Holmes of Kyoto: Volume 12 by Mai Mochizuki

Author:Mai Mochizuki [MOCHIZUKI, MAI]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: J-Novel Club
Published: 2022-11-21T00:00:00+00:00

3

Deciding to head to Heian Shrine by car, the three of us went to the underground parking lot on Oike Street and got into the company car.

Upon reaching surface level, Akihito, who was sitting alone in the back seat, said, “I still think having a Jaguar for a company car is something a rich guy with austere taste would do.” He folded his hands behind his head and chuckled.

“It’s my grandfather’s preference,” replied Holmes, the driver.

“So the next time you buy a new car, will it be a Jaguar again?”

Holmes tilted his head. “I’m not sure. These days, Jaguar cars no longer have the emblem as a hood ornament, do they?”

Sitting in the passenger seat, I craned my neck to look at the front of the car. The leaping jaguar on the hood did have a powerful sense of presence. It was considered the brand’s symbol.

“Now that you mention it, yeah,” said Akihito. “And it’s not just Jaguars. I feel like other luxury cars are getting rid of the hood mascots too.”

“My grandfather said, ‘The whole point of Jaguars is the jaguar on the hood! I’ll never like a Jaguar that doesn’t have a jaguar!’ So his next car might be something else.”

I imagined the owner saying that and couldn’t help but laugh. I absentmindedly looked out the window and realized that Holmes was driving west. “Um, isn’t Heian Shrine in the other direction?” I asked, tilting my head.

“Yes. I thought I’d take the opportunity to also show you two the Museum of Kyoto that Rikyu was talking about earlier.”

From Oike Street, Holmes merged south onto Sakaimachi Street and then turned right at Sanjo Street. The brick Museum of Kyoto building soon came into view. Since there weren’t any cars around us, he drove slowly.

“I’ve been here so many times, but it still strikes me how modern the building is,” I remarked.

“This might be my first time taking a good look at it,” said Akihito, looking outside as if he were glued to the window. “It sure is stylish.”

“This annex was originally built as a bank in the Meiji period,” explained Holmes.

“Ohh.”

“At the time—as in after the Meiji Restoration—Kyoto was in a desolate state, rife with vacant lots and houses. However, that empty land was used to build a new shopping street which we all know well: Shinkyogoku. Thanks to that, the intersecting Sanjo Street sprang to life as well. The Bank of Japan had its Kyoto branch built here on Sanjo Street. Designed by Tatsuno, the beautiful British-style building, with its harmonious combination of red bricks and horizontal white granite stripes, must have been a great source of encouragement for the people of Kyoto at the time,” Holmes explained passionately.

“Encouragement?”

Akihito and I looked at each other through the rearview mirror and tilted our heads.

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