Yilin nodded and ate the Tonsho Mochi first. “It’s so springy and delicious...”
“You’re right,” Aoi agreed, eating her piece as well.
As they were sipping their matcha, Kiyotaka gave Yilin an amused look. “I certainly wasn’t expecting you to become a fan of the Shinsengumi.”
Even Yilin herself found it surprising.
“I get it, though,” said Aoi. “The guys in that show are so pretty.”
“Exactly!” Yilin nodded fervently. “They’re beautiful. That’s not all, though. The anime got me interested in the historical events it showed, and reading about the real Shinsengumi made my feelings grow even stronger. Their passion and dedication in those turbulent times really tugs at your heartstrings.”
Kiyotaka chuckled. “It’s great that anime series like that exist. I appreciate it when entertainment serves as a gateway to sparking interest in history and Kyoto.”
The way he spoke as if he were responsible for Kyoto itself had Yilin feeling a bit bewildered, but at the same time, she was overjoyed that her current obsession had been validated.
“When you bought this Tonsho Mochi, did you visit the Yagi residence?” Kiyotaka asked.
Yilin shook her head. “Come to think of it, I did see a sign next door that said that.”
“The Yagi residence once housed members of the Shinsengumi. In the late Edo period—specifically the year Bunkyu 3 (1863)—the head of the Yagi family took in ronin who’d come to Kyoto from Edo. Some of those ronin later went on to become the Shinsengumi. In other words, the Yagi residence can be considered the birthplace of the Shinsengumi.”
“I had no idea. I’ll visit next time. Is it possible to go inside?”
“Yes. It’s currently designated as a Kyoto City Tangible Cultural Property, so they even offer tours. By the way, the Yagi family now runs Kyoto Tsuruya Kakujuan.”
So that’s why the sweets store is right next to it.
“Speaking of the Shinsengumi, Akihito is going to be in a movie about them, right?” said Aoi.
“Yes, I imagine it’s being filmed right now,” replied Kiyotaka.
“Akihito is your actor friend, yes?” asked Yilin.
“Friend?” Kiyotaka looked conflicted. “He’s a loud person who often pays us a visit even though he shouldn’t have that much free time on his hands.”
“Which role is he playing in the Shinsengumi? I hear he’s good-looking, so perhaps Okita? Hijikata wouldn’t fit his image, would he?”
“We were told he’s playing Keisuke Yamanami.”
“Oh, I see.” Honestly, it wasn’t what she’d been imagining, but she was sure he’d put on a good performance nonetheless. “I’m excited to see the Shinsengumi in live action too.”
“You really are into them, Yilin.”
“Yes. It’s actually the first time I’ve ever been so obsessed with something, so I’m bewildered too.”
Truthfully, it wasn’t the first time. She’d also felt this way about Ensho’s artwork. Even with the anime, one character’s resemblance to Ensho was the reason she’d gotten hooked on it in the first place. Perhaps she was simply captivated by him through and through.
As if to hide her real feelings, she continued, “But I mean, it’s such a dramatic story. You have this strict police force protecting Kyoto’s public safety in the Bakumatsu period, and during the Ikedaya incident, they played an important role in preventing the Sonno Joi faction’s coup. But at the end of the Boshin War, their troops were defeated. I wonder how they felt when the capital was relocated to Tokyo...”
“Ah.” Kiyotaka raised his hand. “I hate to interrupt you, but the capital wasn’t relocated—it was reestablished. Kyoto remained as it was, while the seat of power moved eastward. Thus, Kyoto is still a ‘capital’ of Japan to this day.”
“Um...”
“Feel free to ignore him, Yilin,” Aoi whispered.
“Huh? Are you sure I didn’t step on a land mine?”
“Even if you did, don’t worry about it.”
“Wait, so I did?” Yilin’s eyes widened.
“My apologies,” Kiyotaka said, placing a hand on his chest. “This is the Kyoto spirit.”
“Kyoto spirit...” Come to think of it, she’d experienced this before, during the “joraku” incident when she’d asked Kiyotaka to be a tour guide for her father’s acquaintance.
“Holmes can be a bit overdramatic,” Aoi added. “Anyway, that Shinsengumi anime is a time travel story, right?”
Yilin nodded. “Yes, it’s about a modern middle school boy who inadvertently travels back in time to the Bakumatsu period.”
From there, the boy encountered the Shinsengumi, survived the Boshin War, and, alongside Shinpachi Nagakura, devoted himself to honoring his fallen comrades and recording their accomplishments. Then, the spirit of Isami Kondo appeared and brought him back to the present day. The series ended with the boy gazing at Higashiyama’s Daimonji bonfires and sobbing as he mourned his friends.
It was truly a wonderful story. Just remembering it made Yilin feel like she was going to cry again. She wanted to see the bonfires for herself next summer.
“Oh, right,” she said. “Do you two go to see the Daimonji bonfires every year?”
“It’s called Gozan no Okuribi, Yilin,” Kiyotaka said, sounding slightly apologetic but correcting her nonetheless.
I seem to have stepped on yet another land mine. He must dislike me now.
“I’m sorry,” she said, hanging her head.
Aoi patted her on the shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about this either, Yilin.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Really. He said the exact same thing to me at first. Holmes just loves Kyoto so much that he can’t help but point things out. In fact, I think he enjoys these exchanges. It’s his wicked side.”
So this is Kiyotaka’s infamous wicked personality? Yilin gulped.
“I like listening to people talk about their passions, so I’d love to hear more,” Aoi continued with a smile.
Yilin shrugged. “Thanks, but I think I’ll stop for today. It feels like the more I talk, the more land mines I’ll trigger. Besides, we should get back to work.”
“All right.” Aoi stood up.
Kiyotaka took the used dishes to the kitchenette while Yilin began dusting the wares.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Yilin said, turning around. “Thank you for helping me look presentable for Takamiya’s netsuke showcase.”
Aoi’s face lit up. “You went? What was it like?”
“Ah, I’ve been meaning to ask too,” said Kiyotaka.
Yilin’s father had instructed her to look into something in Takamiya’s collection. She’d managed to establish contact with the man, but he’d been wary of her at first. Luckily, she’d been able to use his netsuke as a conversation topic to get him to open up a bit, and as a result, she’d been invited to a netsuke showcase.
Delighted, she’d planned on attending in a kimono, but that had also been cause for concern. Though she was fluent in Japanese, she lacked experience with Japanese culture. So before the showcase, she’d consulted with Kiyotaka and Aoi about whether it would be appropriate for her to wear a kimono to the event, and if so, what she should be mindful of.