Kyoto has many shrines, temples and traditional structures, spurring people to place special value on old building materials over the centuries. After the Middle Ages, merchants at the center of commerce and industry were thrifty in using old lumber in their townhouse-style residences. Even in modern times, old fittings and timber are reused and repurposed. Discover the spirit of perpetuity through the passion of artisans and craftsmen as they use old wood to give birth to a new aesthetic.

Kyoto artists are focusing on new styles of art, based in the traditions of the old capital. One captures paint splashes with a high-speed camera to create "ikebana" in motion. Another uses the natural slippage that emerges when dyeing and weaving handicrafts to create works with a human touch. Advocates of the arts are organizing large art festivals and providing dwellings for young artists to help them hone their styles. Discover how artists are reimagining Kyoto as a "future city of art."