Kyoto's historic charm and serene beauty

Can you imagine a Rasputin-esque Buddhist monk sleeping with the Empress of Japan, whispering political intrigues that would end up, in effect, ending female rulers in the Empire? Or the Emperor down on his luck as his once beautiful capital lay in shambles after a civil war leaving him to wander the streets in madness trying to sell his calligraphy to survive? Ian Ropke can tell you a few stories about Kyoto, Japan. Or he can just keep quiet. It's really up to you.

My own private Kyoto
That's the philosophy of Your Japan Private Tours of which Ian is the director. I am here to visit a couple obvious sites like Nijo Castle and Heian Shrine and then find some quiet space in a city that hosts over 30 million tourists per year. Ian planned this tour based on those requests and filled in where I hadn't been sure what I wanted.

I meet him at the imposing gate of Kurodani Temple on Mount Yoshida overlooking the city. Besides a monk we can hear chanting inside the main hall, we are the only people here.Founded as the Imperial capital in 794, Kyoto remained the center of Japanese civilization for over a thousand years. Though Tokyo has claimed the role of capital since 1857, Kyoto is still known as The Heart of Japan and acts as a living museum of a culture steeped deeply in arts, architecture, spirituality and tradition.

Washing away impurities
After we tour the temple complex, Ian calls a cab as we pass along a cemetery with wooden prayer sticks protruding from graves and then duck into another smaller temple to admire the ornamental designs and a small garden. By the time we reach the end of the street, our ride is there waiting. We are whisked off to the brilliantly painted Heian Shrine. Ian gives me some basic information and then we stop at a purification fountain where pilgrims must wash their hands and mouths before praying.

Now pure, I am ready to walk several blocks to a narrow, covered street that's fragrant with fresh flowers. Various tea blends are displayed in bulk, fruits, herbs and vegetables lay out on low tables and in a few shops, I see sushi being prepared with incredible speed and grace. “I like to bring visitors to this place because it is still how things used to be everywhere,” explains Ropke.

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A romantic stage setting
Though he and his guides are well-versed in history, Ropke likes to avoid a litany of facts. “Kyoto is like a stage setting -- a romantic, amazing place. We think of that when we go to Paris. It makes us feel romantic and nostalgic and here it should be the same. An incredible trip back in time. I try to have the guides reduce the amount of raw information to little snapshots -- how old is it? What is it? -- and just let the client enjoy looking at it, seeing what they want to see.”

And with a culture so absorbed by natural beauty and harmony, there is plenty to see. There are over 2,000 temples and shrines and the gardens are innumerable. Plum blossoms are believed to ward off danger and trees are often planted in the northeast corner of a property, the so-called devil's gate. Nijo Castle, for example, has over 140 plum trees and their pink and white blossoms are stunning in March.

We enter a street of shops selling antiques and woodblock prints of the area and it's so quiet I have to ask Ropke why everything is closed. He smiles, “No, they're actually all open.” When we step inside we are the only customers and a polite shopkeeper emerges to answer our questions.