Hajimemashite! My name is Bianca Jarvis and I will be accepting the Life In Kyoto editorial reins from the much esteemed Tristan Grey after three long years.
I come to Kyoto from Berkeley, California, a small but notorious college town in the Western United States. My parents are Zen Buddhist ex-hippies, which may explain a few things about my personality, as well as my interest in all things Japanese. My fascination with Japan began at a young age, as my mother reputedly listened to Japanese language tapes while I was still in utero. Spurred on by a passionate love of Ryouri no Tetsujin, the manzai stylings of Down Town and J-Rock, I began studying Japanese when I entered Pitzer College in Southern California. My studies eventually led me to a year of study at Tokyo's Waseda University, where I worked part time at a "British" pub and shot extensive footage for a documentary video about the Ganguro (顔黒)and Visual Kei (ビジュアル系) subcultures in Tokyo, which became material for my senior thesis. I graduated from college this past May with a combined major in Japanese and Media Studies, which proved an interesting combination indeed.
Having been fortunate enough to travel within Kansai during my first stint in Japan, I am overjoyed to be allowed to live in the beautiful city of Kyoto and help facilitate international communication through the publication of this newsletter. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I will have making it!
Yoroshiku ne!
Life in Kyoto recently interviewed Mr. Mason Florence, an American photo journalist and travel writer residing in Kyoto. After living in New York and Colorado, Mr. Florence moved to Japan and has traveled all over South East Asia, contributing to the Lonely Planet guidebook series. Mr. Florence is currently involved with the Chiiori project (www.chiiori.org), helping to restore a 300 year old kayabuki-yane （茅葺屋根）thatched roof farm house in Shikoku's secluded Iya Valley.
Q: When and why did you first come to Japan? Why did you chose Kyoto as your base city?
A: I first visited Japan on a study abroad program in 1987, and decided to come back to live after graduating from the University of Colorado in 1990. I chose Kyoto because I had fallen in love with the city when I first came as a student.
Q: What did you think of Japan in your early years of living here?
A: I loved it! Everything was new, exciting, and it was a lot easier than I had previously thought for a foreigner to survive.
Q: What do you think of Japanese people, and the people in Kyoto? Has your perspective changed over the years?
A: The Japanese people have been wonderful to me since day one - possibly the most hospitable people in the world. As a foreigner, the less you know about Japan the more susceptible you are to all of the hospitality and kindness. However, the longer you live in Japan and the more you understand the language and customs, the more you desire (incomplete sentence!) Kyotoites are notorious for their 'tatemae' (建前: public face, as opposed to private thoughts )and not saying what they really think. Likewise, this is something else you begin to pick up on the longer you stay; but hey, it's one of the few things that makes Kyoto truly unique from the rest of Japan, so I actually kind of enjoy it.
Q: What were your career goals when you first came to Japan? When did you decide to become a travel writer and photographer?
A: Initially I had only planned to spend a year in Japan, but the career I'd hoped to carve out for myself became a reality. I didn't expect it to happen this way, but it just did. Then in 1997 I got involved with restoring an old farmhouse in Shikoku, and that has largely been what keeps me coming to Japan.
Q: Your home city of New York is a fascinating place that has attracted many young Japanese people to live and work there. What made you choose Japan or Asia over New York for your work?
A: Asia is experiencing a great period of change now, and it's an exciting time to be here, witnessing and documenting the changes first hand.
Q: What do you find charming about Kyoto, both in your early years of living here and now ?
A: In the early years it was temple-hopping, hiking the hills around the city, and trying not to miss a single local festival. Nowadays I'm more interested in getting to know people better, and Kyoto has an interesting cast of characters!
Q: What do you think is the relationship between Kyoto's traditional culture and it's people?.
A: Kyotoites, like it or not, have a whole lot of history flowing in their blood. In recent years there's been something of a trend, notably among young people, toward embracing Kyoto's traditional culture. This to me is a good sign.
Q: Given your involvement with the preservation of the Kayabuki (thatched roof farm houses) in Iya, Shikoku, what is your opinion of traditional and historical things in Kyoto?
A: Again, in recent years there have been some fascinating things going on in Kyoto with regard to historic preservation. I think the key, however, is not simply preserving buildings for preservation's sake, but searching for ways to link the past to the present. One way is restoring Kyo-machiya (traditional Kyoto buildings) into usable, modern structures, while maintaining their integrity and beauty. The Art in Machiya program, an on-going series of art exhibitions held in traditional Kyoto townhouses, is one very successful example of this.
One very sad thing about Kyoto, however, is the mish-mashy look of the neighborhoods; traditional wooden homes next to concrete boxes, oodles of overhead wires wherever you look, trashy signage and so on. Amazingly, aesthetic zoning is a concept that
Has yet to reach Kyoto, and the 'anything goes' approach to urban development here has created, overall, a very ugly cityscape.
Q: Tell me about your activities in Iya, and your work as a travel writer and photographer.
A: I would have loved to involve myself in restoring traditional buildings in Kyoto, but fate took me to Shikoku's Iya Valley and since 1997 I've been putting most of my energy into restoring a 300 year old thatched roof farmhouse there (www.chiiori.org). If I had the time and money, however, I would love to do a similar project in Kyoto.
Otherwise, in my work as a travel writer, photographer and tour leader, I spend a great deal of time on the road all over Japan.
Q: As a travel writer, what is your opinion of tourism in Kyoto?
A: I think Kyoto is an incredible place, and still charms the socks off of most foreign tourists. But if it weren't for the temples and shrines around the periphery of the city, it would be questionable whether Kyoto is worth visiting at all. Most of downtown Kyoto
Looks like Beirut in the mid 1980s, and as such the city center unfortunately lacks the 'strolling around' charm of other historic world cities such as, say, Paris or Rome. Once you're back from visiting the temples, the only thing that can protect you is a blindfold.
Q: Why do you think Kyoto is so different from other historical cities like Rome or Paris?
A: The citizens of places like Roma and Paris did not allow their cities to suffer the fate of Kyoto, largely because the people who live in these cities have a greater say in local city planning and urban development. In Japan everything is left up to the powers that be, and unfortunately these powers tend to be more concerned about creating profitable construction contracts than making their cities beautiful and livable. I recommend reading Alex Kerr's recent book 'Dogs & Demons' ('Inu to Oni': 犬と鬼); he describes in detail how and why Japan slid so far off track.
Q: Kyoto has changed a lot over the years. For example, many Kimono companies have gone bankrupt and before you know it, their buildings have been changed into condominiums. What do you think of the increasing trend of tall buildings being built in Kyoto?
A: It's a travesty. The Kyoto Hotel is a prime example of how the view to the mountains from downtown is gradually being destroyed. Even the monks from Kyoto's major temples tried stopping it, but in the end, their efforts were in vain.
Q: Conversely, many machiya have been changed into restaurants and boutiques by young people wishing to create a retro atmosphere in the downtown area. Kyoto's Sanjo Dori district in particular has been actively changed by young people charmed by the novelty of traditional Japanese styles. What do you think of this trend?
A: Of course I see this as a good sign, and only hope the trend continues. Indeed some steps are being taken in the right direction, but it's going to be a long trek before Kyoto can reinvent itself into a beautiful city.
Q: What do you think of Kyoto's future as a city?
A: Kyoto will always be a place to visit, and will continue to attract both Japanese and foreign visitors for all time.
It's a pity that many treasured traditional Japanese buildings have disappeared. Although it may be difficult to preserve traditional buildings given modern weather and life styles, it's a mistake to be blind to the blessing of being able to use the precious things created with the knowledge and efforts of ancient people.
This interview reminded me of a statement made by the owner of the Reizeike HouseＩvisited last January: "Our house is in almost the same condition as in the old days, But because we live in it, we've added an air conditioner and earthquake proofed the building." Following this example, we can help create a nicer city by continuing to use traditional buildings equipped with convenient modern devices.
My interview with Mr. Mason Florence helped me realize the importance of preserving Kyoto's traditional buildings for future generations.
A.Tara
Walking around the Nishijin or Muromachi area, have you ever noticed a statue on the roof of a stern looking man with a mustache and a beard? The statue's name is "Shoki Sama"（お鍾馗さま）Why does he look so grumpy, you ask? In order to explain, It's necessary to think back to the days of old China.
This story takes place during the T'ang Dynasty in China (唐時代、618-907 AD). There once lived a young man named "Shoki". He went to the capital city, Xi'an, in order to take an exam to become a Mandarin(a high ranking government official). Shoki passed the exam at the top of his class, and was given the place of honor. However, the emperor decided to dismiss Shoki because he didn't like the man's stern expression. Shoki was dismayed to have all his hard work come to nothing, and committed suicide as a result.
Some time later, the emperor fell ill. In his sickness he dreamt that he was attacked by demons and saved by a giant. The emperor asked the giant his name. "I am Shoki," the giant said. " I wasn't recognized as being qualified to be a Mandarin, and killed myself in despair. You were kind enough to give me a good burial, and by way of appreciation, I swear loyalty to the nation."
After the dream, the emperor was mysteriously cured of his illness. He had an artist create a depiction of Shoki-Sama as he appeared in the dream, and the picture was consecrated as a deity. Shouki-Sama's image is considered to have the ability to help cure people who have fallen ill.
Many homes in Kyoto have tiles depicting Shoki-Sama on their roof. This tradition began many years ago, when a rich man had a tile in the shape of a demon's face(鬼瓦) installed on the roof of his house. Some time after, a girl living in the house opposite the rich man became confined to bed by sickness. Her family could not afford to hire a doctor to heal the girl. Following the rich man's example, they put a Shoki-Sama doll on their roof, believing it might help the girl. The girl miraculously recovered a few days later. To this day, Shoki-style tiles and statues are believed to drive away evil spirits and are known in Kyoto as "Oshoki-San" (お鍾馗さん).
You might have thought Shoki-San was cruel based on his stern expression. Nothing could be further from the truth. Kyoto is indebted to Shoki-Sama for helping to create a peaceful life for it's people.
If you've never seen Shoki Sama, walk around and carefully study the roof on old Japanese homes. Instead of visiting traditional tourist spots like Kinkakuji (金閣寺)or Kiyomizudera (清水寺),ｗhy not go for a walk and look for Shoki Sama tiles and statues？Shoki Sama is a must-see attraction!
K.Ishima
After three unforgettable years as editor of Life in Kyoto (LIK), my sojourn has come to an end. It's time to 'pull up stumps' and bid my farewells. It is said that life is a constant state of change, and as I embark on a new adventure, I'd like to a take a moment to reflect.
I now understand why the JET position at the International Community House is limited to three years. If I had stayed here any longer, my English would have become so poor that no one would be able to comprehend LIK. What's even more worrisome is reading the "How you know you've been in Japan too long" jokes and realizing you fit every stereotype.
After adjusting to the intense humidity of my first summer in Kyoto, I was blessed with the most impressive autumn that I ever recall seeing. Strolling down Tetsugaku-no-michi (哲学の道、Philosophers Path) one lazy afternoon I couldn't help but stare in fascination. The crimson red and yellow maple leaves (紅葉) were brought to life as the sunlight filtered through the trees. It was one of those moments when you don't bother take a photo, but simply soak up the atmosphere.
The ability to get around Kyoto and its outer areas by bicycle has been very enjoyable. Like many before me, I've loved discovering old back streets and mountain paths, every season gracing me with a new appreciation of my surroundings. However, what struck a sour chord was the gradual disappearance of the city's architecture and natural heritage. Despite the disturbing lack of concern shown by many of the younger generation, and the bosozoku （暴走族）bikeｒ gangs that constantly break the sound-barrier on their souped-up machines, Kyoto has an ambience unmatched by any other city.
There is little need to further bombard you with "unique" impressions of Kyoto、which are no doubt all too familiar. What I do know, however, is the experiences of had and the people I've met surely make up for this lack of originality. Every single memory, every single person, has been unique. Apart from a few big nights on the town, its all there, stored in my treasure box linked by heart, mind and soul. The friendships especially, I will never forget.
There are so many "thank-you"'s to say, but the biggest thanks must go to the resourceful and witty volunteers who write LIK. Without them LIK would not be what it is today. I also hope that you, the reader, have found reading it as entertaining and helpful as much as I have enjoyed producing it.
Best Wishes,
Tristan Grey
Editor, Life in Kyoto,
Aug. 1999 - Sept. 2002