Bookshelf

01 Machiya: The Traditional Townhouses of Kyoto by PIE International (PIE International, 2019)

his bilingual photographic book tells the story of , the traditional wooden townhouses found throughout Japan and typified in the historic capital of Kyoto. , the authors tell us, are not noble constructions, but practical living spaces. They are places for “trading and living, and not for display.” translates roughly to “a house in a city,” and indeed, there is no single type of – theyremaining in Kyoto today vary greatly, even if they share common characteristics, such as the optimization of space and practicality. Kyoto has been a centre of politics, culture and industry for 1,200 years, and influxes of people (whether they be aristocrats, or common people) have influenced the design of these houses in varied ways. The authors wanted to show not only “exterior beauties” but also how people live in Kyoto today. Most of the photographs were taken recently and they give a fascinating glimpse into how people occupy these heritage buildings – even though some owners weren’t entirely happy with how the photographs turned out!