Hidden Pockets in Kyoto: An Insider's Guide to the Best Places to Eat, Drink and Explore

Hidden Pockets in Kyotois your guide to losing yourself in this Japanese city that seamlessly intertwines modern and traditional influences. Whether you’re satisfying your tastebuds in contemporary cafes, wandering among the untarnished architecture of Gion or heading back in time while visiting ancient temples and shrines, Kyoto is a captivating city to explore.  

Curated by authors Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh, who consider Japan their ‘home away from home’, this travel guide navigates the country’s cultural capital like a local, with chapters for kissatens (coffee shops), gardens, temples, omiyage (local products), mindful experiences and places to enjoy delectable sweets. Build your day with a variety of half-day and full-day itineraries and bask in Kyoto’s seasonal beauty as you explore lantern-lit alleys that reveal the city’s unique precincts, and uncover hidden artisanal treasures and flavors that will challenge and delight your senses.

Venture beyond the metropolis to unearth the heart of the city with this Curious Travel Guide.

Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh have been obsessed with Kyoto since their first visit in the late 1990s. Based in Melbourne, Australia, they now call Japan their 'home away from home', spending at least three months of the year there. Steve is a passionate writer (with a masters in creative writing) and DJ, with an indie radio show on 3RRR FM. He has toured with international bands and has written numerous pop culture books on music icons. Michelle is a book and stationery designer and illustrator. She has won numerous book design and graphic design awards including an Australian Book Design Award for the Precincts guidebook series. Michelle has written multiple books on analogue correspondence and sustainable gift giving, she has a wrapping paper range sold in Japan and her work has been exhibited in Tokyo. Together Steve and Michelle have written, designed and illustrated seven books on Japan, some of which have been translated into multiple languages.