Core Kyoto

Fushimi Inari Taisha holds a festival in November, burning rice straw in gratitude of a plentiful harvest. The straw symbolizes a meaningful connection as the deity of rice is believed to dwell within rice grains, and it is used in prayers for offspring and in New Year's decorations. Rice straw is also used in everyday items, and an artisan weaves it into modern ornaments, redefining straw craftwork. Discover the multifaceted beauty of prayer infused into rice straw throughout the centuries.

Life in Kyoto has long been underscored by a culture of frugality and cherishing belongings; the city has many stores dealing in curios and antiques. One shop handles old calligraphic works and paintings. Another offers handicrafts difficult to make with modern technology. An increasing number of stores offer practical antiques, and more people are feeling comfortable about using them in daily life. Discover how Kyotoites have always appreciated the imperfections in objects resulting from aging.

In the 10th century samurai guarding the emperor and aristocrats began to wear colorful armor, reflecting the capital's elegance. High-ranking samurai practiced mounted warfare, shooting arrows from horseback. When infantry warfare became the norm, armor lost its practicality and became a symbol of a samurai's power. The elaborate armor they commissioned involved dying, weaving, lacquer, and metal artisans. Discover the beauty within samurai armor that is now upheld as the ultimate in craftwork.

Fermenting soybeans, Koji mold and salt produces miso. The taste of this rich, aromatic seasoning varies depending on regional climates. In Kyoto, rice miso is the standard, while white miso, which evolved within dynastic culture 1,000 years ago, is still used in day-to-day cooking, New Year's dishes, and by local restaurants. Some breweries produce miso the old-fashioned, natural way. A local Italian restaurant even uses miso to season dishes. Discover the miso food culture cultivated in Kyoto.

Minamiyamashiro, in the very south of Kyoto Pref., was once an important transportation hub, and many Buddhist temples were built to spiritually watch over this secluded region. Around the 15th century, the area escaped the civil unrest that razed Kyoto, and its valuable temples and treasures, some of which are more than a millennium old, survived unscathed. Discover the 11 remaining temples through the activities of a close-knit association that preserves Buddhist culture beyond denominations.

Kyoto has been a stronghold of Buddhism for a millennium, with over 1,600 temples located in its city limits. But temples face a drop in parishioners as the population declines and youth show disinterest. One priest tackles social problems, such as suicide, while artisans create appealing statues and ritual objects. An android makes Buddhist teachings more accessible, and an IT system enables discourse with priests. Discover the novel ways Buddhism is being promulgated in step with the times.

Heian courtiers 1,200 years ago wore robes made of fabric dyed with medicinal herbs to produce colors of prayer for peace and to keep evil at bay. But most of these colors have been lost to time. Fascinated with these forgotten pigments, some Kyotoites are endeavoring to revive them and create new dyeing techniques. Discover how people have taken up the challenge by learning from the classics and the ancients, cultivating wild plants to be used for pigments, and making handcrafted garments.

Upcycling means reusing discarded or unused items to create products with higher value than the originals. Unwearable and unsellable kimono are resewn into dresses. Misshapen, substandard, Kyoto-grown vegetables, which are difficult to market, are made into paints. A Buddhist temple in danger of closure incorporated a hotel to survive. Many are turning to upcycling as they strive to solve issues plaguing Kyoto. Discover how the power of tradition is propelling upcycling in the ancient capital.

Carbon- and glass-fiber textiles promise potential for a sustainable society. Textile artworks boast fine, painting-like and photo-like expression. Artisans who weave with their fingernails establish opportunities to teach the craft. One creator works to convey the traditional weavers' passion through accessories she makes from weaving byproducts. Discover how Nishijin weavers employ their respective skills in the pursuit of new potential to suit the times and fight the shrinking kimono market.

Flowers in bloom manifest the changing beauty of nature over time. Kyotoites treasure them as symbols of not only nature but life. Flower-inspired artworks are created in various fields in Kyoto. A Japanese-style painter uses folding fans as canvases. A metal artisan conveys the transience of flowers. A photographer confronts life by capturing withering flowers. A priest and his wife float seasonal flowers in water to comfort worshippers. Discover how Kyotoites express their love of flowers.

Boxes are crafted from wood, paper and other materials. But in Kyoto, boxes are not mere containers. They serve to protect the dignity and enhance the value of the contents. Fittingly, when selecting one, people look for exquisiteness and beauty. The boxes exude a presence to equal their contents. In the world of food and traditional confectionery, the contained space of a box serves as a canvas for beauty. Discover the functionality and aesthetic sense craftspeople imbue in the boxes they make.

Deities from Japan, China, and India evolved into the Seven Lucky Gods, who are popularly depicted aboard a treasure ship. A pilgrimage of seven temples and shrines, each dedicated to one of the deities, is said to have originated in Kyoto for believers to receive blessings from them all. Recently, the pilgrimage has sparked a boom in shrine and temple visits, with worshippers collecting Goshuin seals as proof of their journey. Discover the energizing belief in these deities in Kyoto, today.

Kyoto has a culture of ordering personalized goods, yet it is more than just placing an order. As Japan's ancient capital, the city attracted diversified artisans. Many artisan-customer relationships span generations, fostering strong bonds of trust. This engenders products of high quality through constructive communication, ensuring satisfying results for both creator and receiver. Follow Nagamatsu Hitomi, who cherishes the spirit of bespoke goods, as she visits her trusted purveyors.

Forty-one ritual folk dances from around Japan were added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List in 2022. The Kuta Hanagasa Dance is performed in a rural community in the very north of Kyoto city. Every summer, the men make flower lanterns by hand to be used in the ritual as they sing and dance to a drum accompaniment before the local deities in gratitude for a plentiful harvest. Discover the Kuta villagers' lifestyle and follow their preparations for the ritual.

The Kyoto cityscape is dotted with historic Buddhist temples, traditional Machiya townhouses, and Ryokan inns. Cleaning is vital for their longevity and appearance, but it is more than the act of removing dirt. In Zen Buddhism, cleaning is an essential part of asceticism and is deeply spiritual. At Ryokan and traditional restaurants, it is the basis of hospitality. One cleaning supply store has been in business for over 200 years. Discover Kyotoites' values through the everyday act of cleaning.

Kyoto has been a thriving pottery production center since the 17th century. After World War II, young men born into pottery families formed Sodeisha, literarily "Crawling through Mud Association." This group of avant-garde artists created objets d'art that deviated from traditional pottery, in the pursuit of its potential as a pure art form. Discover how tradition and innovation keep Kyoto culture alive through the ceramicists who continue to value the Sodeisha ideals.

Over 1,200 years, Kyoto has evolved into a cultural capital, boasting superb crafts, cuisine and architecture. Narrator Gary Tegler reflects on 200 episodes of Core Kyoto and visits artisans at work.

Stone is a noticeable feature when walking through Kyoto's townscape: pavements, stairs, and religious statuary and objects. Stonemasons bring out the inherent beauty and qualities of their materials.

One tenth of Kyoto's population is university students: the driving force behind the revitalization of the city and its cultural activities. Get an alternative glimpse of Kyoto as a student town.