Kyoto, the cultural capital of Japan, may be well known for its grand old temples and stately imperial villas, but one long-time resident decided to shine the spotlight on the beauty of the city's more humble architecture.
About a year ago, photographer and founder of Kyoto Journal magazine, John Einarsen, began shooting an Instagram series called "Small Buildings of Kyoto" on his iPhone during his daily bicycle journeys around town. He has since taken over 200 images of homes, businesses, workshops, as well as the odd neighborhood shrine and teahouse -- each one brimming with personality and charm. We told him we really ought to compile a book out of some of these photos. And that's just what he did.
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Red Roses On A Gray Day
Home On Big Street
Small Clothing Shop In Traditional Home
Cut Salon Nagahara
Odds-And-Ends Carpenter On Horikawa St
Kyoto Tsukemono (Pickle) Shop
Neighborhood Jizo Shrine With Cd To Keep Away The Crows
Airing Out Futon
Blue Cut House
Shop Front
Kotobuki Industries
Hair Salon Yamashita
Esperanto Hall, The Place You Can Speak Esperanto In Kyoto
Chiffon Cake Cafe And Wedding Dress Shop
Shimadai Gallery On Oike St
Traditional-Modern
Garden Of Potted Plants
Retro Kissaten Coffee Pocket With Matching Bike
Urban Architecture
Kissa Apuriko
'Apuriko'? (I read it twice on the awning - THEN looked at the title.) I believe it's a small clothing chain.
Guesthouse Cafe With Pictures Of Audrey Hepburn Taped To Windows Of The Sliding Doors
Cute Small Building
Trash Day
That house looks very Western to me -- esp the design of the door and windows. But charming nonetheless.
Maiko Antiques
Mobus, God Loves You, Mr. Hedgie
Arai Tofu-Ten, The Neighborhood Tofu Shop
I notice pots and pots of plants everywhere... very nice ... where I am from, someone would have already broken them or stole them, or the dogs would pee on them....
Ikebana Tools Kanetaka
That is a GORGEOUS shop. I could have spent a whole lot of money there. The tools are amazing and the quality is better than anything I've ever seen.
Satellite Dishes On The This Boutique Look Like Mickey Mouse Ears; And Look At That Noren On The Right!
Onigiriya-San
Cute Neighborhood Electric Shop
Blue And Orange Curtains
Coffee Shop Mitsuwa On 7th Ave
Thank you, Lucinda Ping, for bringing this to Bored Panda. I've yet to visit Japan, but photo series like this help to remind me that it is not all a perfect garden with a shrine and passing geisha. It is shabby too, and people struggle to survive, and places go to ruin, and people live ordinary hard-working lives, and have pot-plants. Lots of pot plants! (There is a tiny museum in Neyagawa, Osaka, dedicated to karakuri dolls. These photos remind me of it)
Thank you, Lucinda Ping, for bringing this to Bored Panda. I've yet to visit Japan, but photo series like this help to remind me that it is not all a perfect garden with a shrine and passing geisha. It is shabby too, and people struggle to survive, and places go to ruin, and people live ordinary hard-working lives, and have pot-plants. Lots of pot plants! (There is a tiny museum in Neyagawa, Osaka, dedicated to karakuri dolls. These photos remind me of it)
