Holmes of Kyoto, Kyoto Questions
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So my wife and I are in Kyoto for the next two weeks and I’d love to go to the district of the Holmes Antique shop. Looks like it’s Teramachi-Sanjo. Have any of you done this? Anything to look out for in the area? Other favorite haunts from the books (I’ve read the first 8) that are worth checking out? Many thanks!
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@the-green-death I can't give any useful information, but I will say that Holmes of Kyoto has made me want to visit Kyoto rather than Tokyo.
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Was in Kyoto two days in late March (missed the full blooms by one week 😢),
but didn’t seriously tried to look for where Kura would have been located.I think to do justice to Kyoto one would need to stay two weeks minimum. Strawberry daifuku were in season during my visit. They were great! It’s probably cheaper to buy it from the supermarket basements rather than at Nishiki Market, but we couldn’t resist when passing by all the displays 😋
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I haven't visited Kyoto, so you already have more on-location experience than me, but here are my thoughts.
Although I don't read Japanese, I have the impression that the Holmes of Kyoto Volume 6.5 is a guidebook to the sites mentioned in the series. Maybe it would have colour maps or photographs that would help? It is available as a paperback on Amazon Japan https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/望月-麻衣/dp/457551988X/
If I was ever in Kyoto, I would likely go to the Tsuen tea shop. Tsuen is the oldest tea company in Japan, founded in 1160 C.E. I've ordered some of their tea from O-Cha.com before, and it was delicious. It's near the Tale of Genji Museum.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuen_TeaI might also go see a tea farm or look at the canal that turns up in all the cherry blossom photos (the Philosopher's Path).
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3906.htmlI think the Philosopher's Path was in one of the Holmes of Kyoto books, but I don't recall which one.
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@strangeattractor is right. The Vol 18 afterword also mentions Vol. 0 which has additional Kyoto information.
From Vol. 6.5 (you can read it in the Bookwalker.jp preview), Kura is modeled on “Wright” which you can find in Google Maps as “Wright Shokai Sanjo”
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One sad thing I've learned from the YouTuber AkiDearest is that Gion has been closed to "tourists" (foreigners?).
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@Paul-Nebeling said in Holmes of Kyoto, Kyoto Questions:
One sad thing I've learned from the YouTuber AkiDearest is that Gion has been closed to "tourists" (foreigners?).
One video that I watched said that only some of the small streets where the geiko live are closed, but that the bigger streets are still open to all. Too many people are apparently bothering the geiko as they go to work… Something like that, anyway.
I’ll be there, briefly, in about two weeks…
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@Ingraman yeah the streets are actually owned by the properties not the public and tourists were scaring young Geisha with incessant candid photography and asking to pose, so the owners of the street had them closed to tourists.
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@strangeattractor oh that tea shop sounds amazing! It’s a hike from me but I’d also like to see the tales Of Genji museum…
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@anony-mouse99 Those links are hugely helpful, thank you!!
