David Jenkins, a long-term Kyoto resident, embarked on his Final Voyage on April 10th, 2000, surrounded by fully blooming sakura. Translating in collaboration with Yasuhiko Moriguchi since 1981 (and with sumi-e artist Michael Hofmann), David contributed greatly to Kyoto Journal with classic selections of poems from the Ryojin-Hisho in KJ 12, the Kanginshu in KJ 24, the Hojoki in KJ 30 — all from fine books published separately — and Noh songs in our Word bookzine (29). (The poem beginning "How pure the coming paradise," featured as the cover of KJ 24). David is also remembered for his readings at the Kyoto Connection and elsewhere in Kyoto (often in collaboration with musician Preston Houser), where medieval classics (and classical shakuhachi) became absolutely contemporary, and then timeless. Kyoto was a richer place for David's presence here. Our sincere condolences to his family.
