京都是林文月心靈的故鄉，京都生活以及日本文學翻譯、與譯作相關的論文及散文，都是論述她的藝術性格及散文風格不可或缺的文化背景資料。在異鄉的一年，讓她從此改變了生活方式，同時兼顧創作與研究。她完成多種日本文學譯注，亦與此有密切關聯。林文月的散文，受到日本文學譯作的影響，表現在審美意識、語言表述上最為明顯。從《京都一年》到《寫我的書》，她筆下未曾改變的是對於文化的使命感與人文關懷的意念，以及對師友情誼的珍視與感念，改變的是她的創作觀及文字風致。從典麗繁複到清和簡約，從細密堆疊到含蓄內斂，她逐漸開創了自己獨特的風格。

Kyoto is the spiritual hometown of Lin Wen-Yueh. The life in Kyoto, translations of Japanese literature, theses and prose related to translations are needed cultural background data when her artistic characteristics and style are discussed. The year that she lived in Kyoto changed her lifestyle from then on; she did creation and research simultaneously. The translations of a variety of Japanese literature she finished were closely related to the year she studied and traveled in Kyoto. Lin Wen-Yueh's prose is influenced by the translated works of Japanese literature. The most apparent influences lied in the sense of beauty appreciation and language expression and description in her prose. The unchanged of her writings are her culture mission, the idea of humanism and the cherishing and appreciation of the friendships of teachers and friends; the changed are her perspectives of creation and writing style. From "The Year at Kyoto" to "Writing My Book", her style changed from elegance and complication to clarity, harmony and simplicity, in addition, from delicacy and piling up to reserve and humility; bit by bit she created her unique style.