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Travel sketchbook art classes in Kyoto, Japan and home kits/courses

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My final sketch of Kyoto's five geisha districts (gokagai) is Gion Higashi. Gion Kobu and Gion Higashi used to be the same district before they were split in 1881. This is reflected in the crest, which is a ring with dango (ball-shaped sweets), just as Gion Kobu's is.

Despite being one of Japan's oldest and most sacred shrines, Kamigamo-jinja is seldom crowded even when Kyoto is otherwise full of visitors. (Its somewhat inconvenient location is likely the reason for that.) It's associated with Shimogamo-jinja, located downstream near the confluence.

Golden rice fields at golden hour in Ohara. The harvest seems to be a bit earlier than I remember, so I'm glad I made it today. On the right, you can see eggplants growing as well as Ohara's specialty: red shiso.

Prior to you-know-what, the Sagano bamboo forest in Arashiyama was one of the victims of overtourism in Kyoto. Understandably, many visitors wanted to see this iconic location because it looks so serene in photos, but this led to people packing the pathway at most times. It's a place I mostly avoided because a walk through was anything but relaxing.

The traditional summer season is drawing to a close in Japan, although the heat is showing no signs of abating. This might be a good chance to belatedly share a sketch I started three years(!) ago and completed on-site much later.

Earlier this summer, I went to Wakayama and stayed at a friend's quiet seaside hotel. It overlooks a beautiful rock formation called Shirasaki, meaning "white cape". The morning I painted this, it was a bit cloudy so the normally turquoise water was muted in color, and the limestone cliffs themselves were actually easier to paint (in bright sunlight they are almost blindingly white.)

The mountains of Kyoto offer respite from the city's notorious summer heat, and of course artistic inspiration! With my friends @elsa_injapan and @maroux_and_tea, we enjoyed an afternoon of outdoor painting and top-notch tea by the river.

Pontocho is a scenic and lively alleyway in Kyoto lined with upscale bars and restaurants. It's also one of Kyoto's five geisha districts. Recently, the mess of overhead electrical wires was buried and the narrow pathway was repaved. Truthfully I found the wires charming in their own way but it's probably safer now as well as having a more polished look.

I cross Shijo Bridge almost every day, and I never tire of the magnificent view it affords. Looking to the north is the best scenery because of the layers of mountains visible in the distance behind Sanjo Bridge. Sometimes they look teal, sometimes emerald green, misty greys, purples... or, on sultry summer evenings, endless shades of blue.

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