We were able to create this guide thanks to the cooperation of the president of Mai-mai Kyoto Walking Tour’s, Ikura-san, and the help of one of their guides, Mitsukawa-san. Many of the streets we walked through today were backstreets, which is precisely what made it so interesting.
Mitsukawa: When you set out on a journey and you have all the details planned in a set itinerary with set times, you don’t really have time to wander off and explore. I think the stories that lie in wait between each destination is the most interesting. Take our journey from the outskirts of Kyoto to the central district through Kiyomizu-zaka today. Why do the “hill people” have to live on the hills? Moreover, why was it convenient for them to live there? I want people to think about this as they explore the backstreets. Alleyways are literally the “in-between,” the point of connection between two worlds, so it is easy to see many things at once.
Ikura; Walking through these back alleys is like exploring and experiencing people’s lifestyles. Unlike the main streets of Kyoto lined with temples and shops, the backstreets show the natural state of Kyoto spread out before you. We want you to experience the love and consideration that has gone into these backstreets.
--Just when you think you have escaped from the congestion of Kiyomizu Temple, you find the bus stop is just as crowded. Little did you know that if you just walked across the street you would find a quiet community hidden inside of Kyoto. For me, when I discovered this, I was so excited and felt like my real trip was just beginning. Mr. Mitsukawa, you are the chair of the Kyoto Backstreets Research Institute. Do you mind if I asked what sparked this interest in alleyways?
Mitsukawa: I grew up in the suburbs of Shiga prefecture and there weren’t really any alleyways around me. The city was built with cars in mind so there aren’t many narrow roads. I moved to Kyoto for college and became an editor for a guide book. We were getting the plan together for a book when I started wandering around the area. One day, I came across an alleyway and decided to explore it when I happened across an amazing little store. For the first time, I felt like I had discovered my “own personal Kyoto.” Like something out of a Ghibli film, I started to follow a cat and just went further and further into the unknown. And before you knew it, like coming out of a tunnel, I found a whole other world waiting on the other side of the alleyway. I really felt a fixation with alleyways after that point, so one day, I took a map and just started exploring alley after alley, street after street. I would get so engrossed in walking that there were multiple times where I ended up having to stay at the police station after missing the last train. As I continued to walk through the alleyways, I began to think about how these streets came about. I think because I came from a place where they didn’t exist is exactly the reason why I was so drawn to them.
Ikura: The city of Kyoto has this image of being compartmentalized like the squares on a go board (classic board game), but actually we have strayed pretty far from this. Alleyways included, there are lots of winding roads which intersect and flow into each other. In comparison, the newer residential complexes feel more structured and uniform than old Kyoto.
Mitsukawa: I agree. If you actually try walking around the area, you will find that compared to the newer areas of Kyoto, the older areas flow into each other like veins and are all jumbled together. In Kyoto’s case you could say the alleyways came about because the city was structured like a go board. Business needed to be conducted in spaces where people pass through, so it was only natural and convenient to build shops on the main roads. But in doing so, there was a hole to be filled in the back areas. The people of this time took advantage of the spaces left behind and built public wells, toilets, and even small farming fields. Over time, alleys became necessary in order to access these “in-between” spaces. As the city continued to advance, the alleyways took on a life of the own, communities were built, and a lifestyle and culture of its own began to thrive. I believe that the structure of Kyoto as a city is reliant upon these alleys.
Ikura: Alleyways are an accumulation of peoples businesses. In the end, a city that is built in a neat structure isn’t interesting at all. American Urban Sociologist Jane Jacobs once gave four characteristics for what makes a city easy to inhabit: 1. The roads must all intersect and flow together. 2. The places where people live, work, and eat must be all mixed in together. 3. There must be old buildings and new buildings mixed in with each other. 4. Whether it’s day or night there needs to be a lot of people. This isn’t the zoning principles of modern day urban planning. This is saying that the most interesting and comfortable town to live in are those that have been around for a long time and have been upheld by the people. I think this is especially true for Kyoto. Originally planned as an organized city, after a while that idea slipped off and everything just mixed together.
Mitsukawa: Alleys are really just a natural development . Because of this, I really these alleys the character and excitement of a city can really be felt.
Ikura: When we conduct our guides we really take into consideration the concept of diving into the local lifestyle and showing the diversity of the area. I think this messy randomness is what makes a city interesting. Rather than the temples and shrines, we want you to explore the simple pleasures and pay attention to things that may be deemed trivial by some. At Mai Mai Kyoto, we hope to take you on these kinds of tours.
--The area we have explored in the guide is just one part of the area of Kyoto that there is to explore. Those who want to experience more of the hidden world in the backstreets, feel free to participate in Mai Mai Kyoto’s tours. You are bound to find an adventure waiting just for you.
ON THE TRIP Editing Department
Original Japanese Text:
Akihito Shiga
Translation:
Autumn Smith
Farshad Khansari
Audio:
Kate Beck
Photography:
Hiroshi Honma
With Special Thanks to:
Takahiro Mitsukawa
Takayuki Ikura
※This guide has been created using outside materials, but we have also added our own opinions. Some information may vary from that of experts, but the truth is for your to experience on your trip.