Portraits of Kyoto Shaped by Slow Ways of Living
VIVIANO dress. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines
ACNE STUDIOS dress and RISA TAOKA accessory from COCONOGACCO. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines
In Kyoto, centuries of discipline and devotion continue to inspire tranquil ways of living.
Before Tokyo was heralded the capital of Japan, the title, for over a thousand years, belonged to Kyoto. “Kyoto was designed to be a capital city,” reads the Kyoto City Tourism Association’s official website. “Emperor Kanmu transferred the imperial court here in 794, and it remained until 1869.”
Today, the city persists as a bastion of cultural heritage, renowned for its religious and secular architecture and garden design. Stepping into its borders signals eras past: infrastructures wrought from wood, stone, bamboo, and clay live in harmony with trees that took root long before any of us were brought into this world.
As of writing, UNESCO has declared the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) as a World Heritage Site, recognizing buildings and gardens across 17 component parts in the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures. Though their intricate structures have undergone restorations and renovations, they retain the form, materials, and spirit of their original construction, allowing the ancient capital’s heritage to live on.
Devotion grounds Kyoto’s residents in body and soul, with Shinto and Buddhism beliefs embodied in over a thousand shrines and temples. Those journeying to Kyoto in search of serenity will find it over and over, at every turn. It might be during a leisurely walk through Arashiyama’s winding bamboo grove, in an ascending pilgrimage to Mount Inari through a thousand orange torii gates, or at any point along the vigorous Kamogawa River, whose riverbanks stretch throughout the city, beckoning friends, lovers, families, and lone wolves to be silent, and be still.
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Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines1/15 -
COMME DES GARÇONS shirt and skirt and TANAKADAISUKE boots. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines2/15 -
COMME DES GARÇONS shirt and skirt and TANAKADAISUKE boots. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines3/15 -
COMME DES GARÇONS shirt and skirt and TANAKADAISUKE boots. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines4/15 -
MARCO RIBEIRO top and skirt. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines5/15 -
ACNE STUDIOS dress and RISA TAOKA accessory from COCONOGACCO. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines6/15 -
ACNE STUDIOS dress and RISA TAOKA accessory from COCONOGACCO. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines7/15 -
Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines8/15 -
FENDI dress and DAISUKE KOBAYASHI hat from COCONOGACCO. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines9/15 -
MAISON MARGIELA dress and shoes. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines10/15 -
ANNA CHOI dress, JIMMY CHOO shoes, and KEISUKEYOSHIDA hat. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines11/15 -
DIOR dress and shoes, FALKE tights, and SHUSHU/TONG gaiters. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines12/15 -
NOIR KEI NINOMIYA dress and headpiece. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines13/15 -
JACQUES WEI dress and coat. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines14/15 -
FENDI dress and DAISUKE KOBAYASHI hat from COCONOGACCO. Photographed by Als Sunxiaoran for the April 2026 Issue of Vogue Philippines15/15
By TICIA ALMAZAN. Photographs by ALS SUNXIAORAN. Creative Direction and Styling by ALEXANDRE DORNELLAS. Makeup: Yui Yamanaka. Hair: Mikio Aizawa. Video: Chris Glaze. Photography Assistant: Wang Shiyu. Gaffer: Cen Shang Li. Retouch: You Fu Zhou. Fashion Production: Kaio Berguer. Executive Production: Ana Camiza and Louis Liu Jiaxing. Model: Yihui Wang. Casting Director: Melissa Scott. Special thanks to Park Hyatt Kyoto.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Kyoto served as Japan’s capital for over a thousand years, from Emperor Kanmu’s transfer of the imperial court there in 794 until 1869, before the title passed to Tokyo.
Yes. UNESCO has designated the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto — spanning Kyoto, Uji, and Otsu cities — as a World Heritage Site, covering 17 component parts across the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures.
Shinto and Buddhist beliefs are embodied across more than a thousand shrines and temples throughout Kyoto, grounding residents’ daily lives and continuing to shape the city’s culture of devotion.
Visitors often find moments of serenity in Arashiyama’s bamboo grove, along the pilgrimage route to Mount Inari through its thousand orange torii gates, or along the banks of the Kamogawa River.
Kyoto’s religious and secular architecture is built from wood, stone, bamboo, and clay, with many structures preserving their original form and materials through careful restoration over centuries.