Core Kyoto

Suiseki is the appreciation of natural stone shapes using poetic imagination to visualize magnificent mountain, island, or waterfall landscapes. This pastime arrived from China in the late 1100's and spread among Kyoto aristocrats and Zen monks. Suiseki's beauty lies in the stones' understated simplicity and becalming quality. The Seven Stones of Kamo found in the Kamo River basin are prized in suiseki circles. Discover the profound world of rock appreciation that evolved in the old capital.

All Episodes - Season 4

Episode 1

Kyo-yaki: Kyoto Ceramics Charm and Delight the Beholder

Episode 2

Suiseki: A World of Understated Beauty Within Natural Stone

Episode 3

Kyo-Kanoko Shibori: Untying the Beauty Bound Within

Episode 4

Small Restaurants: A Full, Rich Experience While Sipping Sake

Episode 5

Obi: Unbridled Beauty in a Knot

Episode 6

Traditional Musical Instruments: Eternal Tones Waft Through the Ancient Capital

Episode 7

Woodblock Prints: Beauty in the Hands of a Trinity of Artists

Episode 8

Tsubo-niwa: Life Enhanced by Quintessential Spaces

Episode 9

Insho Domoto: The Pulsing Heart of Artistic Innovation

Episode 10

Hidden Treasures: Preserved for Another Millennium

Episode 11

Kyoto Walls: Elegance Molded from Earth

Episode 12

Kata-yuzen: The Stenciled Beauty of Dyeing

Episode 13

Cool Customs: Beating the Summer Heat

Episode 14

Atago Sennichi Mairi: Pilgrimage to the Guardian Against Fire

Episode 15

Kiyomizu Rokubey: Tradition and Vision in Ceramics

Episode 16

Stone Jizo: Neighborhood Guardians Watch Over Children

Episode 17

The Cinema Capital: The Professionals Behind the Samurai Filming Industry

Episode 18

Fusuma Paintings: Artful Partitions Transform Space

Episode 19

Yase Shamenchi Odori: A Dance of Gratitude

Episode 20

Iwakura Fire Festival: The Divine Spirit Returns