Autumn Colors of Kyoto A Seasonal Portfolio

by Kodansha International; Mizuno, Hidehiko; Mizuno, Kayu; Ogawa, Yasutaka

• ISBN13: 9784770030931
• ISBN10: 4770030932
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-08-03
• Publisher: Kodansha USA

Summary

Why are the autumn colors of Kyoto described as the most beautiful in Japan?The delicate, almost translucent autumn tints of Kyoto, product of the city's particular plant life and climate, are undoubtedly lovely, but obviously that is not the only reason. The secret of Kyoto's autumn beauty lies in a perfect harmony between natural and manmade: product of centuries of history.This book introduces 49 superlative Kyoto locations-predominantly temples and shrines-for viewing autumn tints, captured by three photographers. Turning the pages, readers will soon note that far from being consigned to history, the ancient places of worshio within are assiduously maintained as centers for present-day religious devotions, coexisting seamlessly with their surroundings in a model of beauty nurtured over 1200 years in this, the cultural capital of Japan. Viewing the autumn colors of Kyoto is not simply observing nature. It offers a glimpse into a small but sublime universe where people and nature unite in a harmonious whole, honed in perpetuity by history.

Author Biography

Hidehiko Mizuno was born in 1968 in Kyoto. He is the coauthor, with Katsuhiko Mizuno, of a previous photo book on architecture.
Kayu Mizuno is a photographer and essayist, born in 1969 in Kyoto. She is the winner of numerous awards at the Kyoto Contemporary Photographers' Exhibition, including the top prize. Kayu Mizuno is the Director of the Machiya Photo Museum and author of a photo collection published in Japan.
Yasutaka Ogawa was born in 1975 in Kyoto. His photographs of Kyoto appear in various publications, mainly magazines, and he is the author of the photo collection Come Over to Kyoto, published in Japan.