John Einarsen, a resident of Kyoto for over 30 years, has come to know the city like the back of his hand mostly through his daily commutes by bicycle. As part of a photography project spanning more than two years, his focus has been the diminutive, unassuming architecture of the city. Some of these images can now be found in a little book, called Small Buildings of Kyoto — the second volume of which was released in late 2018.

A graphic designer, photographer and founder of Kyoto Journal, John takes advantage of Kyoto’s unique accessibility and focuses in on those sights that can only be enjoyed on a leisurely meander through the city streets. Indeed Kyoto’s inherently walkable nature, with its secluded neighborhoods, hidden temples and traditional shopping streets, is one of the things that make it so attractive to visitors.

“Kyoto is famous for its masterpieces of Japanese architecture, including many listed National Treasures, Important Cultural Properties and World Heritage sites,” John writes, “yet when visitors ask me what to see, I often recommend just walking and cycling aimlessly through Kyoto’s backstreet neighborhoods… it is here that the modest magic of the ordinary reveals itself.”

We asked John to pick out some of his favorite shots from the series, and the stories behind them.