Chapter 2 Time of Aoi

It’s now mid-April, and the city of Kyoto was suddenly abuzz with the announcement of this year’s “Saio-dai.”

“My, did you see the news? This year’s Saio-dai is a student at that university for wealthy young women, and her family owns a long-standing kimono fabric store! They picked quite a pretty one this year.”

Mieko, who was visiting Kyoto Teramachi-Sanjo’s antique store Kura, spoke enthusiastically about this year’s “Saio-dai.” That’s right, Mieko, the elderly woman who was there when I first got this job. She manages the women’s clothing store diagonally opposite from us, so she occasionally comes over to kill time. She said she was an old friend of the owner’s, but despite that, it doesn’t seem like she knows anything about antiques.

Mieko lifted her cup of Holmes’s brewed coffee with a look of anticipation, but then turned to me as though she’d suddenly remembered something.

“Ah, Aoi. Do you know why dear Kiyotaka was able to guess where you lived solely based on your name?”

“Oh…yes, I found out,” I murmured, blushing. Mieko and Holmes chuckled.

Right, it happened on the day I was offered this job. After hearing my name, Holmes asked, “Does your family live in Sakyo-ku, close to Shimogamo Shrine?” and I said, “Yes, how do you know that?” all wide-eyed in shock. Back then, I was amazed that he could pinpoint where I lived just from my name, but I found out why immediately afterwards. Up until then, I’d been taking the bus to school. I didn’t start riding a bike until I got the part-time job at Kura. Doing that showed me things I hadn’t been able to see before.

“Aoi Elementary School,” “Aoi Dry Cleaning,” “Aoi Apartment,” “Aoi Bookstore,” “Aoi Cafe,” “Aoi Building”; the list went on and on. How do I put this… The area around Shimogamo Shrine was overflowing with the name “Aoi.” If I were from Osaka, it’d make me go, “Y’all love ‘Aoi’ too dang much!”

Apparently, it’s because of one of Kyoto’s three major festivals, the “Aoi Festival.” Now, even I’d heard of the Aoi Festival before, but I didn’t know this neighborhood had that many Aoi names.

So I realized that there was nothing strange at all about Holmes guessing where I lived based on my name. It was one of those things that all of the locals knew: Aoi = Shimogamo neighborhood.

Coincidentally, the “Saio-dai” that Mieko was so excited about was the star of the Aoi Festival. This year’s Saio-dai was announced the other day, and the locals were quite enthusiastic about it.

“Being chosen as the Saio-dai is a really big deal, huh? I was surprised that there was even a press conference for it on Kyoto TV,” I said to myself, but Mieko swiveled around to face me.

“But of course! Being named the Saio-dai is the greatest honor a Kyoto woman can have!”

“Th-The greatest honor?”

“Mhmm. After all, only the most refined of women can be chosen, with emphasis on intelligence, character, and pedigree. It isn’t a superficial beauty pageant. Their looks vary because of that, but everyone’s high class. And this year’s Saio-dai sure is pretty—the ceremonial kimono will look wonderful on her. I’ll have to take a picture,” Mieko explained passionately, while I made vague sounds of acknowledgment throughout.

Holmes smiled in amusement at my inability to relate to her excitement. “The Aoi Festival is a tradition dating back to the Heian period, and it appears in The Tale of Genji as well.”

“Wait, it does? I’ve read The Tale of Genji before, but I didn’t know that.” It was a manga adaptation that I read, though.

“Do you know the scene where Hikaru Genji’s legal wife and his mistress both go to see a festival and fight over carriage locations?”

“Oh, do you mean the conflict between Lady Aoi and Lady Rokujo?”

It was a scene where the mistress (Lady Rokujo) was overpowered by the wife (Lady Aoi) and backed down. Wives are strong, no matter the era. Wait, that’s not what we were talking about.

“Yes, and that festival was the Aoi Festival. Supposedly in the Heian period, saying ‘festival’ implied the Aoi Festival.”

“I see. By the way, what’s the ‘Saio-dai’ supposed to represent?” I figured it was a stupid question, but I still asked.

“Well, she’s the star of the show! During the parade, she wears a traditional twelve-layered kimono and is carried in the portable shrine,” Mieko answered, looking proud.

I felt somewhat relieved knowing that there were people who’d lived in Kyoto all their lives and still didn’t know what exactly they were getting so excited over.

Holmes explained in her place: “The ‘Saio’ refers to a shrine maiden from the Imperial House. In the Heian period, an unmarried imperial princess would be chosen to serve Kamo Shrine or Ise Grand Shrine as a shrine maiden, and such a woman was called the ‘Saio.’ Today, the ceremony is only for the festival’s sake, so a local woman is chosen, and she’s called the ‘Saio-dai.’”

“Oh, I see, the suffix is because it’s a substitute role.”

“The one chosen to represent Kyoto is always a refined woman of the proper lineage, and the term has become synonymous with ‘a woman gifted with both intelligence and beauty.’ It’s certainly a great honor to be selected.”

“Yes, they even say that a woman who’s been chosen as Saio-dai will never have trouble finding a husband!” Mieko piped in.

“R-Really?! But how do you get chosen?”

“The process is not made public, but I’ve heard that the shrine approaches them,” said Holmes.

“I heard that tea ceremony and ikebana teachers go around to their students!” Mieko said. Ikebana is the traditional art of flower arranging.

“Wow…” I was kind of overwhelmed by their words. There really are a lot of things that only the locals know. An ordinary person like me wouldn’t feel any connection to the Saio-dai just from watching the festival… But little did I know, this ordinary me was going to get involved with the Saio-dai thanks to Kura.