The eastern, left bank of the Kamo River has long been regarded as the other shore of the Sanzu River—the boundary between the realms of the living and the dead. Historically, it flourished with shrines, temples, and geisha districts. Today, it is a place rich with tourists, where time, space, and travelers seem to flow in harmony with the river itself.

This work reinterprets Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. Using the melodies of each concerto as a foundation, field recordings were gathered across the left-bank area of Kyoto throughout the seasons, resulting in a total of eight compositions—one for morning and night in each season.

The term myōri refers to “a blessing from the Buddha that comes from a place of total darkness, unseen by us.” In that sense, the left bank of the Kamo River may well be the perfect embodiment of such a space.

This piece seeks to become a subtle presence—one that gently shares in the passage of travelers and the blessings of each unfolding season.

鴨川の東側・左岸は、三途の川の彼岸にあたるとし、古来より神社仏閣や花街が栄えた地である。そのため現代では観光客に富む地となり、鴨川と同調するかのように時間や場所、はたまた旅の人が流れる。

本作では、アントニオ・ヴィヴァルディのバイオリン協奏曲「四季」を再現する。各楽曲の旋律をベースに、京都左岸エリアで四季を通じて音を採取し、各季節の朝夜向け、合計８曲を構成した。

冥利とは「われわれには見えぬ真っ暗な場所からやってくる仏の恵み」のことを指すが、鴨川左岸はまさにこれに尽きるうってつけの土地ではないか。

流れる旅の人と、四季折々の恵みを分かち合う、幽かな作品としたい。

Sagan
Nohga Hotel Kiyomizu Kyoto
Meditation Program
2 tracks for each season, in total of 8 tracks
Produced by Toryo Ito
Sound direction / System design