The Writers of Kyoto (WiK) have just produced the fourth anthology of writings about Kyoto, Structures Of Kyoto: Writers in Kyoto Anthology 4, edited by Rebecca Otowa and Karen Lee Tawarayama. It boasts contributions from 24 different writers, and once again there is an eclectic and assorted collection of writing styles-from fiction, nonfiction, prose, poetry with photographs and illustrations-this time on the theme of “structures of Kyoto.” There is in addition a note from the editors of the collection and a Forward by Judit Clancy with a map of the location of some structures mentioned in the collection as well as a an original proposal about the future of tourism in Kyoto in Alex Kerr’s Afterword, “A New Philosophy.” The Introductory section includes a ruminative essay about Rona Conti’s decades long study of calligraphy paired with an evocative WiK Writing Competition 3rd place poem, “Interlude Kyoto” from 2020 by Brenda Yates. The first part has pieces that commemorate famous city structures such as Ryoan-ji in Mark Hovane’s “Rocks, Gravel and a Bit of Moss”) as well as three contrabutions dedicated to the Kamogawa river among others: Ina Sanjana 2019 WiK Writing Competition 2nd place winning poem “Sunrise Over the Kamogawa”, a spirited fiction offering, “The Life Dispensary” from editor Tawarayama, as well as a fond remembrance of a bike ride along the river in Robert Weiss’ “Converging Waters (Kamogawa Delta Blues).” Among the other selections has John Dougill discussing at the historical associations of “Three Literary Cafes” and editor Otowa ruminating on “Structures of Tea.” After this section there is an Interlude (Kyukei) with a focus on philosophical musings in Reggie Pawle’s “The Magic of the Training Structures of Zen and Kyoto.” Part Two includes some structures outside Kyoto city proper as well as some abstract structures. Edward J. Taylor takes a contemplative walk around the village of Ohara in “Ohara, After Scarlet Leaves” and in Simon Rowe’s short story the protagonist has an epiphany during okuribi festival (the subject of Lisa Wilcut’s WiK Writing Competition 1st prize winning poem of the same name) in “One Dog Day in Summer.” Jan Williams mediation on the Buddhist concept of gorinto is analyzed in “Beyond Zen-kyoto’s Gointo Connections”, Catherine Pawasarat takes a deep dive into the Gion festival in “The Gion Festival-A Hero’s Journey”, and John Einarsen has produced a meditative pictorial essay with commentary on the “Dragon Gate of the World” that leads to Nanzen-ji in “The Gate.” The anthology that boasts a variety of writing styles and visuals adds another layer of introspection to a city that is brimming with contemplative structures.
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