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captainfez's review
3.0
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.
janhicks's review
4.0
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.
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