June 2008

Living Legends

Step back in time by encountering the characters and traditions that breathe life into Kyoto

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN LANDER

No less than 17 historic monuments of ancient Kyoto are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. But don’t think the former imperial capital of Japan is derelict and covered in dust. This bustling city of 1.5 million inhabitants is fiercely protective of its rich cache of living temples, shrines, palaces, gardens and heritage architecture, and visiting these sites and walking the cobbled streets makes for an unforgettable other-worldly experience.

Daitokuji Temple

Daitokuji is one of the most important and largest Zen temples in Kyoto. Though it’s overshadowed by the city’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, Daitokuji maintains a peaceful calm, allowing its residents to get on with their usual business – meditation and the teaching of Zen Buddhism. Every morning the monks make their alms rounds in the neighbourhood and return back to the temple with their begging bowls as full as they have been for a thousand years. Some of Kyoto’s most exquisite Japanese gardens are within Daitokuji’s precincts. Admission to the gardens is ¥400 (AU$4.20).

53 Daitokuji mae Murasakino, Kita-ku,
tel: +81 (75) 493 0019

Apprentice Geisha

Maiko, or apprentice geisha, are still seen every evening on the streets of the famed Gion District. Geisha (meaning artist) are entertainers specialising in traditional song and dance, banter and puffing up the egos of their patrons who pay handsomely for the attention – almost always of the unrequited sort. The geisha perform in Gion’s teahouses, some of which are so exclusive that they don’t even have a sign out front. A maiko’s training takes several years before her debut as a full geisha. The Kyoto Traditional Musical Art Foundation presents daily performances of traditional dance performed by maiko, a tea ceremony and koto (stringed musical instrument) at 7pm and 8pm daily at Gion Corner. Admission ¥2,800 (AU$29).

Gion Corner
Yasaka Hall, Gion, Hanamikoji, Shijo-Sagaru,
tel: +81 (75) 561 1119

Nishijin Textile Centre

The tradition of silk weaving in Kyoto goes back more than 1,000 years and is centred in the Nishijin District where you can still hear the clack of silk looms on the streets. In this day and age when Sony and Toyota are household names, it’s difficult to imagine that silk was once Japan’s primary export. Since the ’50s, the industry has been in decline and weavers struggle to keep their looms going. To help keep this tradition alive, the Nishijin Textile Centre gives silk weaving demonstrations, hosts fashion shows and even rents out kimono to anyone who would like to be Madame Butterfly for the day.

Nishijin Textile Centre
Horikawa-Imadegawa, Minami-iru, Kamigyo-ku,
tel: +81 (75) 451 9231

Shichi-go-san

Shichi-go-san, literally seven-five-three, falls on 15 November when children of these ages dress in their best, usually in kimono, and head for the local Shinto shrine to ask for health and good fortune. Chitose-ame, literally thousand-year candy, is a long, thin sweet offered to children that symbolises longevity. This sweet is presented in a wrapper printed with turtles and cranes, also symbols of long life in Japan. Several generations of the family turn out for the event, which inevitably becomes the photo opportunity of the year for these clans.

Kimono Designer

Kimono have made a big comeback in Japan in recent years. Though the majority of traditional kimono are worn by women, surprisingly, most of the designers are men. Takeko Okayama, a female kimono designer, challenges this tradition. “Kimono design is very much a man’s world in Japan. For this reason, I am not very popular with the more traditional designers in Kyoto, especially since I was born in Tokyo. Since I have received awards from the Japanese government for my work and am invited to show my designs at fashion shows in Paris and New York, I don’t mind too much. I kind of enjoy being a rebel – I even wear blue jeans sometimes, but frankly speaking I feel more comfortable in a kimono.”

Kimono Atelier Takeko Okayama
8-2-2 Nishiura-cho, Fukakusa, Fushimi-ku,
tel: +81 (75) 643 4317

Tatami Maker

Even today, most modern Japanese homes have at least one tatami mat room – typically the living room or guest room – while in the past the entire house was comprised of them. Traditions die hard and realtors still tout houses measured in tatamis to give tenants a picture in terms of room size – eight tatami-living room, six-tatami bedroom and so on. When moving into a house, all tatamis are remade by hand with fresh rush by the local tatami man, a costly and slow procedure. Though most Japanese appreciate their austere beauty, soft texture and natural fragrance, Western-style flooring is considered more practical for most rooms.

Rickshaw Puller

The rickshaw is one of the few Japanese words to enter the English language, derived from jinriksha or human-powered wheels. After almost completely disappearing from the streets of Japan, pulling a rickshaw is now a popular part-time job for local university students in Kyoto. More of a joyride than a practical mode of transport, rickshaws only ply the backstreets of Kyoto in areas where there are clusters of temples or gardens. The modern rickshaw man is likely to speak English, be knowledgeable about the temples, and happy to do his temporary gig before graduating.

Saihoji Moss Garden

Saihoji Temple’s renowned garden is known in Kyoto as Koke-dera, or moss garden. Composed of more than 200 types of moss, the garden is lovingly maintained by an army of gardeners who trim and sweep daily. The moss garden was designed by the monk Muso Soseki in the 14th century, back when monks did gardening as a form of meditation. Saihoji charges a ¥3,000 (AU$31) admission fee and visits must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Send a request with dates, number in party along with a self-addressed return envelope. A half-hour session in the temple is required prior to visiting the garden. All of this fuss keeps the crowds at bay, ensuring a uniquely Japanese experience.

56 Jingatani-cho, Matsuo, Nishikyo-ku,
tel: +81 (75) 391 3631

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

Composed of more than 1,000 red tori (gates), Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine is the headquarters for the Fushimi Inari sect of the Shinto religion in Japan. Kids especially enjoy running through the gates, which mark the boundary of the gods living at the shrine. The red gates undulate uphill, ending at the shrine at the top. The Fushimi Inari tori are a familiar scene in countless Japanese movies, including the Hollywood version of Memoirs of a Geisha when Sayuri, the lead character, goes for a stroll through these tori during a particularly difficult time in her life.

68 Fukakusa, Yabunouchi-cho, Fushimi-ku,
tel: +81 (75) 641 7331

Koto

The koto, a 13-string musical instrument, is an import from China. Originally played in the imperial court, it eventually reached the masses and is still popular today. Though the koto was traditionally an instrument for women, it has evolved in recent years and is even being combined with other musical instruments, creating an exciting new field of music.