Kyoto's Heartbeat: An Unspoken Samurai Legacy

• Photographer
  Lollo Virey Wollheim
• Technical Info
  Fujifilm X100vi Focal Length 19mm S/s 1/125sec Aperture F/2.0 Iso 6400 Edited In Lr
• Photo Date
  26 July 2024

In the heart of tradition, the spirit of the samurai endures. I captured an unforgettable moment at the Kyoto Budo Center, Japan’s oldest training hall since 1899, where ancient martial arts flourish under masterful guidance. During a Friday evening session in the wooden-floored hall, language barriers vanished as revered masters welcomed me with open arms. Using Google Translate, I connected with an 80-year-young gentle warrior who gifted me an exquisite Tenugui woven by his late father just before training. My heart remains in Kyoto, and the Tenugui now graces my home. So cherished.

French-born and raised in Milan, I grew up surrounded by an era obsessed with perfection. Now living in Cape Town with my husband, I embarked on a journey to cultivate self-love after deep loss: my father's passing in 2014 and the heartbreaking farewell to my cherished Ridgeback, Charlie, in 2020. Rediscovering my old DSLR at 50 sparked a passion for photography—capturing soulful street, ocean, and urban scenes. Traveling to Japan fulfilled a bucket list dream and marked a pivotal milestone in my ongoing story.