Kyoto

The smaller floats impressed the audience because they were adorned with stunning tapestries, miniature trees, and beautiful figurines. Each float had a legendary story behind it. 

1,000-year-old Gion Matsuri festival resumes in Kyoto, Japan

Culture

After four years of pandemic shutdowns, the grand Gion Matsuri festival resumed in all its glory this July, with bells, gongs and flutes chiming atop massive floats decked out in lavish tapestries and treasures.

Kyoto Station

Arts, Culture & Media

Temple-hopping (or: the temples are hopping)

Arts, Culture & Media

Kyoto hotel: ancient 70s chic

Arts, Culture & Media
The World

Biking the hills of old Kyoto

Arts, Culture & Media

360 Book Club: The Tale of Genji

Arts, Culture & Media

So get this: the world’s first novel came from Japan — and it was written by a woman — and it’s all about sex. Japanese literary buffs and commoners alike are celebrating the 1000th anniversary of The Tale of Genji. The author Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973 – c. 1014 or 1025) was a maid of […]

Be here now

Arts, Culture & Media

Buddhist word of the day: On the overview map of Kyoto train station I noticed this funny thing, instead of saying ‘You are here’ it simply said ‘Now’. I guess it comes to the same, except ‘Now’ would be true not just for the Kyoto train station map, but for most places you go, if […]

Pachinko wizard

Arts, Culture & Media

I was alone in Kyoto part of last week getting tape for a story. One night after doing an interview, I was looking for something to do… and I stumbled into one of the city’s gigantic pachinko parlors. The sliding doors opened to a wall of sound — a cacophony of pop music and high-pitched […]

The World

Not So Fast

President Clinton says the climate change treaty that his administration expects to negotiate in Kyoto will prove to be pain-free for America’s collective pocketbook. But, John Shanahan doesn’t believe it. The numbers, he says, just don’t add up. Commentator John Shanahan is director of legislation and policy for the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Kyoto Concessions