Writers in Kyoto

Stormy With a Chance of Tofu

  • By Abby Deveney, Sara Aoyama and Rick Elizaga for Simon Rowe
Life in the time of plum rains, hydrangeas and slugs. …

Two Poems by Irina Moga

  • By Abby Deveney, Sara Aoyama and Rick Elizaga for Irina Moga
Works by a Canadian writer who fell in love with Kyoto while visiting Japan …

Writeup of the May Writers Afternoon

  • By Sara Aoyama for Rebecca Otowa
Rebecca Otowa reports on a writing workshop held in Kyoto. …

Stop Mykaa!

  • By Abby Deveney, Sara Aoyama and Rick Elizaga for Marianne Kimura
A Kyoto scholar witnesses the possibility that her interpretations of Shakespeare may be taking shape in world events. …

Nara, Japan — Japanese Air Force Officer Candidate Academy

  • By Karen Lee Tawarayama and Rick Elizaga for David Duff, Jr.
David D. Duff, Jr. describes his rewarding job teaching English to officer candidates. …

Yellow Sand

  • By Posted by Rick Elizaga for Mike Freiling
Mike Freiling explains an unusual seasonal phenomenon. …

Book Review: Miyako Redux by Marc Peter Keane

  • By Rick Elizaga for Rebecca Otowa
Rebecca Otowa interviews Marc Peter Keane about his latest book. …

Once Upon a Time in Little Tokyo

  • By Tina deBellegarde and Rick Elizaga for Simon Rowe
The topic of a nostalgic gathering's conversation turns from coffee imports to illicit trade. …

Review of Mary Louise Nagata’s Presentation

  • By Rick Elizaga for Paul Carty
Paul Carty reports on Prof. Nagata's WiK talk about her book on Japanese neighborhood associations. …

A Poem and a Translation

  • By Sara Aoyama and Rick Elizaga for Stephen Dodd
New member Stephen Dodd has shared both a poem and a translation. …

The Day Muromachi Saved Lunch

  • By Lisa Twaronite Sone and Rick Elizaga for Karen Lee Tawarayama
A new use for an ancient tool …

Off the Rails

  • By Karen Lee Tawarayama and Rick Elizaga for Ted Taylor
Train jottings of characters and music. …

Haiku from a Tiny Fishing Village 

  • By Sara Aoyama and Rick Elizaga for Stephen Benfey
Three poems. …

Workshop for the Poetry Curious

  • By WiK
A report on a workshop led by Nathan Mader. …

Writeup of First Writers’ Afternoon

  • By Rick Elizaga for Rebecca Otowa
Rebecca Otowa reports on a workshop held in Kyoto. …

Winter on Teramachi Street (excerpt)

  • By Rick Elizaga for Sara Aoyama
Sara Aoyama shares a selection from her forthcoming cozy mystery set on Kyoto's historical Teramachi-dori. …

Writers in Kyoto (WiK) Presents the Tenth Kyoto Writing Competition

  • By WiK
Call for entries, deadline April 30th, 2026 …

Lady of the Wild Things

  • By WiK
Taylor Mignon shares a work dedicated to the late poet Shiraishi Kazuko. …

Tilt

  • By Rick Elizaga and Sara Aoyama for Abby Deveney
A contemplative poem about neither this nor that. …

The Paradox of Nostalgia

  • By Rick Elizaga for Mike Freiling
Translating senryū poetry, Mike Freiling muses on the ability of nostalgia to transform our view of past experiences. …

Book Review: SPIDER LILY: Six Toxic Tales from Japan, by Andrew Innes

  • By Sara Aoyama for Rebecca Otowa
Rebecca Otowa reviews "SPIDER LILY: Six Toxic Tales" …

An Invitation to Awareness

  • By Posted by Rick Elizaga for Rebecca Otowa
Rebecca Otowa reviews “Ma: The Japanese Secret to Contemplation and Calm” …

Five Autumn Tanka

  • By Sara Aoyama and Rick Elizaga for Lea Millay
From Lea Millay, poems inspired by an October visit to Kyoto. …

Book Review: One Hundred Poems from Old Japan

  • By Rick Elizaga for Rebecca Otowa
Rebecca Otowa reviews a new translation of the Hyakunin Isshu by Mike Freiling …

The City of Flowers

  • By Tina deBellegarde and Rick Elizaga for Amanda Huggins
Cherry blossoms, a couple in their twilight years and the flower of their life together. …

SPA-WORLD OSAKA

  • By Kirsty Kawano and Rick Elizaga
From Nathan Mader, poetry in the world of a super sento. …

Five Elements 45 Years 

  • By Rick Elizaga for Ed Levinson
Edward Levinson offers odes to the elements and planet. …

Kansetsu Kiss (間接キス)

  • By Rick Elizaga for Tina deBellegarde
Tina deBellegarde shares an imagined reminiscence of a first date along the banks of the Kamogawa. …

On the Great Eastern Road

  • By Sara Ackerman Aoyama and Rick Elizaga for Ted Taylor
A journey along the Tōkaidō road to the historic town of Seki, continuing on foot through the Suzuka Pass and beyond. …

Book Review: The Blue of You by Amanda Huggins

  • By Rick Elizaga for Rebecca Otowa
Rebecca Otowa reviews a new work of contemporary literary fiction by the award-winning author of Each of Us a Petal. …

A Matcha Made in Kyoto

  • By Tina deBellegarde and Rick Elizaga for Suzanne Kamata
An excerpt from a work in progress by Suzanne Kamata …

Postwar Kyoto as Seen by a Film Critic 

  • By Suzanne Kamata, Sara Ackerman Aoyama and Rick Elizaga for Yuki Yamauchi
Yuki Yamauchi shares his translations of a 1945 article by film critic, Naosuke Togawa. …

Podcast: Stephen Mansfield discusses “The Modern Japanese Garden” with Amy Chavez

  • By WiK
Stephen Mansfield introduces his newly released book on the Books on Asia podcast …

The Language of Flowers

  • By Tina deBellegarde, Sara Aoyama and Rick Elizaga
Andrew Innes shares a piece from his forthcoming book of darkly themed stories. …

The Future of Kyoto: Writers in Kyoto Anthology 6

  • By Rick Elizaga
WiK's 6th anthology invites us to consider the future of the storied city. …

Shonandai Cultural Center

  • By Rick Elizaga and Sara Aoyama
A short piece from Stephen Mansfield on a fabricated landscape. …
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