Kyoto, in Sound

For the first episode of the New Year, I turn the microphone around to share one of my own favourite sounds: the Joya no Kane bell.

Recorded at Tanjoji temple in Fushimi-ku, this episode explores the ritual of ringing the temple bell 108 times to banish our worldly desires (bonnō).

I also take a winter walk from the stark beauty of Jojakko-ji to the sacred halls of Shoren-in, exploring how the silence of winter prepares us for the resonance of the New Year.

A slow, meditative listen for anyone recovering from the busy-ness of t...

Duration: 00:07:43

A few weeks ago I went to Osawa Pond—the oldest garden pond in Japan—looking for silence and tranquility.

Instead, I found a gardener with a wood chipper and a construction crew with wooden mallets.

In this episode of Kyoto, in Sound, I explore what happens when the sanctuary you're seeking turns out to be a construction site. It's a sonic letter to a busy friend.

Find more about my sound walks at kyotoinsound.com, with behind-the-scenes moments shared over on Substack.

Duration: 00:07:24

On a drizzly October morning at Shinnyo-do temple in North-East Kyoto, I meet Kacchan—a respected Buddha sculptor who has worked with some of the city's most important temples. But today, she's brought me to her local temple, a place she's known since childhood.

We arrive on the one day each year when the Amitabha Sutra Association performs the secret Inzei Amida Sutra. As the monks' voices rise and fall in meditation, something remarkable happens: the crows and birds in the temple grounds begin calling out in response, weaving their own prayer into the chanting.

Un...

Duration: 00:07:52

In downtown Kawaramachi, surrounded by high-rise buildings and constant traffic, most people seek escape from the noise. But Liz chose to live here deliberately.

In this episode, I speak with Liz, originally from England, who lived in Mexico and California before making Kyoto her home. She tells me about "life-affirming sounds"—the difference between human sound and machine noise, and why the bustle of Kawaramachi reminds her of what she loved most about Mexico City.

From the clatter of shop shutters opening in the morning to the traditional fire prevention night-watch echoing through modern streets, Li...

Duration: 00:07:46

The Takase River winds quietly through central Kyoto, where the city’s noise meets the voices of insects and flowing water.

In this episode, I walk with Chie, a Kyoto-based illustrator, who tells me why the sounds of autumn are her favourite. For her, the shift from cicadas to crickets reminds her of a Japanese phrase 静と動, stillness and movement, and the balance between energy and reflection.

As the river carries us through stone-lined streets, we pause to hear how these insects mark the shift of the season.

Find more about my sound walks at kyoto...

Duration: 00:09:41

It's only a short walk from Kyoto Station, but Suzaku garden feels like a world away from the bustle of the city's busiest train station.

For this first episode of Kyoto, in Sound, I spoke to Rumi, who grew up in Tokyo and now lives in Kyoto, about her favourite sound in Kyoto and she takes me back to her childhood summers spent in Suzaku garden with her grandmother.

Through field recordings and storytelling, we explore how a single place can hold memories that span decades.

Find more information at kyotoinsound.com

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Duration: 00:09:23