Afterword

Hello, my name is Mai Mochizuki.

Thank you so much for reading Holmes of Kyoto.

I became a citizen of Kyoto in the spring of 2013. I was originally from Hokkaido, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the ancient city of Kyoto was the complete opposite of my hometown. Everything was new to me, and I couldn’t get enough of it all. One of the reasons I wrote this book was that I absolutely had to write about Kyoto before my outsider’s perspective and perception faded away. Another was that I’d always wanted to write the “light mystery” genre. I loved the idea of lighthearted mysteries where no one dies.

“All right then, I’m going to write a light mystery set in Kyoto!” I thought, and the title that popped into my mind was Kyoto Teramachi Sanjo no Holmes. For this book, the title came first, and the rest of the story expanded from there. Kyoto Teramachi Sanjo no Holmes (Holmes of Kyoto). Yep, that’s got a nice ring to it! It’s settled!

Next, I decided to make Holmes a derivation of the surname Yagashira. Things were smooth up until here, but up ahead lay a path of thorns. I had to do more research into Kyoto and antiques than anticipated, and my days were devoted to accumulating piles of books and taking notes.

Also, as I was writing this book, I read the appraiser Seinosuke Nakajima’s books enough times that I’d practically memorized them. I’ve always been a fan, but my admiration grew stronger because of how he wrote about the world of antique art in an interesting, easy-to-digest way. Thank you so much.

So, the model for Seiji Yagashira a.k.a. the owner was... Well, as much as I’d like to say, the owner is a very free-spirited character, so I’ll refrain.

Conceiving this book was a struggle unlike anything I’d experienced before, but that made me all the more thrilled when I finished writing it. I’m very emotionally attached to it. So, I’m truly delighted that you picked it up, and I hope that reading it has left you with the desire to visit Kyoto.

Lastly, I’d like to use this space to express my gratitude:

To the readers who are always supporting me;

To my precious friends with whom I engage in mutual encouragement;

To my beloved family who approved of my writing career and cheered me on;

To EVERYSTAR, the mobile novel publishing website that made my dream come true, and Ryuichiro Kawasaki, the editor who work hard towards the publishing of this book;

To Shin Miyazawa from Futabasha, who guided me with apt advice;

To Shizu Yamauchi, who provided such lovely illustrations;

And to you, who picked up this book.

I’m truly thankful to all of the connections surrounding myself and this book.

I’m also thankful to Conan Doyle, who I respect and adore, for creating the universally loved character Sherlock Holmes.

Thank you all so much.

Mai Mochizuki

Mai Mochizuki

Born in Hokkaido and currently resides in Kyoto. In 2013, won first prize in the second installment of EVERYSTAR’s e-publication awards. Other works include The Celebrated Miss Miyu Ayanokoji’s Secret! (Shogakukan Angel Bunko) and Cheat & Harem Girl (Shufunotomo Co., Ltd.). Interests include cafes and visiting shrines and temples. (As of January 2016)