Finding "Home" in Kyoto
A video letter and a search for solid ground.
When I lived in Tokyo, my wife and I ran a coffee shop in the east of the city — Deakin St coffee stand — and we lived above it. There was this staircase right in the middle of the cafe that separated our private life upstairs from the customers downstairs. I still remember the sound of kids trying to clamber up those metal stairs whilst I was busy making coffee for the other guests. Then, home was a narrowboat in London, where the sound of the coots in the river greeted us every morning.
In a way, that might explain why I’m so drawn to the stillness of the houses here in Kyoto. I’ve put a video together about two houses that I especially enjoy—Kawai Kanjiro’s house and the Silver Pavilion. I’ve also thrown in little bits and pieces from our place.
I’ve woven in some thoughts from Marcus Aurelius and William Morris into this one because they both seemed to understand that a home is just a place to “retire into yourself.”
Please enjoy the video above and let me know your thoughts by shooting me an email. I’m curious to know what home sounds like to you. Is it the kettle boiling, a friend’s laughter, or just the silence that abounds when the door finally clicks shut?
If you know someone who might enjoy this, please do consider sharing this. It helps quite a bit.
And as always, thank you for noticing with me.
SJF
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