Finding calm in the noise of Kyoto | Kyoto, in Sound • Episode 05

About this episode

The episode explores the contrast between seeking tranquility in nature and encountering unexpected noise from construction.

A few weeks ago I went to Osawa Pond—the oldest garden pond in Japan—looking for silence and tranquility. Instead, I found a gardener with a wood chipper and a construction crew with wooden mallets. In this episode of Kyoto, in Sound , I explore what happens when the sanctuary you're seeking turns out to be a construction site. It's a sonic letter to a busy friend. Find more about my sound walks at kyotoinsound.com , with behind-the-scenes moments shared over on Substack .

People in this episode

Host: SJF

Topics covered

• calm
• construction
• gardening
• sound walks
• tranquility
• urban noise

Keywords

• Kyoto
• Osawa Pond
• sound walks
• tranquility
• gardener
• construction
• urban noise

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Kyoto, Osawa Pond, Japan

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• Shaking the dust off: New Year at a Kyoto temple | Kyoto, in Sound • Episode 06 · January 11, 2026 · 8 min
• E04 • Nature's Prayer · November 13, 2025 · 8 min
• E03 • Life-Affirming Sounds · October 16, 2025 · 8 min
• E02 • The Sounds of Autumn · September 11, 2025 · 10 min
• E01 • Suzaku Garden · August 12, 2025 · 9 min