Take a Walk Through Kyoto's Quieter Side

A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. This photograph is from Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto and features their famous bridge that runs over a river. A young lady stands in the foreground holding a sound recorder.

What is a Sound Walk of Kyoto?

Step into the city's quieter side with sound artist & composer SJF. Over the course of a slow, mindful 2–3 hour walk, we’ll explore parts of the city that most visitors never hear.

With professional sound recorders in hand, we’ll capture the city’s rhythms—the crunch of stones under your feet in a temple garden, the warm personality of a traditional Japanese shopping street, the gentle flow of a river.

Each sound walk is unique; shaped by the season, the weather, and the moment. Instead of looking for the sights, we’ll listen our way through Kyoto.

What Do I Need to Bring?

I’ll provide the recorders and everything you need—your only job is to bring curiosity and a willingness to experience this city in a way most never do.

These aren’t big, whistle-stop tours of everything to see in Kyoto. They’re quiet, personal explorations with a guide (me!) who lives here and loves this place. Just you, or you and one guest, on each walk.

Afterwards, I’ll take the recordings you’ve made and professionally mix them into a personalised audio postcard—a soundscape that captures Kyoto exactly as you experienced it. Something to revisit for years to come.

Book a Sound Walk

Previous Sound Walks

A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. The photograph features a young lady recording sound of bamboo swaying in the wind.A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. The photograph features a young boy waving at a Japanese lady whilst he records sound in Demachiyanagi Shopping Street in Kyoto.A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. This photo is from Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto.A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. This photograph is of the sound of a Kyoto Garden being captured with a sound recorder by a young man wearing binaural microphones in his ears.A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. This is a photograph of a young lady walking through the streets of Kyoto holding a sound recorder.A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. This photograph features someone kneeling down to capture the sound of a gentle river in Keihoku, north Kyoto.A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. This photograph is from Keihoku forest, north of Kyoto. It features a person standing underneath the tall trees recording sound with a field recorder.A photograph of a recent sound walk guest who joined a Kyoto, in Sound walk. This photograph features three people looking out from the veranda of a temple in Kyoto into its garden on the right of the picture. One of them is holding a sound recorder.

Testimonials

"Simon guided me around Kyoto this summer, and helped me learn how to hear and not just see the city. I feel that most visitors - and residents too, perhaps - are primarily visual. We all are, really, in our day-to-day lives, and not just when we are in a new place. But I came away with the knowledge that it is possible to know the world itself better through senses that are other that the visual. That by turning the volume of the world's voice up a bit, and tuning to its frequencies, it might be able to tell us more about itself. The recording Simon made of the sounds I had captured is a precious souvenir. Thank you, Simon. You have expanded my experience. I hope others will add this to their itinerary when they come to Kyoto. It's another way of traveling, and an entirely other way of knowing a place."
Elizabeth United Kingdom

"We really loved this audio postcard Simon, it really brings back all the memories from our trip. It was incredible. We closed our eyes and could see myself again walking on the streets of Kyoto! Well done!"
Maíra & Marcelo Australia

An Example Sound Walk

Still curious? Here's a recent sound walk around Chion-in to give you a taste of the sounds we may be recording together.

Ready to book?

1-person tour: ¥15,000
2-person tour: ¥30,000

Please reach out if you're interested
in booking for more than 2 people.

Get in Contact

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Not visiting anytime soon? You can still discover this city by listening to the Kyoto, in Sound podcast and hearing the stories of the people who live here.

Kyoto, in Sound Podcast
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