Bill in Japan - modern KYOTO

Kyoto has a wealth of ancient buildings, but the city has been steadily acquiring a reputation as a destination for fans of contemporary Japanese architecture. Heavy hitters like Arata Isozaki, Tadao Ando, Fumihiko Maki, Hiroshi Hara and Shin Takamatsu all have designed buildings in Kyoto, with quite a few in the trendy Kitayama area of north Kyoto.

The Japanese are great admirers of the various gardens in and around Kyoto. The changing of the seasons are very popular with the locals, who enjoy snapping photos of the colorful cherry trees blossoming in April, or the leaves of maple trees settling into colorful symphonies in October and November.

If you enjoyed this section, read my other sections on TOKYO and KYOTO.

Some of the beautiful images of Kyoto are courtesy of my good friend, local Chicago architect Marius Ronnett. Our Japanese journey took place in the fall of 1999.

Quick Tips:

If you are commuting from Tokyo to either Kyoto or Osaka, a less expensive way to go is by riding the JR "Dream Bus" instead of the regular trains or "bullet trains". The bus moves at a slower pace at night, so you can save a night of hotel cost. The double-decked bus is surprisingly comfortable, with reclining seats, headphones, slippers, and cups of green tea. I have a hard time sleeping in vehicles, but I was actually able to get a few hours of sleep. Sleep, alas to dream!

Some institutions or unique rooms are off-limits to the general public unless you obtain special permission to visit beforehand.

Check your local papers in Kyoto for special free events around the city. I attended a free "Koto" concert in the assembly hall of Avanti, a large department store just south of the Kyoto Station. The musicians played a variety of classical Japanese instruments to a captivated audience for about 90 minutes, and the price was right. This cultural experience included the act of signing a guest book, with the signature spaces appearing as vertical instead of horizontal lines (the Japanese write vertically and to the left).

Best Way To Get Around:

The modern subway is an excellent system with easy-to-read signage in Japanese and English. Because it has only two lines, the system has a somewhat limited coverage area. The network of buses is good, but the signs are mostly in Japanese. Traffic on the streets can be daunting, slowing everybody down. You can buy a handy transportation pass good for one or two days, good for unlimited rides on the two metro lines and most city buses. The two-day pass is not cheap (2000 yen) so get one at a subway station and have it activated there if you think you will ride the public transportation a lot.

This foreign students' house is geared towards backpackers and wanderers, and set in a pleasant residential neighborhood in the north part of Kyoto. It's very close to boutique shops, restaurants, a women's college, vegetable gardens, and strange modern buildings. There are also cultural attractions like the Arata Isozaki's slick Kyoto Symphony Hall (1995), Tadao Ando's curious Garden of Fine Art (1994), and the Botanical Gardens.

I booked my reservation via fax a couple of weeks ahead of arrival date, and reconfirmed about a week before arrival. They take guests for a minimum three-night stay, and they have special rates for stays lasting a week, a month, and other long-term plans. Upon check-in you will pay a deposit for your room and its accompanying padlock. You have the option for heating kerosene for the room. Even though it was cool in mid-November, my friend and I chose not to pay the nominal charge for the heating oil. Our room 21 was very basic, with tatami mats, rolled-up sleeping pads, thin sheets, a bit of closet space, and not a whole lot else. It seemed like "indoor camping" to us, as I had to wear an extra sweatshirt at bedtime. The room did have a small window to the outside world, but we kept it closed to retain the room's limited level of warmth. Green Peace has private or shared rooms, and there is no strict curfew.

The shared facilities are "down the hall" in this cross between a youth hostel and a ryokan. The sink, toilet and shower are all separate, and there is a common kitchen as well. You are provided with a large washcloth, so you may be inclined to buy a larger towel from a local store if you are staying for a lengthy period (we stayed four nights so we were able to tolerate the small towel). Bring your own soap and toilet paper just in case. The toilet is not a western toilet, but a floor-level Asian-style toilet. Many Japanese institutions have public facilities with both kinds of toilets, but this is the first place I encountered that had only the Asian-style. So you have to squat on the back of your heels like a catcher in baseball, facing the wall and water pipe, and you try to do your business as quickly as possible. So no lingering in the john with a newspaper here!

There is a communal living room with a TV, where you can flip through a magazine or newspaper. Meet like-minded travelers from around the world; we met folks from New Zealand, Switzerland and Israel. The front door is strewn with the shoes of guests, as you are supposed to walk in socks or slippers within the establishment. This is not a bad place to stay, and the price is dirt-cheap, but there are absolutely no luxuries at all here. The location is just south of trendy Kitayama Street, near a brook and not far from a subway station.

This typically busy and large "depato" in central Kyoto was established in 1920. Its convenient location stakes it just north of the JR Kyoto Station, the Kyoto Tower and the helpful Tourist Information Center. Affiliated with the Kinki Nippon Railway, there is also another Kintetsu in Gifu city.

The large store has your usually variety of clothing, household goods, and an extensive food emporium! It is always fun to walk around and check out the wide range of exotic and unusual foods. You can get samples of Japanese tea, cookies, gyoza dumplings, Godiva chocolates and other snacks. If you are not really hungry, the food emporium is a good place for a quick and free nosh. There are plenty of extraordinarily friendly employees ready to assist you. They are not spaced every four feet apart, but sometimes it may seem that way to the western visitor.

Kintetsu has a decent central food court that is handy for folks on a somewhat limited budget. We were on our way from the main Kyoto Station to our hostel when we stopped in here for a bite to eat. I had a passable dish of curry chicken with steamed white rice at one of the food court restaurants. As you can imagine, the food is easy to order despite the language barrier, and your lunch is served efficiently at a cozy sit-down counter.

Kintetsu has a foreign currency exchange on the first floor, and an art gallery on the fifth floor.

This is part of a chain of Chinese fast-food restaurants, with many locations in the United States but with also six outlets in Japan. This location is in the rather trendy area of Kitayama in the northern part of Kyoto.

There are a simple variety of Chinese comfort foods served here, nothing too exciting or offensive but everything tastes decent enough. The combination plates allow you to choose between one to three entree choices along with a side of steamed white rice, fried rice or chow mein noodles. Select from entrees like beef and broccoli, orange chicken, sweet and sour pork, or mandarin chicken. You can also get a cup of soup or a soft drink. All the selections are clearly presented to you from behind the glass counter and are posted on the easy-to-read English and Japanese menu.

The prices are fairly reasonable, and the service is friendly and efficient enough. The comfortably spartan interior is not a bad place to relax after a long hard day of walking around temples.

This unusual outdoor plaza is an urban "garden" depicting reproductions of some notable artworks. Why would anyone want to see ceramic recreations of Michaelangelo's "Last Judgment" or DaVinci's "Last Supper" in Kyoto? The main reason is that the renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando designed the architectural container of the artistic representations in 1994.

The entrance fee is rather minimal, and the ticket booth area has public restrooms and brochures with a handful of souvenirs on sale. A stroll through here takes you on a sampler of six western art masterpieces (the other original artists featured are Monet, Renoir, Seurat and Van Gogh) and two Asian examples. Some of the reproductions are close to full-scale (the Last Judgment consists of 110 ceramic panels), while some are blow-ups of the original scale. Monet's "Water Lilies" is displayed on an inclined lower surface, as if you were looking down at an actual lily pond. Minimalist metal frames border the artworks.

Ando’s trademark use of concrete allows for a dynamic design featuring an interesting juxtaposition of ramps, walkways, beams, overhangs and thin walls. The peaceful plaza also has a soothing water cascade. The minimal entrance fee prevents anyone from just wandering into the plaza. There is no parking at the location.

Seeing a reproduction of the "Last Judgment" in an outside plaza is obviously not the same as seeing the real thing in the Sistine Chapel, but the plaza serves as an educational and enlightening device for those who are unable to see the original works of art.

This four-story modern rectangle mass ("Kindai Bijutsukan") was designed by the noted Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki in 1986. The design is appropriate for an institution that houses 20th Century paintings and ceramics, with an emphasis on Japanese artists from the Kyoto and Kansai areas. The exterior pattern of squares created by stone veneer, aluminum and glass panels is supposed to refer to the original city grid of Kyoto's city layout. The building does have corner stairwells with glass walls, which are lit up in the evening to brighten things up. The skylight on top allows for soft daylight into the atrium, with its large ceremonial stair. A few windows are grouped near the first floor outdoor patio area.

Permanent exhibits are displayed on the fourth floor. The museum also features popular traveling temporary exhibits. There is a cafeteria and shop on the first floor, as usual.

The museum is located within Okazaki Park, near institutions like the Heian Jingu Shrine and the Kyoto Municipal Art Museum. The big orange-red torii gate of the Heian Shrine seems to visually clash with the brooding gray of the museum. Just south of the museum is a line of small trees drooping over the Biwakososui Canal.

The museum is closed on Mondays, and features extended Friday hours into the evening during the spring and summer months.

This huge transportation gateway to Kyoto was designed by Tokyo architect Hiroshi Hara, the winning entrant during an international design competition in 1990. Opened in 1997, the modern steel and glass station is located just south of central Kyoto and is bustling with activity. It is a connection point to the efficient Japanese train network, and there are a variety of stores and dining establishments attached to it. The colorful blocks help to break up the imposing length of the "geographical concourse" (the building is 1540 feet long, 88.5 feet wide and 60 feet high). We were there in mid-November and there was a festive Christmas area with a prominently decorated tree and fake presents and lights strewn about. The landmark Kyoto Tower, built in the 1960's, is across the street north of the station.

The Sky Garden on the 12th floor has some nice views of the surrounding area as well as the station's central atrium. It is fun to see the thousands of young people traipsing about the stores, the Escher-like staircases, and the walkways. The station is basically an entertainment complex and a city in itself, which also includes a hotel, theater and amusement hall.

As you have some yen to spend, you will not starve at the station. The various areas within the station reportedly have over 100 places to dine, from high-end to fast food. Porta is the underground shopping mall with an accompanying food court. The Cube is a popular food court on the 11th floor of the Isetan department store.

Notable contemporary Japanese architects like Arata Isozaki, Tadao Ando, Fumihiko Maki, Hiroshi Hara and Shin Takamatsu all have designed buildings in Kyoto, with quite a few in the trendy Kitayama area of north Kyoto. Some of their projects are covered in other sections of this article.

Arata Isozaki designed the Kyoto Symphony Hall in 1995, in the Kitayama area. This impressive complex has been described as a "temple" to classical music, and it is the home to the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra. The main hall seats 1833, and the Ensemble Hall holds 500 seats. One of its facades has a sweeping wave not unlike that of the curved edge of a piano, or perhaps like the bars on a sheet of music. The building exterior has slick surfaces that draw attention away from the simple urban environment to the building itself.

Besides the Garden of Fine Art, Tadao Ando designed the B-Lock Kitayama project (1990) in that north Kyoto neighborhood. However, his Time's 1 (1984) and Time's 2 (1991) projects have achieved more acclaim. The first phase has three stories, and has a shallow metallic vault roof over its length. The second phase is taller and has a squarish stainless-steel "dome" roof capping it. These two pieces, located in a popular urban neighborhood, are hemmed in along the Takasegawa River, which is lined with trees. The mood of these elements is striking with a drizzle falling upon the dusk of the city.

Shin Takamatsu's most notable project is probably Kirin Plaza (1987) in Osaka, but he has designed a bunch of smaller buildings in Kyoto. The three phases of Origin (1981, 1982 and 1986) feature a facade that is a predecessor of his Syntax building. Its polished granite panels, vertical slit entrance and large central oval window create the impression of a stern face. Ark (1983) looks like a concrete locomotive with unusual pipes. His bold forms are definitely unique, whether you like them or not. Kitayama-dori Avenue is the home for the Week Building (1986) and Syntax (1990). The symmetrical T-shaped facade of Syntax looks like a stylized totem pole, a being with arms outstretched, or whatever your surrealistic mind wants it to be. It has surfaces like polished stone and aluminum panels. The large open stairways lead to the roof and the two cantilevered sections, the "arms" of the structure. This is quite a wild container, with four stories and two underground levels for boutiques and restaurants. The bold facade just overwhelms the small trees along the sidewalk, turning them into pieces of urban parsley.