A bunch of you checked out the first episode of my Kyoto sound project, so I'm back with the next one that I think some of you might enjoy.
I've been wandering the city with microphones, trying to catch the everyday sounds — temple courtyards after rain, shotengai at closing time, river banks at dusk. That turned into a podcast called Kyoto, in Sound, where each episode starts with a local sharing a sound they love. I go record it and tell a short story around why it matters to them.
This new episode is at Shinnyo‑do, a quiet neighbourhood temple in the north‑east of the city. We arrived on the one day each year when the monks recite the secret Inzei Amida Sutra. As the voices rise and fall, the crows and garden birds start calling back — a kind of accidental call‑and‑response that feels like its own prayer. My guide is Kacchan, a Buddha sculptor who grew up next to this temple and still comes here often when she needs to think.
If you're curious, have a listen: kyotoinsound.com/podcast (also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Fountain)
It's a short, immersive listen.
Would love your thoughts, and if you've got a favourite Kyoto sound or a local spot that's good for listening (not in the guidebooks), please tell me. I'm collecting ideas for future episodes.
by _ozu