Heian-kyo, heavily influenced by mainland Asian, especially Chinese, culture. Over time, it developed its own idiosyncrasies and permeated all aspects of life: clothing, architecture and food. The invention of the kana syllabary spawned waka poetry, essays and novels. For 800 years the Reizei clan has kept the waka traditions and other aristocratic rituals alive. The roots of today's Japanese culture can be seen in elements of dynastic culture.

Dynastic Culture: The Graceful Form of the Heian Aristocracy

The ancient capital, Kyoto, continues to be innovative after 1,200 years. We dive deep into its core in this definitive program. Today: Kyoto Gardens as aesthetic spaces mirroring nature.

Kyoto Gardens: Aesthetic Spaces Mirror Nature

Kyoto boasts upwards of 1,000 shinise businesses, each more than 100 years old, many of which are in the food industry. Kyoto cuisine is the foundation of washoku Japanese cuisine, and these shinise are its core. Their trade names, signboards and noren curtains convey the philosophy and principles of operating a shinise. The spirit of the artisans focuses on honoring traditional skills and conventions while concentrating on the future. Discover Kyoto's culture through its timeless food culture.

Shinise Food Culture: The Taste of Kyoto Links Past and Present

Around 400 years ago, Sen-no-rikyu pursued the art of heart-to-heart communication through a bowl of tea and advanced the wabi-cha style of tea ceremony, stressing the beauty within simplicity. The utensils are vital in conveying the hosts' sentiments. The essence of wabi-cha pervades the utensils made by 10 artisan families, purveyors to the Sen clan. Watch these artisans at work in a range of crafts from lacquerware to joinery and discover the spirit and aesthetic sensibilities of Kyoto.

The 10 Artisans of Senke: Tea Utensils Heighten Rustic Simplicity

Kyoto tsukemono, or pickles, are made with various combinations of pickles and agents to preserve seasonal vegetables. Of these, three major varieties are still made using unique methods. Suguki turnip pickles, once made by Shinto priestly clans, have a rich, sour taste. Shibazuke pickled eggplants have the reddish hue of shiso leaves. One family makes senmaizuke white-turnip pickles with a special recipe. Discover the wisdom and skill accumulated over centuries that make vegetables tastier.

Kyoto Tsukemono: Pickles Enhance a Meal's Taste

February 3 is New Year's Eve by the old, lunar calendar and is the boundary between winter and spring. On this day, called Setsubun, households scatter soybeans for good fortune in the coming year, expelling the demons that represent misfortune and calamity. The shrine Yoshida Jinja protects Kyoto at the 'demon's gate' in the northeast with a ritual in which the 'shaman' wears a four-eyed mask. Farmers in rural areas uphold the custom of driving out moles. Disguised geiko pray for protection against evil. Discover how Kyotoites pray for order in life through these safeguarding traditions.

Setsubun: Out with the Demons and in with Fortune in the Spring

In the ancient capital, sake was for religious and imperial rites. Made exclusively at the imperial brewery, the process evolved under the influence of palace cuisine. Kyoto with its bountiful water supply is ideal for production, and Fushimi later prospered as the sake brewing area. Gaining attention with the popularity of Japanese cuisine, sake is one of few alcoholic beverages in the world served hot or chilled. Discover the brewing process and the influence Kyoto sake had on Japan's culture.

Kyoto Sake: A Mellow Taste That Enriches Kyoto Life

Kyotoites have an affinity for the kimono that shares deep ties with traditional culture. A kimono researcher explains its aesthetics and the wisdom within this traditional clothing. The obi is an infinite expression of beauty. Wearing white socks is a sign of purity. Generations wear the same kimono, because it can be re-sown. Men's kimono exude style with lavish patterns in the coat lining and the family crest on formalwear. Discover the world of kimono, imbued with Kyoto's sensibilities.

The World of Kimono: Kyoto's Timeless Sense of Beauty

After the first cafe opened in Kyoto in 1930, a coffee culture flourished as coffee salons enjoyed the patronage of local merchants, who prided themselves on staying abreast of the latest fashions. Kyotoites always placed the utmost importance on hospitality. Cafes may be relatively new to the cityscape, but they exude the local spirit of hospitality. Owners of distinct cafes find ingenious ways to infuse their service with this ethos. Discover the charm of Kyoto cafes while sipping on a brew.

Kyoto's Cafe Culture: A Cup Full of Local Hospitality

Kannon Bosatsu is warmly worshipped, a comfort for the heart. The subject of many paintings and statues, he saves people across Buddhist sects. The 11-faced Kannon faces each direction in search of people to save. The 1,000-armed Kannon holds objects used to relieve people's anguish. Kiyomizu-dera, where memorial services are held for him, attracts worshippers seeking salvation. Watch a sculptor carve a statue of Kannon. Discover the deep faith Kannon has drawn among Kyotoites over centuries.

Belief in Kannon: The God of Mercy Redeems All

In the late 1800's Kyoto architects and builders were the first to embrace change as Japan modernized. They incorporated the unusual Western designs into their buildings, changing the cityscape with its many temples and shrines. The great achievements of these pioneers remain today, used as public institutions, places of learning, worship and business. Conspicuous yet congruous, they represent the dawn of a new era. Discover the modern architecture in the ancient capital, whose colors never fade.

Modern Architecture: Breathing Life into the Ancient Capital in a New Age

Kyogen is a traditional performing art, popular in Kyoto for more than 600 years. Noh evolved at around the same time and draws many of its tragic plots from historical events. But Kyogen is more accessible, because it uses the vernacular and draws humorous themes from everyday situations, such as blunders and marital tiffs and other events. The Shigeyama family has been active in the art since the early 1700s. Mibu Kyogen evolved as religious drama. Discover the Kyoto's culture of laughter.

Kyogen: Laughing at the Absurdities of Life

The decorative arts evolved throughout during the city's 1,200-year history and survive today. Kyoto's reputation commands the highest quality, and many works of stunning beauty emerged as artisans refined their techniques and aesthetic sensibilities. With strict attention to detail, the artisans devote themselves to and project their sensitivities onto each piece they create. Discover the pinnacle of Kyoto beauty as seen in the supreme decorative arts of kirikane, shippo, kyo-nui and raden.

Kyoto Decorative Arts: The Artisans' Unceasing Pursuit of Beauty

Kyoto is home to many Buddhist and Shinto head temples and shrines. The approaches to the gates have long attracted vendors plying local specialties to worshippers. Kiyomizudera Monzenkai was formed by vendors along Kiyomizu-dera's approach as a vigilante group to protect the temple. When Nishihongan-ji was established 400 years ago, a "temple town" developed near its gates, and it thrives today with stores selling Buddhist items. Toji's Kobo Market connects the hearts of everyone who gathers.

Around the Temple and Shrine Gates: Activities Along the Approaches Connect People

Shidashi-ryori is Kyoto hospitality. Kyotoites do not serve visitors and honored guests homemade dishes on ceremonial occasions. The convention is to entrust the preparations to trusted caterers. The caterers fulfill their customers' needs, be they budgetary or ingredients. Caterers in different districts specialize for the local clientele: shojin-ryori for temples, kaiseki for tea gatherings, courses for entertainment districts. Discover bento meals and other various forms of shidashi-ryori.

Shidashi-ryori: The Refined Hospitality of Catered Meals

The ancient capital was devastated during a period of intense war lasting 2 centuries until the late 16th century, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi assumed supreme power. He envisioned rebuilding a city that would prosper through a free economy and a stable government. A rampart was built around Kyoto, and rezoning increased residential areas. Hideyoshi's palace of gold was a symbol of his glory, and he influenced the lavish Momoyama culture. Discover the traces of Hideyoshi's legacy in Kyoto, today.

The Capital of Peace and Bliss: Kyoto Streets Still Bear Hideyoshi's Mark

For Heian aristocrats some 1,200 years ago, Kyoto life was the world of officialdom. Uji, located southeast of the capital, was the retreat where they let their bodies and minds run free. It represented the transience of the material world as depicted in the classic novel, The Tale of Genji. The nobles embraced Uji-grown tea, which sustained the tea ceremony, and the pastime of cormorant fishing, and gave them form. Byodo-in was later built by the Jodo Sect to represent the Pure Land of Buddha.

Uji: The Aristocrats' Playground Where Fleeting Dreams Linger

Kyoto cuisine evolved in the old capital to please aristocratic eyes and palates. The local soft underground water inspired a cuisine that draws out flavors using dashi stock. Seafood was geographically hard to get, so locals refined techniques and contrivances, and the use of seasonings and utensils, for making tasty dishes with the available produce. Artisans provide quality products to maintain this food culture. Discover how the chefs' attention to detail brings out the ultimate in flavors.

The Essence Behind Kyo-ryori: The Chefs' Dedication in the Detail

Over its 1,000 year history as capital, Kyoto attracted craftsmen with outstanding artistry from around Japan. They made quality implements and furnishings, and the craft developed a distinct Kyoto refinement that became renowned. The craftsmen's knowledge of wood they work and their command of the delicate processes convey the traditions that survive to this today. Discover how various Kyoto woodcraft traditions evolved by watching the turners, joiners, coopers and other craftsmen at work.

Kyoto Woodcraft: Prominent Woodgrain and Refinement of Use

Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu lies in the southwest of Kyoto Prefecture. On September 15, this shrine holds the Iwashimizu-sai. This some 1,000-year-old festival is held in prayer for the peace of all living things. In the darkness at 2 a.m., the mystical ritual begins with three mikoshi portable shrines, on which the deities ride, departing down the mountain. The scene is a living manifestation of ancient picture scrolls. Discover the Kyotoites' respect for life through this festival's rituals.

Iwashimizu-sai: The Ritual in the Gloom in Respect for All Life

The Inoue School of Dance evolved as a distinct form of traditional Japanese dance in Kyoto. Danced to a shamisen and song backing, it developed exclusively for the geiko and maiko of Gion Kobu, Kyoto's largest entertainment district. Traditional Kyoto dance, or Kyo-mai, exalts life and can represent urbane people by acting out the universal emotion of females. Discover the consummate art of Kyo-mai with its history of more than 200 years through the current 5th head of the Inoue School.

Traditional Kyoto Dance: Gion's Consummate Art Exalts Life

Kyoto today is a bustling tourist destination, but there was a time when it had lost its sparkle. The emperor moved to Tokyo 120 years ago to forge a modern state, and many followed, depleting the population. This crisis shook the city's foundation, but it reinvented itself through modern public works and other initiatives. The Jidai Matsuri pays homage to the past with 2,000 people parading in period costumes. Discover the citizens' resilience as they redefined their city, creating a new Kyoto.

Kyoto's Rebirth: The Ancient Capital Prospers Anew

Byobu, or folding screens, were introduced to Japan in the 7th century as room partitions and windbreaks. Their distinct form today was shaped by Heian lifestyles and sensibilities, and they were elevated to an art form. Byobu are used to indicate the seasons. Gold screens grace formal receptions. Japanese artists are still drawn to them as a medium, and they produce byobu for religious and secular uses. Mounters uphold age-old techniques to restore them. Discover the profound allure of byobu.

Folding Screens: Refined Furnishings Enhance Their Surroundings

Kyo-yaki, or artistic ceramics fired in Kyoto, evolved within the rich culture of the ancient capital as crockery for the local cuisine and as utensils in tea ceremony. One potter, who devotes his life to overglaze enamels, renders refined patterns and colors on his pieces. Another has refined his molding skills and creates pieces that are easy for chefs to use. These ceramics embody the Kyotoites' desire to please their guests. Discover how the charm of Kyo-yaki ceramics grows with use.

Kyo-yaki: Kyoto Ceramics Charm and Delight the Beholder

Suiseki is the appreciation of natural stone shapes using poetic imagination to visualize magnificent mountain, island, or waterfall landscapes. This pastime arrived from China in the late 1100's and spread among Kyoto aristocrats and Zen monks. Suiseki's beauty lies in the stones' understated simplicity and becalming quality. The Seven Stones of Kamo found in the Kamo River basin are prized in suiseki circles. Discover the profound world of rock appreciation that evolved in the old capital.

Suiseki: A World of Understated Beauty Within Natural Stone

Kyo-kanoko shibori is the general term used for tie-dyed fabric made in Kyoto. The bumpy pattern on the fabric's surface is mesmerizing with its delicate shadows. Binding parts of the fabric to leave undyed areas allows certain colors to bleed and lends the design solidity. Each stage in the process has its own specialized artisan for design, binding, dyeing, and other stages in between. Discover the alluring world of Kyo-kanoko shibori through the dexterous hands of passionate artisans.

Kyo-Kanoko Shibori: Untying the Beauty Bound Within

The streets of Kyoto are dotted with many cozy-looking restaurants, which some may feel awkward about entering. Many of these small restaurants, referred to as koryoriya, specialize in Japanese cuisine. The owner-chefs behind the counter, who take the orders personally, pride themselves on serving food that complements the drink, and vice versa. So koryoriya are places to enjoy good food, good drinks and good conversation. Discover the allure of Kyoto's food culture and how to enjoy koryoriya.

Small Restaurants: A Full, Rich Experience While Sipping Sake

The obi sash is an integral accessory for the kimono. One company has produced opulent Nishijin-ori obi for more than 120 years. A lady conveys the obi's allure through fitting classes. A dresser deftly ties the trailing obi of the Gion maiko. Fastened with a decorative cord, the obi is the final touch in a kimono ensemble. Its form manifests the obi's rich history and the sentiments of the people who produce or tie them. Discover the profound world hiding in a beautiful obi and its knot.

Obi: Unbridled Beauty in a Knot

The world's oldest orchestral music, gagaku was imported from mainland China in ancient times. The melody is not based on a scale, yet the tunes are gentle, unmetered tones of continuous notes. The shakuhachi flute is a Buddhist instrument that brings enlightenment. The koto zither was much loved among the ancient aristocracy. The guitar-like shamisen entertains banquet guests in the flower districts. Discover the eternal tunes that harmonized the musical instruments' nature with human emotions.

Traditional Musical Instruments: Eternal Tones Waft Through the Ancient Capital

Traditional woodblock prints in the ancient capital have a strong, distinct history. Their origins lie in the woodblock printing of Buddhist scriptures. Compared to the mass production of ukiyo-e prints that were popular with Edo (now Tokyo) residents, woodblock printers in Kyoto were more focused on quality over quantity, creating delicate, soft expressions of art with their honed skills. Discover the subtle, elaborate beauty through the expertise of the three artists involved in process.

Woodblock Prints: Beauty in the Hands of a Trinity of Artists

Traditional Kyoto Machiya townhouses have narrow entrances, and are long and deep. At the back lie small Tsubo-niwa gardens, enclosed on all sides. Originally serving to light and ventilate the house, they enabled residents to comfortably endure the intense, summer heat. Over time, people applied their simple, austere aesthetic sensibilities to create beauty in these confined spaces. Discover the wisdom behind these gardens through the local lifestyle and the expertise of the landscape artists.

Tsubo-niwa: Life Enhanced by Quintessential Spaces

Kyoto artist Insho Domoto was prolific in the mid-20th century. He painted more than 600 dynamic sliding door paintings for Tofuku-ji, Chishaku-in and other major Buddhist temples in styles ranging from traditional Nihonga painting to innovative abstract painting. He has influenced a range of fields, such as sculpture, architecture, and the designs of traditional confectionery and accessories. Discover how "innovation is tradition" in Kyoto through works that reveal Domoto's creative spirit.

Insho Domoto: The Pulsing Heart of Artistic Innovation

During the spring and fall tourist seasons Kyoto's shrines and temples open their usually hidden treasures to the public. The Buddhist statues and paintings, and other precious cultural assets that have survived centuries are threatened by degeneration, so special exhibitions are held to raise funds through entrance fees for repairing and preserving the objects. Discover Kyoto's fervor for preserving its cultural assets through the hidden treasures exhibited in Fushimi in spring 2016.

Hidden Treasures: Preserved for Another Millennium

The ancient capital's dignified air of yesteryear is in part generated by earthen walls: the walls of the imperial palace, shrines, temples and even private properties. Earthen walls imbue tea houses with a rustic air. Kyoto is blessed with soil of a color ideal for these walls. Plasterers over centuries developed and refined their technique to produce walls befitting a capital. Discover the aesthetic sensibilities and expertise of traditional plasterers as they pursue beauty in earthen walls.

Kyoto Walls: Elegance Molded from Earth

Kata-yuzen is a Kyoto yuzen dyeing method that sometimes requires as many as 100 stencils to complete a bolt of kimono fabric. The development of this method saved dyers much time and enabled mass production. The most skill-intensive task is the carving of the washi paper to create the stencils. The elaborate designs and sharp lines that are difficult to attain by hand are captivating. Discover how the Kata-yuzen techniques were refined through the Kyotoites passionate pursuit of stunning kimono.

Kata-yuzen: The Stenciled Beauty of Dyeing

Kyoto is surrounded by mountains on 3 sides, so the city is concentrated in the basin where summers are sultry. Over the centuries, Kyotoites contrived ways to stay cool. They dread the heat but revel in the traditions. Come June, they prepare themselves physically and mentally by replacing the winter fittings, holding rituals for good health, and eating sweets that resemble ice. Discover the ingenuity and aesthetic beauty behind the customs Kyotoites observe to live in harmony with nature.

Cool Customs: Beating the Summer Heat

Paper talismans protecting against fire are common sights in Kyoto homes. People receive them at Atago Jinja, situated on top of a rugged mountain. The shrine holds Sennichi-mairi, or the 1,000-day pilgrimage, on the evening of July 31. Worshippers believe that if they make the grueling trek they have 1,000 days' worth of protection against fire-related disasters. Discover the deep faith in Atago as more than 10,000 Kyotoites undertake the pilgrimage with gratitude for the gifts fire bestows.

Atago Sennichi Mairi: Pilgrimage to the Guardian Against Fire

The Kiyomizu Rokubey studio, one of Kyoto's leading potteries, was established 245 years ago. Led by the current Rokubey, the 8th generation to take the name, it continues to produce elegant yet practical ceramics. Rokubey VIII is also a leading ceramic artist making original art objects. Yakushi-ji in Nara, which holds superb Buddhist art works, commissioned him to create a piece that will retain its presence throughout time. Discover the work of Rokubey as he strives to fulfill this request.

Kiyomizu Rokubey: Tradition and Vision in Ceramics

Some 10,000 stone Jizo Buddhist statues dot the streets of Kyoto. At the end of summer, children gather at the street corners where the statues stand for lively Jizo Bon festivities. This annual event, where people pray for the health and success of their children, is also an opportunity for neighborhoods to strengthen their ties. Discover a cornerstone of ordinary Kyoto citizen's faith through the small, charming Jizo statues that are an integral part of local life.

Stone Jizo: Neighborhood Guardians Watch Over Children

Camera crews are common sights in Kyoto's historic streets and peaceful rural areas. The first film screening in Japan was held here in 1897, and Kyoto became the cradle of the Japanese movie industry, giving birth to masterpieces. Studios attracted expert craftsmen who created the sword fighting scenes, wigs and props needed to give samurai dramas authenticity. Discover a facet of the ancient capital at Uzumasa, the heart of the local film industry, where culture and history take center stage.

The Cinema Capital: The Professionals Behind the Samurai Filming Industry

Fusuma are uniquely Japanese fittings, dating back a millennium, that act as partitions, sliding doors and walls. Painting them can transform a room's ambience. Fusuma paintings have evolved in keeping with the times, space, and patrons and artists' tastes. In the 1500's, magnificent paintings became signs of the wealth and power of the samurai class. In temples, ink paintings conveyed Buddhist teachings. Discover how fusuma paintings have raised furniture to the level of art.

Fusuma Paintings: Artful Partitions Transform Space

Boys dressed as maidens walk the streets at night wearing lanterns adorned with intricate, cut-paper designs on their heads. Girls perform a votive dance. This intriguing festival held in Yase, located at the foot of Mt. Hiei in Kyoto's northeast, dates back some 300 years when a Senior Councilor in the shogunate sided with the people of Yase in a land dispute, which occurred nearby. Discover the residents' enduring gratitude as they prepare to fete the Councilor, now revered as a deity.

Yase Shamenchi Odori: A Dance of Gratitude

At 3 a.m. on October 22, two large pine torches over 10m long are lit to signal the start of the fire festival at Iwakura Jinja. Long ago, it was believed that demons were contained by a huge boulder in the area, after which both the shrine and the area are named. In the late 1100's the shrine was built and the deity was transferred there, but it returns to the boulder on the day of the festival. Discover this 500-year-old festival through the preparations of the residents of Iwakura.

Iwakura Fire Festival: The Divine Spirit Returns

Some 1,000 years ago, monks from warring Mt. Hiei and nobles from the capital retreated from the world in rustic Ohara, northeast of Kyoto. The monks perfected the practice of shomyo, a melodic singing of Buddhist sutras, and in its heyday the village had as many as 50 practice halls. Ohara also was a sanctuary for nuns, and is known for the distinctively dressed local women called Oharame, who sold firewood in Kyoto. Discover the nature and history of Ohara through the deep faith at its heart.

Ohara: A Mountain Village Echoing with Buddhist Chants

The Kyoto State Guest House was built as a Japanese-style reception facility within the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park in 2005. This serene, elegant single-story facility hosts dignitaries from around the world. As of 2016 it is now open to the public year-round. Seasoned Kyoto craftsmen in traditional architecture and the industrial arts applied their expertise to imbue it with the ultimate in hospitality. Discover another facet to Kyoto sensibilities through their impeccable attention to detail.

Kyoto State Guest House: Hospitality Imbued with Beauty and Craftsmanship

Sento, or bathhouses, were built in Kyoto to cater to the large student and artisan population who lived in lodgings without baths. Many are worthy of historic note. One has been operating for 1,300 years; another is part of a temple complex. Some have splendid decors or interesting baths. Today they remain lively social hubs of their communities. A young manager strives to create a Sento young people frequent. Discover the allure of Sento where people gather to relieve the stress of the day.

Public Baths: People Gather to Wash Their Troubles Away

The soaring forest of tall, straight cedars in Kitayama, in Kyoto's northwest, is a glorious sight. Kitayama cedar -- known for its light color, uniform thickness, and smooth, knotless trunk -- is treasured as a material for floors and pillars in Japanese architecture. And daisugi cedars, pruned to produce dozens of tree-like offshoots from one trunk, are prized in gardens for their aesthetic value. Discover the allure of Kitayama cedar through the foresters who inherited their management.

Kitayama Cedar: Lending a Quality of Polished Dignity and Beauty

Incense is primarily made by mixing natural plant-derived scents. It lends rooms ambience to welcome guests and is used in grooming. Originally burned in prayer, it now enrichens everyday life in Kyoto. Kodo, or the way of incense, which arrived in Japan with Buddhism 1,500 years ago, has deep ties to the spiritual world. Aloeswood and other aromatic woods are cut to rice-sized pieces and appreciated following set protocols. Discover how incense is intertwined with the hearts of Kyotoites.

The Culture of Incense: The Wafting Scents of an Ageless Pleasure

Tofu arrived from China along with Buddhism over a millennium ago. It further evolved in Japan as an ingredient in Shojin-ryori vegetarian Zen cuisine and in time appeared on the tables of the common folk. The pursuit and refinement of tofu-making and its cooking in the ancient capital produced distinct varieties. The artisans curdle the mix of soybeans and water with bittern to give a taste that is profound in its simplicity and sophistication. Discover the food culture surrounding Kyoto Tofu.

Kyoto Tofu: Subtle Taste Nourished by Skill and Pride

Kyoto's revitalization at the dawn of modernization in the 1860's was spurred by its 1,000-year history of tradition and innovation. The source of this vitality is the "generous and adaptable spirit" of Kyotoites. An exemplar of this is a painting of a kimono-clad woman playing the piano. Today the city – its temples and century-old buildings – continue to evolve. Discover modern Kyoto through the inheritors to the traditional crafts who are promoting their works to the world.

Modern Kyoto: The Ancient Capital's Aesthetics Shape the Future

Kanjiro Kawai was prolific in Kyoto in the mid-1900's. Originally from Shimane Prefecture, he devoted himself to pottery at Gojozaka, the hub for graceful Kiyomizu ceramics, for 46 years. He is regarded a master of glazes, and his works are characterized by an abundance of color and a strength of form. A leader of the Folk Arts Movement, he pursued the beauty of everyday implements. Discover how the cultural climate of Kyoto nurtured and supported Kawai as he pursued beauty within "life as work".

Potter Kanjiro Kawai: Freely Creating a Homely Warmth

The business of Araiya in Kyoto involves cleaning and restoring old temples, shrines, Machiya-style townhouses, and other wooden structures to their former glory. The industry is sustained by many Kyotoites' desire to cherish and hand down their belongings over generations. Araiya essentially work by hand patiently using age-old techniques to remove the grime and stains from homes, furniture, and kimono, too. Discover Kyotoites' respect for history and continuity through the expertise of Araiya.

The Art of Cleaning: Maintaining the Ancient Capital's Beauty

Nenbutsu Kyogen is held at Kyoto temples in spring. This masked theater began here 1,000 years ago as group recitations of Buddhist teachings to receive greater blessings. In time this evolved into a means of imparting the teachings through comedic theater, and today amateur locals avidly perform and preserve the tradition. The 3 main temples are Seiryo-ji, Injo-ji, and Mibu-dera. Discover the local's deep Buddhist faith and their strong community ties through this age-old performing art.

Nenbutsu Kyogen: Buddhist Teachings Behind Masked Theater

Kyotoites have for centuries refrained from directly conveying their true sentiments. Instead, they have refined the art of gift wrapping as a means of subtle communication. As senders honed their skills, recipients became deft at perceiving the thoughts and feelings enclosed. However, this custom was not just a show of gratitude. The packages embrace a sense of the seasons, sympathy, or delight as the recipient opens them. Discover the hidden sentiments within the folds of wrapping culture.

The Custom of Wrapping: Conveying Hidden Sentiments

Nishiki Market, referred to as "Kyoto's kitchen", supplies local households and businesses with choice local cooking ingredients, including Kyoto vegetables and seafood. It began 1,000 years ago with fish peddlers, and in time a market evolved around the abundant local supply of pure artesian water. The market has faced many crises but survived, the driving force being the merchants' solidarity. Discover how the local merchants uphold the Nishiki brand through their workings and community ties.

Nishiki Market: Kyoto's Thriving Kitchen

Gion Matsuri was restored to its former glory in 2014, almost 50 years after its two processions were merged into one. Again one parade precedes the deities' journey from the shrine to their temporary abode during the festival, and another precedes their return. The festival's revival was led by the resurrection of the Ofune Hoko float after 150 years. Now the Taka Yama float, absent for 190 years, will also be rebuilt. Discover the pride and passion of locals in bringing back old traditions.

Gion Matsuri Floats: The Pride of Generations Revived

In early summer, confectioners display traditional sweets shaped like ayu, or sweetfish. For Kyotoites, ayu is as important a summer fish as conger pike. For centuries, fresh seafood was limited in landlocked Kyoto, so ayu caught in the Kamo and Katsura Rivers was considered precious. So much so that according to 1,000-year-old records it was often gifted to the imperial court. Discover the rich culture inspired by this fresh summer delicacy that Kyotoites still cherish today.

Ayu Sweetfish: A Summer Delicacy with Culture

Japanese believe their ancestors' spirits visit in mid-August. To safely guide the spirits back to the other world, they light bonfires on 5 mountains in the Gozan-no-okuribi ceremony. The residents charged with the Hidari-daimonji bonfire solemnly uphold the traditional spirit of prayer and allow only local participation. Here, a large torch is used to transport the fire from the temple at the foot of the mountain. Discover the customs that continue to bind the living and the dead in Kyoto.

Hidari-daimonji: Flames of Prayer to the Other Side

Kyoto's braided cords came into their own as fashion accessories for the nobility, 1,000 years ago. Elegant and practical, they were highly prized, and used in religious and formal settings. They came to be deployed in samurai armor, and their use then spread to the common folk, stimulating production. Today braided cords, with their fine detail, shine as bit players in various occasions in daily life. Discover the allure of Kyoto braided cords and the ancient culture of elegant fastenings.

Kyoto Braided Cords: Bit Players That Shine

Geta and zori set off the kimono ensemble. People from all walks of life covet Kyoto footwear that evolved with the kimono. Artisans pursue beauty and functionality in the simple construction of a V-shaped toe thong attached to a base. Maiko wear special geta made with traditional techniques. Strict rules of footwear etiquette still pertain today, while a child's first geta are endowed with their parents' hopes for their future. Discover the footwear culture of the ancient capital.

Footwear Culture: Dressing the Feet for Form and Function

In early October, Kitano Tenmangu shrine holds the Zuiki Matsuri festival. Sacred palanquins carry the spirit of the shrine's deity through the parish to its temporary abode. Enshrined there is a portable mikoshi shrine with a 400-year history. Residents spend a month festooning it with local produce and imbue it with gratitude for an abundant harvest. Discover their connection with nature through this festival that retains vestiges of bygone days when the district was a farming area.

Zuiki Matsuri: A Celebration of the Local Harvests

Dramatic blacks and pearly grays evoke profound scenes. Originating in China, ink painting was once part of Zen monks' ascetic training. It reveals the beauty of space in a simple, refined state and captivates the viewer, while conveying the Zen tenets. The art form took hold and matured in Kyoto in the 15th C. with masters, such as Josetsu and Sesshu, and Jakuchu in modern times, wielding great influence on the genre. Discover how ink painting evolved in the austere, spiritual climate of Kyoto.

Ink Paintings: Insights into the Heart of Zen

In Kyoto, people regularly buy sweet treats at stores, which specialize in seasonal sweets that are also used in festivals. Some purveyors continue to use age-old ingredients and methods, and the lines outside their stores are proof of their popularity. People believe eating red adzuki beans wards off evil, as well as providing nutrition and energy, so they are a favored ingredient for ritual sweets. Discover Kyoto's beating heart in the sweets and treats that embody the everyday wisdom of old.

Kyoto Snacks: Sweets and Treats for Everyday People

Mount Kurama, located north of urban Kyoto, is steeped in legend. Goblin-like creatures called Tengu are believed to live deep in the forest, where one allegedly taught swordsmanship to a 12th-century samurai general. Other legends swirl around Kurama-dera, the main temple. Kifune Jinja is dedicated to the water deity and draws many women wanting to discover their fortunes in love. Discover the mystic energy that surrounds one of Kyoto's prime "power spots" through the local folklore.

Kurama: Mystical Land of Legends

Kyotoites in days of old valued high quality fabric and woven textiles from abroad like gold. Pieces of these fabrics have been handed down and continue to fascinate people today. Their eternal beauty is preserved through repurposing as tea utensil pouches, tobacco holders, obi sashes and even as works of art. Weavers strive to learn the techniques used in days gone by in order to reproduce them. Discover the culture of reverence for the great beauty and skill to be found in old fabric pieces.

Fabric Pieces: Honoring the Past

The year end begins in mid-December. Maiko and geiko pay their respects to teachers. Decorations and other seasonal goods enjoy brisk sales at markets, homes are decorated and osechi cuisine is prepared. On New Year's Eve people give thanks for the old year at Yasaka Jinja, and the next day the Toshigami deity brings the New Year to every home. Families exchange greetings and feast on osechi with gratitude to the deity. Discover how Kyotoites revere the New Year through their long-held customs.

The Best Seasons of Core Kyoto

The Best Seasons of Core Kyoto

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