Tuning Out the Noise
My Personal Map of Kyoto’s Overlooked Corners
I often get asked this question by people planning a trip here: ‘Where should I go to feel the real Kyoto?’
For a city that most people treat as a visual checklist it’s a loaded question, isn’t it? The majority of visitors are looking for a temple recommendation or the best spot to see the cherry blossoms. But for me, that ‘where’ is less about famous places, and more about the feeling of walking away from those famous places, heading down a small street and discovering the city’s true personality of its overlooked corners.
The true Kyoto is found just as much in the trickle of a tiny temple pond as in the local greeting ‘ookini’ — おおきに — which residents here use for thank you instead of the standard 'arigatou’.
When I arrived here from London, I became obsessed with bypassing the ‘tourist noise’ to find and get to know this city’s true face. I felt unease at how easy it is for some visitors to see Kyoto as a visual set-piece; a kind of historic Disneyland that exists only for the camera. So to counteract this, I started keeping a private list of the creatives and businesses that felt intentional and thoughtful. Small pockets where creativity is alive and you start to actually be in Kyoto, rather than just checking it off an itinerary.
I’ve had this list on my website for a while now. It’s a collection of people I know and respect doing cool things in Kyoto. I wanted to add a new name to it today—not because of any sponsorship or "collab," but simply because I’ve spent time with him and I appreciate what he’s doing.
The New Addition: Kyoto Mikey Adventures
I recently took my friend Mikey on a sound walk. And as we talked, I realised that while I spend my time focused on the textures of the streets and temples in the basin of the city, there is an entire other world on the mountains that surround us.
Mikey runs Kyoto Mikey Adventures and if you’re the kind of person who wants to see the city from above—hiking the trails that most people never realise are there—he’s your guy.
I think there’s a shared philosophy in what we’re doing. While my walks are a form of sensory meditation, Mikey’s are for the “active explorer.” He gets you into the treeline and far away from the crowds. We’re both trying to show people a side of Kyoto that isn’t found in a guidebook. So if you want to balance a morning of deep listening with an afternoon of physical discovery, I can’t recommend his energy enough. You can find Mikey’s website here and his Instagram.
If you’re planning your trip to Kyoto for the spring, you can book a sound walk at www.kyotoinsound.com. I’d love to take you to some of these corners and help you record your very own audio postcard of the city. Or just reach out and I’ll be happy to share more of my favourites.
🍃 SJF
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