JOURNAL

Is was no secret that David Bowie had a special connection with Kyoto, having visited the city multiple times throughout his life. In fact, when asked why he hadn't moved to Kyoto (something he had mentioned that he was considering), his reply was that he feared his creativity would suffer.

It's an understandable sentiment perhaps in the context of a trend-setting rockstar coming up against a former capital of 1000 years that so rigorously protects the past. That said, it could also be argued that Kyoto does provide oodles of inspiration, just in its own subdued, ancient, and distinctly Japanese way. 

During one of Bowie's best documented visits he was joined by the photographer Masayoshi Sukita, who is celebrated for the iconic mime-themed artwork for Bowie's Heroes album.

Over the course of the shoot, Sukita captured Bowie in phone booths, on the subway, and simply walking the streets with a hanging cigarette and billowing trenchcoat. It was effortless and joyful, and even though it was done at the height of Bowie's fame, his relative anonymity in Japan compared to the West allowed him to enjoy his time without swarms of adoring fans in tow.

There are several other anecdotes from Bowie's time that not only showcase the offerings of Kyoto but also give a glimpse into his tastes and interests. For a superfan, even the mundane can provide fuel for insight and reflection. It was one of Bowie's defining features that the man would look cool not matter what he was doing - whether he was prowling about on stage or blowing his nose.

In many other cities, trying to recreate his wanderings from decades ago would be a fools errand, but in a city like Kyoto in fact the temples, shops and restaurants are still operating to this day. This is, after all, home of the oldest restaurant in the world, at over eight hundred years old. 

This means that one can still follow in Bowie's footsteps to places like Misoka-an Kawamichiya, a favourite of Bowie serving soba noodles. It is also possible to order the same dashimaki as Bowie did at Miki Keiran on bustling Nishijin Shopping Street - and if you like also ask the chef to make it extra fluffy as Bowie reportedly did.

Saiundo, a beautiful traiditional art supplies store dating back to the seventh year of Meiji, is also still going strong. Visitors can join the ranks of not only Bowie but many illustrious Japanese artists who have stepped inside to procure top quality brushes and pigments.

In the evening Bowie visited Jittoku, a live house that celebrated its fifty-year anniversary in 2023. Run out of an old kura, its wooden rafters and tabacco-yellowed posters ooze history. They host an eclectic range of acts, from folk to rock, almost nightly. Sit at one of the giant repurposed sake-barrel tables and write your drink order on the specially-provided paper so as not to disturb other guests during the performance.

Despite the concerns he professed about maintaining his creativity, Kyoto still appeared to provide Bowie with plenty of songwriting fuel. A visit to Saihoji, also known as kokedera, directly informed his instrumental piece Moss Garden. This sprawling temple complex on the fringes of the city is so-named for being blanketed with a carpet of moss all year round, enjoying the morning dews coming off the mountains at its doorstep. Until recently it was necessary to get a booking via hand-written postcard, though they recently added an online reservation service. Things do, in fact, move forward in Kyoto, just at its own pace.

A advertising photoshoot at Shodenji, this time a temple on the northern edge of Kyoto, has also passed into Bowie legend. It is said he was moved to tears just from being there. While it is not a big temple, its delicately manicured zen garden, accompanied by the borrowed scenery of the surrounding mountains, is indeed special to behold. We can also thank this experience for the song Crystal Japan.

It is no surprise that Bowie included Kyoto as a destination for his honeymoon with Iman. For this occasion he chose Tawaraya, a three hundred year-old ryokan that exemplies a sense of wabi-sabi - finding beauty in imperfection and simplicity.

Enjoying Bowie's Kyoto actually delivers a surprisingly thorough experience of the city. It covers hidden gem temples, nightlife with a distinctly local flair, and plenty of just walking the streets, soaking it all up, just as he did. There is something reassuring in that even though he may be gone, there is something being preserved in Kyoto that, like his music, can connect us with him and can enrich our lives as it did his.

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