Kyoto's blank spaces are everywhere
BRUTUS' first Kyoto feature in four years, with the theme "Kyoto's White Space." While "Kyoto 101 Things," created in 2021, showcased the city's vibrant charm, this issue has carefully selected places where the space and its atmosphere allow for a relaxing and fulfilling experience. This is a must-read for anyone who has hesitated to go to Kyoto, fearing it will be crowded with inbound tourists.
The first part of the magazine features 12 establishments run by representatives of modern Kyoto, where you can spend a unique time. The owners also introduce a wide range of places where they themselves spend such time, from shops to temples, shrines, and nature.
We also asked artists and creators with ties to Kyoto, such as Nawa Kohei and Hara Marihiko, about the places where they spend their time feeling a sense of yohaku, giving us a glimpse into the scenery and time that form part of the source of their work and ideas.Furthermore, we introduce restaurants where food experts can experience the "yohaku" they envision, and hear from a Zen Buddhist monk about ancient temples where he can clear his mind.
The word "white space" has a wide range of meanings and is interpreted differently by each person, so it's important to pay attention to where you each find "white space."
It was the day after my visit that I truly experienced Kyoto's "free space." When I visited the much talked about Zakotora Shoten, a bar that opens early on a weekday afternoon, I met some working-age experts on daytime bar hopping. I had assumed that a bar that's always crowded wouldn't have any free space, but the staff and drinkers seemed to be having fun in the sun, and there was a sense of ease. I felt that "a bar that's open in the daytime and where you can drink" was exactly what Kyoto's free space is.
This is merely my hypothesis as a casual passerby, but I think the reason there are so many bars in Kyoto that open early and serve alcohol is ultimately because there are so many independently run restaurants. Because there are so many independently run establishments, people have more flexibility in their schedules, and they probably drop by their favorite places before work, so the overall flow is good. Some people drink while their kids are at school because they can't go out at night due to child rearing. Tourists are welcome, of course, and if you strike up a conversation with a regular customer or bar staff sitting next to you, they might even recommend a place to go next. Kyoto has a tolerance for even the way people drink, and I wanted to share that feeling, so I created the project "Kyoto's Leisure is in Daytime Drinking."
Dear readers, next time you visit Kyoto, please try to find your own "blank space in Kyoto."
