Core Kyoto

The changing leaves vividly color Kyoto, which lies in a basin and has marked temperature differences. For more than a millennium, people have delighted in their beauty and picnicked under the trees. Today, the changing leaves continue to enchant Kyotoites, who live within the changing seasons. The exquisite leaves adorn traditional kaiseki cuisine dishes, and the trees lit up at night are a magical sight. Some are so captured by their magnificence they express it in waka poetry and the arts.

All Episodes - Season 1

Episode 1

Kyo-machiya: Connecting People's Hearts

Episode 2

Kaiseki-ryori : The Ultimate in Culinary Hospitality

Episode 3

Buddhist Statues: Figures of Belief and Beauty

Episode 4

Hanami: Kyoto's Cherry Viewing Festivities in the Spring

Episode 5

Japanese-style Paintings: The Breathing World of Beauty

Episode 6

Kyoto Lodgings: Hearty Consideration That Soothes Travelers

Episode 7

Kagai: Kyoto's Flower District Where Elegant Dreams Bloom

Episode 8

Aoi Matsuri: A Dynastic Festival in the Presence of the Deities

Episode 9

Chanoyu: A Bowl of Tea Draws Hearts Together

Episode 10

Gion Matsuri: The Spirit of the Townspeople During Summer's Grand Festival

Episode 11

Shojin-ryori: Zen Cuisine as Training Within the Teachings

Episode 12

Water Traditions: The Old Capital's Rich Natural Blessings

Episode 13

Kyo-shikki: The Jet-black, Golden Beauty of Kyoto Lacquerware

Episode 14

Karesansui: The Zen Cosmos in a Garden for Spiritual Training

Episode 15

Nishijin-ori: Beauty Crystallized in a Kyoto Brocade

Episode 16

Shinise: Established Businesses Survive the Centuries

Episode 17

The Changing Leaves: The Transient Fall Beauty of the Ancient Capital