# Kyoto, in Sound

> Private, guided sound walks in Kyoto, Japan, led by composer and sound artist Simon James French. Guests walk through the city's shrines, temples and quieter streets with professional field-recording equipment, recording the morning themselves. Afterwards, Simon mixes those recordings into a finished "audio postcard" and sends it to the guest once they're home. Walks run 2–3 hours, up to four guests, ¥20,000 per person, in and around Kyoto, Japan.

Kyoto, in Sound is not a typical sightseeing tour. It is built around listening rather than looking — guests come away with a personal audio recording of their morning, not just photographs. It is a small, one-person operated business; bookings go through Calendly, not a third-party marketplace.

## Core pages

- [Homepage](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/): overview of the sound walk, pricing, how it works, and booking.
- [About](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/about): who Simon James French is — a London-trained sound artist and composer who moved to Kyoto in 2025.
- [Field Guide & FAQ](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/field-guide-faq): practical details — what to wear, weather policy, payment, experience required (none).
- [Podcast](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/podcast): "Kyoto, in Sound" — Simon interviews Kyoto locals about a sound that holds meaning for them, then records it.
- [Journal](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/journal): essays on sound walking, acoustic ecology, and Kyoto's seasons.

## Journal essays

- [What is a Sound Walk?](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/what-is-a-sound-walk): introduction to sound walking as a practice, rooted in acoustic ecology.
- [The Sounds of Kyoto](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/the-sounds-of-kyoto): an audio guide to how the city sounds across the four seasons.
- [The Quiet Guide to Kyoto](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/the-quiet-guide-to-kyoto): where to find stillness in a famously crowded city.
- [The Kyoto FOMO Trap](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/the-kyoto-fomo-trap): on accepting you'll never "see everything," and why that's fine.
- [The Kyoto List](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/the-kyoto-list): a living map of independent coffee shops, record stores, galleries and people.
- [Looking for Something Unique in Kyoto?](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/looking-for-something-unique-in-kyoto-try-listening-to-it): the case for a sound walk over the standard checklist itinerary.
- [An Archive of a Life](https://www.kyotoinsound.com/an-archive-of-a-life): on why we record anything at all.

## Key facts

- Location: Kyoto, Japan.
- Price: ¥20,000 per person.
- Duration: two to three hours.
- Group size: up to four guests.
- Booking: free to reserve, pay on the day (cash or bank transfer), via Calendly.
- Equipment provided: professional field recorder and binaural microphones — no experience needed.
- Output: a professionally mixed "audio postcard" of the recorded walk, sent after the guest returns home.