Upcycling means reusing discarded or unused items to create products with higher value than the originals. Unwearable and unsellable kimono are resewn into dresses. Misshapen, substandard, Kyoto-grown vegetables, which are difficult to market, are made into paints. A Buddhist temple in danger of closure incorporated a hotel to survive. Many are turning to upcycling as they strive to solve issues plaguing Kyoto. Discover how the power of tradition is propelling upcycling in the ancient capital.

Carbon- and glass-fiber textiles promise potential for a sustainable society. Textile artworks boast fine, painting-like and photo-like expression. Artisans who weave with their fingernails establish opportunities to teach the craft. One creator works to convey the traditional weavers' passion through accessories she makes from weaving byproducts. Discover how Nishijin weavers employ their respective skills in the pursuit of new potential to suit the times and fight the shrinking kimono market.

Flowers in bloom manifest the changing beauty of nature over time. Kyotoites treasure them as symbols of not only nature but life. Flower-inspired artworks are created in various fields in Kyoto. A Japanese-style painter uses folding fans as canvases. A metal artisan conveys the transience of flowers. A photographer confronts life by capturing withering flowers. A priest and his wife float seasonal flowers in water to comfort worshippers. Discover how Kyotoites express their love of flowers.