In the Heart of Fushimi
The Quiet Start of My Fushimi Days
Hi, I’m Shweta Borkar, I am participating in a business internship program for Japanese companies from India. I came to Fushimi, Kyoto , not really knowing much about the neighborhood. Most of my first few days were spent at the internship and at the coworking space, figuring out my tasks and adjusting to a new work routine. Slowly, I began exploring Fushimi in between work, sometimes after finishing a shoot, sometimes during short breaks, and sometimes on the way back home. Unlike central Kyoto, Fushimi feels slower, more residential, and a bit tucked away from the usual busyness. There is a quietness here that you only notice when you actually spend time in the area, and that calmness made it feel familiar surprisingly fast.
My introduction to Fushimi was not through major attractions but through simple movements: going to nearby stores, walking the same streets, and realizing how easy and comfortable daily life feels here. Somewhere in between these casual routines, I also visited Fushimi Port Park, an easy, open space that felt like a natural part of the neighborhood before I moved on to exploring the more touristy spots. Later, as I settled in more, I finally visited places like the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum and the Fushimi Jikkoku-bune boat ride. Both visits helped me understand Fushimi in a more grounded way. The museum gave a clear explanation of why this area became a hub for sake and how the industry grew here, connecting the history to what I was actually seeing around me. The Jikkoku-bune ride on the other hand was slower and more reflective, just moving through the canals, noticing the neighborhood from a different angle. Nothing overly dramatic, but together they gave me both the context and the feeling of the place. It made Fushimi’s identity a bit easier to understand, beyond just the usual tourist spots.
Discovering the Local Side of the Neighborhood
As I kept spending time here, I realized that Fushimi grows on you in small ways. It is not a place that tries to impress you instantly, but more of a neighborhood you understand through repetition, the same streets, the same river, the same quiet shops. Even the commute routes started to feel familiar. I would notice things I had not paid attention to earlier: a small bakery I had walked past many times, a narrow side street leading to residential houses, or an old wooden building hidden between modern ones. None of these were big discoveries, but they made the place feel more lived-in and easier to connect with. Spending time at the coworking space also contributed to this feeling. I got to see the neighborhood in a work context, interact with people, and understand how daily life and professional life coexist here.
Understanding Fushimi Through Daily Life
With each day, Fushimi became more than just a temporary location for my internship. It became a neighborhood I could navigate comfortably. The slow pace suited my routine as a content creator, and the coworking space offered a convenient and calm environment to edit, plan shoots, and focus on projects without distractions. The streets naturally fit into the type of videos I make, from convenience store clips to simple day-in-my-life moments. What stood out most was not a single attraction but the mix of everyday life, small discoveries, and work routines that came from spending time here. Even the tourist spots felt more meaningful as part of a larger routine rather than quick visits. Living in Fushimi, even briefly, made the area feel like a real part of my Kyoto experience, memorable for its simplicity, familiarity, and steady rhythm.
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