Old Kyoto: A Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants, and Inns
Kyoto is recognised as one of the most beautiful cities in the
world. It is also the repository of traditional Japanese culture:
still very much alive here. Now, completely updated and revised,
this lovingly written travelogue-cum-guidebook is for the traveller
seeking to find the "real Kyoto". The book focuses on the
family establishments that have been active for generations. In the
old shops and inns that continue to thrive on the narrow
backstreets, the visitor may glimpse the old way of life. Here, a
careful examination of action and deed will uncover treasures: the
way a hand-crafted calligraphy brush is bound, a miniature garden
tended, a bamboo basket woven. Long-time Kyoto resident Diane
Durston reveals this hidden world. Dozens of maps and photographs
amplify her vision. Never before have the traditional ways been
introduced in such depth, with such care, in such a handy guidebook
format. The old ways survive. Finding them is another matter...
"The recommended establishments in Old Kyoto are so consistently good .... and Diane Durston has woven history and legend into her descriptions of Kyoto's finest and oldest establishments." -The New York Times "Diane Durston ... leads us into the secrets and hidden beauties of the city with a grace and warmth that are themselves reflective of the vanishing traditions they celebrate. Whenever anyone says he or she wants to see the 'true soul of Kyoto, ' I say, 'Buy this book!'" -Pico Iyer "The wonder is that no one has done what Diane Durston has done, and the delight is that Diane Durston has done it so well." -The Japan Times "Durston's book is an eloquent look at seven neighborhoods where everyday life in Japan continues despite the crush of modernity...." -Seattle Post-Intelligencer "This lovingly written travelogue-cum-guidebook has become de rigueur for knowledgeable travelers seeking to find 'the real Kyoto'." -Rafu Shimpo
DIANE DURSTON is a writer, lecturer, and consultant on Japan and Asian cultures. She has written three books on Kyoto, where she lived for eighteen years. Kyoto: Seven Paths to the Heart of the City and The Living Traditions of Old Kyoto are her two other publications. Durston now lives in Portland, Oregon.
