January 6, 2014
Kyoto Journal Reviews Judith Clancy’s Machiya Restaurant Guide
The Kyoto Journal's Michael Lambe has just presented a restaurant guide by Judith Clancy, titled Kyoto Machiya Restaurant Guide: Affordable Dining in Traditional Townhouse Spaces. For the in-depth story of how the book came into being, see the three-part SWET interview with the author, publisher, and photographer here.
The book outlines the Machiya area's many fine dining establishments against the backdrop of the charm of this area of Kyoto, which historically has been home to traditional townhouses that have been slowly disappearing over time from the area's landscape, due to reasons such as high inheritance taxes and the price of constant upkeep.
However, as Clancy details, an era of gentrification has been taking hold, with a lot of the older townhouse finally being preferred over the concrete shroud of modern urban landscapes. Thus, the previous trend of degradation is changing into an atmosphere where people have begun “to reject the simply new and to cherish instead the disappearing roof lines, the intimacy of neighborhoods, and the intricate interplay of material and motif.”
The introductory chapters provide a description of the evolution of the area's culture and design mindset, all from within a historical context, and the book also includes a photo essay by Ben Simmons, which helps the reader to differentiate between the different design styles inherent to the area. The book also includes indices by cuisine and shop name, which provide easy reference, plus a glossary of culinary terms and a guide to Japanese table manners. Thus, this is a very handy tool for both food lovers and those simply exploring Kyoto, and this book should easily become a necessary addition to the library of anyone who prides themself as a lover of all that is Kyoto.
Judith Clancy is also the author of Exploring Kyoto: On Foot in the Ancient Capital, a longtime favorite walking guide to the city. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of Kyoto Machiya Restaurant Guide: Affordable Dining in Traditional Townhouse Spaces are being donated to the Kyomachiya Machizukuri Fund to support machiya preservation.
An interview with Judith Clancy by Kyoto Journal can be seen here.