青幻舎 SEIGENSHA Art Publishing

This unique Japanese–English guide introduces 180 spots recommended by twenty-six Kyoto residents from all walks of life in collaboration with the editorial team at Kyoto-kan, an official Kyoto City website. Readers eager to escape the crowds and well-worn tourist sites will find this insider’s view of the city a delightful alternative to standard guidebooks.

The spots featured range from cafés, bars, Japanese-style pubs, and Italian and Chinese restaurants to shops specializing in tofu, dried goods, wine, chopsticks, and more. Recommendations for local products include both long-beloved standards and well-kept secrets; also covered are seasonal festivals and events like the Gion Festival, the Daimonji bonfires, and antique markets as well as settings where daily life in the city unfolds—the banks of the Kamo River, Mount Daimonji, the city’s bus network. Each recommendation—whether a place, product, or experience—represents a distinctly local point of view.

Chapters are organized by city ward (e.g., Nakagyo, Higashiyama), making it easy to explore several nearby locations together. A QR code on the opening pages links to a custom Google map featuring all 180 spots, and individual QR codes for each location are included at the back of the book for convenient navigation. With a layout that introduces each site alongside a single photograph, the book also invites readers to enjoy simply browsing through its pages as they would a photo collection.

Our Kyoto is perfect for those who want to discover Kyoto’s lesser-known charms and experience local culture and everyday life just as residents do.

This book presents content from the “My Local Guide Kyoto” series on the Kyoto-kan website together with content created exclusively for this publication.

Copies are available in advance of general release at these fine Kyoto booksellers
(list current as of July 1st, 2025; please inquire with each retailer regarding individual stock)
・Maruzen Kyoto Main Store
・Kyoto Tsutaya Books
・Kyoto Okazaki Tsutaya Books
・Futaba Shobo Kyoto Station Hachijo Gate Store
・Ogaki Bookstore Kyoto Porta
・Kumazawa Bookstore Kyoto Porta
・Ogaki Bookstore Kyoto Yodobashi
・Ogaki Bookstore Aeon Mall Kyoto
・Ogaki Bookstore Takashimaya
・Ogaki Bookstore Karasuma Sanjo
・Ogaki Bookstore Kyoto Honten
・Seikosha

Designer and art director Sakai Yosuke is an associate professor at Kyoto University of the Arts and director of the school’s Kyoto Traditional Culture Innovation Laboratory (Kyoto T5). He also heads the design firm Chimaski. Born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, he began his career at Iroha Publishing, where he launched the lifestyle goods brand AIUEO and worked on designs for books, advertisements, and other media. In 2012 he founded Chimaski, where he develops and creates products in collaboration with traditional Kyoto artisans under the brand name Whole Love Kyoto. He has received numerous honors, including the Good Design Award and the ADC (Art Directors Club of New York) Merit Award. He is the author of 100-nen ikinuku Kyoto no shinise (Kyoto’s Century-Old Stores; Tankosha, 2022).
Website: https://chimaskidesign.jp/

Kyoto-kan is a Kyoto City–operated website that promotes the city and its local culture. It features a wide range of locally focused content including “My Local Guide Kyoto,” “Kyoto Café Breakfasts,” and “Notable Shops: Interviews.”
https://www.kyotokan.jp/