Kyoto A Cultural History

Kyoto, the ancient former capital of Japan, breathes history and mystery.Its temples, gardens and palaces are testimony to many centuries of aristocraticand religious grandeur. Under the veneer of modernity, the city remains filledwith countless reminders of a proud past. John Dougill explores this mostvenerable of Japanese cities, revealing the spirit of place and the individualsthat have shaped its often dramatic history. Courtiers and courtesans, poets andpriests, samurai and geisha people the pages of his account. Covering twelvecenturies in all, the book not only provides a historical overview but alsobrings to life the cultural magnificence of the city of "Purple Hills andCrystal Streams."

John Dougill is Associate Professor of English at Ryukoku University in Kyoto. He is the author of Oxford in English Literature.