Founded in 1987, Kyoto Journal (KJ) is an award-winning, volunteer-driven quarterly magazine presenting thought-provoking cultural and historical insights from Kyoto, Japan and all of Asia.

Now the longest-established independent English publication in Japan, their interdisciplinary approach, high standards of journalism and stunning design have brought them several international independent press awards, including the Utne Reader and Pushcart Prize. Their Founding Editor, John Einarsen, also received the Japanese government's Cultural Affairs Agency Award for KJ’s long-term efforts to introduce Kyoto and Japanese culture to the English-speaking world.

A journal, whether public or private, is an ongoing means of looking afresh at the inhabited world, both social and natural. In selecting material for Kyoto Journal they look for intelligent work that comes also from the heart. They are curious about society, beliefs, traditions and new developments — how people live, and live well — through the lens of Asian experience.

At the same time, their name, “Kyoto Journal,” also reflects more than a physical location. Kyoto is a place of deep spiritual and cultural heritage, and has been the measure of such things here in Japan for more than a millennium. Kyoto culture has looked deeply inwards and has also drawn richly from outside, especially since the Meiji modernization. Essentially, Kyoto Journal is a community that transcends place, while respecting and celebrating regional and local identity.

Kyoto Journal is printed by SunM Color in Kyoto, Japan.