earth and sky, colors and dreams

Drama Notes for Eps 8-9 (finale) of Kyotojin no Hisokana Tanoshimi Rouge - Keisho:

EPISODE 8: THE CITY OF WOMEN

Kyoyaki or Kyo ware or Kyoto ware. Yuuko was trained by her father who was a Kyoyaki expert. This is a traditional craft that they are made using traditional techniques that reflect the country's history and lifestyle. One of most well-known artist of this craft is Ninsei Nonomura. However, Yuuko seems to prefer Bernard Leach's style which is also heavily influenced by Asian pottery.

Fortune and Misfortune are intertwined like a twisted rope. The Chinese characters for this are 禍福绾纆. It can also be explained as "Misfortune, that is where fortune depends; Fortune, that is where misfortune lurks". An example would be "losing your horse". It might be considered a misfortune, but who knows, it could also be fortunate losing your horse because if you kept it and rode it, it could have caused an accident or worse, death, you'll never know. That is why you take things (whether it's good news or bad news) calmly and with composure.

"Tried to protect Kyoto, but ended up being hated by Kyoto." It's a clue regarding Professor Shinonome's hometown. So he is not from Kyoto, he is from Aizu, just like Toryo. If you recall in Ep 6, Shinonome and Toryo met at Kurodani Konkai-Komyoji Temple. It's a special place for them because in these grounds, you can find graves of some Aizu soldiers who died during the Battle of Toba–Fushimi. The Aizu Domain was known for its martial skill, and maintained an army, often deployed by the Shogunate to parts of Japan for security operations, including Kyoto during the turbulent times of the Bakumatsu period. Official name was "Kyoto Shugoshoku" who were responsible for keeping the peace in the city of Kyoto, and were the precursor to the Shinsengumi. Their headquarters were located at the site where this Konkai-Komyoji Temple stood now. When the Tokugawa Shogunate fell, Aizu army got "hated" because the new Meiji government was made up of clansmen of the Satsuma and Chōshū domains, who wanted to settle score with them.
Aizu Domain is now part of Fukushima prefecture. So it is assumed that Shinonome and Toryo are from Fukushima. Toryo and Shinonome's father might also have been friends/acquiantances.

The 13th Night Moon or the "Later Harvest Moon". It is said that the custom of viewing the 13th night moon began when Emperor Daigo held a moon-viewing banquet and enjoyed poetry on the 13th day of the 9th month of the lunar calendar in 919 (Engi 19), as recorded in the "Mitsune-shu," a collection of poems written during the Heian period.
Viewing the moon on only one of the two nights, the 15th or the 13th night (of the old lunar calendar), is called "one-sided moon viewing" or "one-sided moon viewing," and is considered unlucky. I think Tsuruko needed to complete the moon-viewing because of this superstion, fearing that the surgery and her health will become worse, if she didn't see the two moons.

Hagisaka Yuiko. Played by Takaoka Saki. She is a recurring character. She was a former geisha who married the 4th generation owner of the prestigious ryotei "Hagisaka". This husband was fond of drinking and womanizing, and has disappeared, leaving Yuiko to manage the business. In "Blue: Training Arc", being a true Kyotoite, you can see her wearing her "Buddha-like" face (a formal, expressionless face with a slight impersonal smile), but deep inside, she was deeply saddened by her husband's actions and abandonment. It's good to see her now looking lovelier and with a more vibrant happy smile, meaning she has moved past it.
The Hagisaka Ryotei was also where Jin (the Kaiseki chef) trained.

Kyoto dialect. The drama is drawing to a close. I'd like to share some terms that I had trouble translating lol:
"Okake ya shite okureyasu" (おかけやしておくれやす). Took me a long time to find the meaning of this (tried googling, nothing came up!). Hagisaka Yuiko said this to Miyako when they met at the law firm. "Okureyasu" means "please" but "Okake" could mean a lot of things. Finally, I found an explanation, that it is short for a more polite honorific expression for "suwararu (to sit)". "Okake ni naru" is a more polite and respectful way of saying "suwari" (to sit), used in formal situations or when you want to show particularly high respect. I think this is a ryotei's Okami's formal way of asking someone to sit down. It also helped confirm the meaning when Miyako looked at the seat, and said "yes" and then, sat down.
"Yo iwan wa" [よう言わんわ]. I first encountered this phrase in another Minamoto drama "True Colors". It was also used 3-4 times in this drama. It means "I am speechless", or "I am at a loss for words" as a response to something that was said that was audacious, appalling, absurd, or disgusting. Kansai language can be blunt, so I had to think of ways to lessen the bluntness of this phrase to match the atmosphere of the scene or the context of the dialogue.
"Kishokuwarui" [気色悪]. It means "disgusting" and "creepy". Again, in Kansai dialect, they use it loosely even if something is not really disgusting, and you shouldn't be offended (much) if you're told this. In the subs, I had to tone down the bluntness of this term so I translated it as "you lil weirdo", or "you're being weird."

I do love the following phrases/words: "Ookini" (thank you), "Kannin" (Bear with me / I'm sorry), and "Ohayou okaeriyasu" (お早うお帰りやす) = "Please be careful and return while it's still light " or "Don't stay out too long" when a family member is going out.

Filming Locations:

Kamo Ohashi (bridge). Where Raku and Hiiromi met Sartre of Kamo River. Kamo Ohashi Bridge was built across the Kamo River on Imadegawa Street as part of the Kyoto City urban redevelopment plan carried out from the Taisho period to the early Showa period. The Kamo River and Takano River merge just upstream of this bridge, making it the longest bridge over the Kamo River.
Address: Kajiicho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto (street view)

Stepping Stones. After meeting with the homeless person, Raku and Hiiromi are seen crossing the same stepping stones shown in Ep 1. Btw, stepping stones in Kyoto city are a quicker, alternative path for those who are in a hurry to cross the river, and don't want to bother using the bridge.

Westin Miyako Hotel West Wing Lobby. Where Kayoko met with Akane and her mother. The hotel dates back since the 1890s.
Address: 1 Awataguchi Kachocho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto

Rokkaku General Law Office. The law office of Miyako's half brother, actual location is just right beside Doda Community Hall where Professor Shinonome gets his tea water from. The building is currently occupied by a construction firm called "Milan Carpentry".
Address: 310 Hokodencho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto (street view)



EPISODE 9: OKERA MAIRI

Sartre of Kamo River. Played by Shirai Akira who happens to be the real-life husband of Akiyama Natsuko (who played the Mama-san of Bar Forest Down).
It is said that this character is based on a real-life homeless person, nicknamed "Julie of Kawatamachi" (after the nickname of singer Sawada Kenji) who roamed mainly the Shijo-Kawaramachi area of ​​Kyoto City from the 1960s to the 1980s. He had long hair similar to Sawada's at the time, and that he was described as an attention-seeker with eccentric clothing. He was regarded like a celebrity or local notable, and featured in magazines, as one of "Kyoto's Eccentrics". He died in 1988 due to hypothermia and was reported to be 66 years old at the time of his death. His relatives claimed the body and gave details about him (his name was still withheld): he was from Shikoku, served in the Pacific War, and took over his family business after being demobilized. He was married for about two years but disappeared around 1958 and has been out of contact with them ever since. There are no photos of him on the internet so far, but he was described as having a stocky build, a mustache and beard, long greasy hair, and wore a tattered black suit/jacket. He is still remembered up today, having been mentioned in some novels, essays, manga, and a song, and urban legends that say he is still seen roaming around. (source info: JP wiki)

Halva and whiskey. It was well documented that Sartre (the French philosopher) loved halva, particularly what was described as "sesame-based halva coated with almonds". He not only loved whiskey but all sorts of alcoholic drinks. Btw, the "Asahi whiskey" and the Miyako Chidori sesame yokan featured in this episode were both fictional products.

Akane's Highschool. She said it was Tennouji Akatsuki which is fictional. But it could be based on Osaka Prefectural Shimizudani High School which is a prestigious public co-educational senior high school (secondary school), located in Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan.


The Talk Between Shinonome and Sartre of Kamo River. Shinonome gave hints of Sartre's background. That he is the eldest son of a family pickling business (pickling vegetables are a big thing in Kyoto) but ran away to Paris to avoid taking over. He said if it could be anything other than pickles, he would have taken over. I'm guessing he doesn't want his hands dirtied or wrinkled while pickling veggies lol since Shinonome commented that he has beautiful hands (and probably he wanted to keep it that way). At least, he still goes back to his family when the weather gets too hot or too cold to seek shelter (unlike the real Julie of Kawatamachi).
I don't know what Shinonome gave Sartre. He did say "I'll lend this to you", but it looks like a teabag, perhaps?
Here, it is revealed that Shinonome was indeed an Aizu/Fukushima native.
Which brings me to the formation of his hobby club. It turns out he loves Kyoto as much as the other outsider "Ikkyu-san" Hiiragiko.
As Grandma Tsuruko said in Ep 3, "People from Kyoto don't study Kyoto as a hobby." So the people involved in the hobby club were all established to be outsiders, except for Hiiromi who is a hardcore Kyotoite. So why would Hiiromi bother to join the club? Maybe he admires Prof. Shinonome? And he probably doesn't have much friends, so this is his way of socializing?

Shinonome's Wife. And my hunch was correct, Emily is his wife, based on easy clues provided. But it was still unlikely as well, because there is no way a foreigner woman would be allowed to take over a Japanese sake brewery. And poor Emily, having moved to far away Fukushima, and getting involved with another man who still runs away from her lol. But it looks like they have a good long distance relationship going on. Too bad she didn't appear in person.

Suguru's Boss. Miyako's husband works for confectionery shop, Tomoya Chiyomatsu which has a branch shop in Paris. Of course it's a fictional shop but it is believed to be based on Toraya Confectionery Ltd, which was founded in the 16th century, having served the Imperial Court in Kyoto starting from the reign of Emperor Go-Yōzei. Their headquarters were moved to Tokyo when the capital was moved during the Meiji era. They have a branch in Paris which has been in operation since 1980. If you want to see their skillful artisanship in making wagashi, they have videos of it on their website HERE.

Hiiki. Also more known as Bixi, burden-carrying Chinese mythological beast shaped like a tortoise. You can read more HERE.

Okera Mairi. "A traditional New Year’s Eve (Dec 31) fire ritual at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto, where thousands of visitors light special hemp ropes, known as hinawa, from a sacred fire. Attendees spin these ropes to keep the fire alive while traveling home to cook zoni (New Year soup) and light household altars to ensure good health."
I think this was also featured in "Makanai" drama on NF. If you haven't watched it yet, you should if you are interested to find out more on Kyoto culture.

Filming Locations:

Okonomiyaki Yumeya. Where Hiiromi and Akane ate okonomiyaki, a place often used for filming dramas and street-walking segments, and frequently visited by celebrities.
Address: 1 Magobashi-cho, Kawabata-dori Nijo-dori Agaru, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City.

Cafe Moan. Where Mikami Suguru stopped to have tea along with the airport chauffeur. It is near the summit of Yoshida Mountain.
Address: 8 Yoshida Kaguraoka-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City

Shinnyoji Temple. Where Raku and Miyako visited and had tea, after praying at Uhoin Temple in Nishijin. It is one of the three sub-temples located outside the main temple grounds of the head temple Shokoku-ji.
Address: 61 Tojiin Kitamachi, Kita Ward, Kyoto

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (Hinomiko Shrine). Kyoto City's beloved shrine, featured at the end credits, where they practiced Okera Mairi. Another drama I subbed is "Ginnikan" a period drama about merchant life in Kyoto city and this Kitano Tenmangu Shrine had a major part in the story.
Address: Bakurocho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto

Minamiza Theater. Shown at the end credits, with workers raising sign boards of kabuki actors, called "manekiage". At the Minamiza Theatre's "Kichirei Kaomise Kogyo" (Annual Kabuki Performance), which opens on November 30th every year, the theater's front facade is adorned with a beckoning signboards on November 24th and 25th. I think this annual kabuki event was also featured in "Makanai" (not sure, I have to rewatch it sometime).
Address: 198 Shochiku Minamiza, 2nd Floor West Lobby, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City (street view)

That ends this drama's notes. Thank you for reading~!