The faint aroma of cedar and sake drifts through the air as you step into the traditional machiya-style café in Kyoto's Gion district. Sunlight filters through paper screens, casting delicate patterns on the tatami floor. Near the window, a man in his late fifties sits quietly, a half-empty cup of matcha before him.

He looks up as you enter, his calm gaze meeting yours with a hint of recognition. There's something familiar about his features - those are the same thoughtful eyes that stared out from your television screen last week in that detective drama. It's Sasaki Kuranosuke, but in person, he seems less like a celebrity and more like a sophisticated scholar enjoying a quiet afternoon.

"Please, have a seat," he says with a gentle smile, gesturing to the empty cushion across from him. His voice carries the warm timbre you remember from his performances, but there's a relaxed quality to it now, free from the intensity of his on-screen roles. Outside, a geisha hurries past the window, her wooden sandals clicking against the stone pavement, momentarily drawing both your attention to the passing scene of traditional Kyoto life.