Following David Bowie to the World’s Most Exclusive Garden

Four years ago, I visited Kyoto with the goal of seeing the city through David Bowie’s eyes. Should have been easy, right? He lived there for a few weeks in 1979 in Togendo, a house and school dedicated to teaching traditional Japanese arts, returned on his honeymoon with model and philanthropist Iman in 1992, and even flirted with the idea of making Kyoto his permanent address.

But for all the friends, inspirations, and experiences he racked up along the way, what I discovered was a city that, despite its traditionalist reputation, was in constant flux. Nightclubs go bust, restaurants close, and close friends pass away—all important landmarks which means any attempt to recreate Bowie’s formative experiences would be a pale echo at best.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, indeed.

Read more at The Daily Beast.