Looking around, I was reminded of last night when everything had been closed for business. It was amazing to see how lively it was during the day. Each store had its unique atmosphere, and there were various shops — bamboo handicrafts, Kyoto fans stores, cafés, and restaurants.
Suddenly, a couple wearing traditional kimonos passed us.
“Hey, wanna check out that store next?”
“Yeah, let’s do it.”
The two were conversing in the Kyoto dialect. Saki had done the same yesterday, so she must be from Kyoto. As they talked, I noticed a glimmer at my feet. I reached down and picked up a hair ornament with a multitude of stars at the tip — one large star at the end and several small ones beneath it like shooting stars. Its brilliance captivated me in the summer sun and stirred something inside me; it seemed this adornment was made for someone who longed for the stars.
“Big brother, sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Oh, it’s fine.”
I spent the day touring around Arashiyama with Akane. She shared interesting stories about her visits here and pointed out places I hadn’t seen before.
“We came to this temple before.”
“This bamboo forest is always amazing no matter how often you see it.”
My little sister spoke excitedly, her voice radiating with joy as we explored the area together.
Sighing, I asked Akane, “Don’t you think it’s enough to visit temples, shrines, and tourist spots just once?”
“But the colors of Kyoto change all the time,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“That’s what Grandma always said. ‘The colors of Kyoto depend on the season, weather, who you’re with, and even your mood when looking at something.’ That’s why it’s worth seeing beautiful things again and again.”
I nodded slowly as I felt her words dig into my heart. “Yeah… this place is so amazing that I would love to experience it in different ways over and over again.”
Akane smiled before continuing, “If the scenery of this city changes every time we look at it, then I want to see all the colors of Kyoto.”
I could feel my heart skip a beat as I pondered what Grandma had said. It was difficult to wrap my mind around the idea of colors changing, but I knew it meant something special to her and Akane. As we walked alongside the path through the straight, green bamboo, I could see a small grove in the distance.
We paused for a moment at the temple to give our respects before continuing on our journey. We were engulfed by the calming atmosphere of Kyoto; every single thing had a gentle touch or pale hue that blended harmoniously.
“Next, it’s Seiryou-ji Temple, right? And then don’t forget about Café Hanashirube.” My sister’s voice snapped me out of my trance, and she started dragging me along. Please, spare me. An endless queue popped up as we walked toward the mountain lodge near Seiryou-ji Temple.
My sister and I stood in the long line, waiting to purchase some special Morika tofu. It was a specialty of Yudofu Sagano and our grandma’s favorite. I felt dread as we waited, wishing we could just skip this.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity standing there, we made it to the front of the line. With our hands full of tofu boxes, we decided to take a break and have lunch at a nearby restaurant.
As soon as we entered the shop, Akane ordered dessert without even getting a meal. She was now eating parfait containing warabi mochi and sweet red bean paste in its bamboo container. You could also spot white shiratama and chestnuts, topped with a generous helping of whipped cream and a thin layer of black ice cream beneath.
“It’s delicious.” I was worried Akane might explode from eating so much.
“What kind of ice cream is this?” The black ice cream didn’t look like either chocolate or vanilla.
Akane answered right away, “Black soybean ice cream.”
Black soybean ice cream… never heard of it before. Is it any good?
“It’s super delicious.” Akane could read my mind; she responded without a pause.
“Akane, we should be going soon after you finish up.”
“Alright. Oh, and there’s one more place I wanted to check out on our way back.”
The evening air filled the room, flowing in through the open window. A breeze carried with it the warmth of the day, but the temperature was still much lower than during the day.
We had spent all day running errands for my sister and grandma, but at least we managed to pass the time without too much trouble. Finally, night had come.
While I was gazing upwards to the night sky, the tranquil blue full moon illuminated brightly once again.
“That was a blue moon,” she said.
Saki came to the spring again today.
I grabbed my shoes from the entrance, and as I put them on, I noticed a small mirror resting atop the shoe cabinet. Intrigued, I carefully peered into it.
The pale blue moonlight illuminated my attire; today, I had taken more time to get ready than usual, and this was my favorite outfit out of all I had brought.
“Keiichi,” my mother’s voice echoed through the stillness of our house,” where are you going all dressed up?” I could feel a blush heat my cheeks but refused to meet her gaze in the mirror.
“Just for a walk.”
“You don’t look like you’re going for a walk at all.”
“See you later.”
I left the house without listening to my mother’s words until the end. Her intuition was sharp, so I thought leaving before she said anything else would be best.
My mom sighed at me, muttering something about being strange, as I swiftly left before she had a chance to press further.
I had no trouble finding the forest; the light of the blue moon ensured that. Heading down the silent path, my journey seemed guided by the moon’s brilliant hue. Tonight, my walking path was a stunning blue.
The large blue moon illuminated my journey. I arrived at the edge of the forest much faster than yesterday. I must have unknowingly broken into a jog. As I stepped into the forest, the breathtaking view opened up before me. The starry night sky illuminated the mountain trail adorned with trees and grass. As I took in this bluish landscape, a wave of amazement came over me.
I walked toward the spring, my heart beating louder and louder. Finally, I arrived. The only color to break the intense hues of blue was a cherry blossom-colored figure bent over the lake’s edge.