Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House (2021)

Kiyo works at the Maiko House as the live-in cook. She sees her childhood friend Sumire in town one day, accompanying an older maiko. Back at the House kitchen, Sumire tells Kiyo how hard she is working towards her goal of becoming one, too. Sumire is overjoyed to learn that she will debut as a maiko later that evening. She runs straight to Kiyo to share her news, but what will she think?

Sumire is going to have her hair styled in the traditional maiko bun for the first time. She will start using a special pillow to protect her hairstyle while she sleeps, like the other maiko and senior apprentices with buns. The senior maiko warn her she won't be able to sleep the first night, and Sumire struggles to rest her head on the unfamiliar pillow. She finally gives up on sleep and goes to the kitchen, where she unexpectedly finds Kiyo waiting up for her.

About a year ago, in Aomori Prefecture. Kiyo is spending time with her grandma while getting ready for her and Sumire's departure to Kyoto that evening. Later, Kiyo, Sumire and Kenta have fun reminiscing about their childhood, and Kiyo's grandma serves them a specialty dish from the region to celebrate. Just before boarding the night bus, Sumire discovers what Kiyo has packed from home, as her grandma and Kenta look on.

Kiyo is having trouble deciding what to cook for supper. She asks the maiko what they want to eat, but they all like different dishes. Sumire's favorite is fried chicken. Her craving grows so strong that it is all she can think about while entertaining customers over dinner, and on her way home. When she finally arrives back at the Maiko House, she is greeted by Kiyo, who is preparing an unexpected supper for her.

Kiyo's day revolves around cooking and nourishing the maiko. In the morning, she gets ready quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping maiko, makes breakfast and goes grocery shopping after seeing the maiko off. Mid-day, she prepares lunch for the maiko who have returned from lessons, preps ingredients and serves supper to the maiko before they leave for entertaining. At evening time, Kiyo cleans up before going to the public bath and takes a stroll enjoying Kyoto at night.

Aomori Prefecture. Kenta pays a visit to Kiyo's Grandma's and notices that she has received a letter in her mailbox. When Kenta realizes it is from Kiyo, he remembers how she and Sumire secretly exchanged notes in school. It was then that something about Kiyo's handwriting had started catching his attention.

Kiyo has come home to Aomori Prefecture to spend New Year's with her grandma. Sumire and Kenta come to visit, and the three of them chat while making the hometown specialty walnut sauce for Ozoni soup. As she grinds the walnuts, Kiyo talks proudly about how amazing Sumire is performing as a maiko in Kagai as the others wonder, how about Kiyo?

January 7 is the first workday of the new year in Kagai. The Maiko House girls are rushing about, preparing for the beginning of work. Sumire has her hair put up, gives Mother a personal New Year's greeting, and gets dressed in a formal black crested kimono worn on celebratory occasions. In the kitchen, Kiyo prepares a special breakfast for this important day, but the maiko must take particular care when eating it.

Mother brings home some premium beef. Kiyo immediately starts thinking about what she can make with it, but the maiko who have returned home are realizing that the house is unusually cold. None of the heating appliances could be turned on due to a blackout. As the maiko sit shivering in the cold, what better than Kiyo appearing in front of them with a steaming hot pot.

It is customary for Geiko to dress up in costumes for the Setsubun festival in Kagai. The House maiko are up late, helping make the props and costumes. The girls are sleep-deprived, and they start to come apart in the room where they've been working together, as the night wears on. Can Sumire find something in the kitchen to help calm everyone down?

Sumire dines out at a high-end restaurant along with Momoko and a regular customer but cannot make any sense of the menu. Sumire ends up having the same meal as Momoko but is left wondering what she actually ate. The next morning, she goes to Kiyo in the house kitchen and makes a request for the dish she had wanted to eat.

The maiko spot garlic in the kitchen and it causes quite a stir among them. As entertainers, maiko typically refrain from eating anything that smells too strongly and can only enjoy having such foods when they have the next day off. The garlic is for Sumire's gyoza dumplings. She is looking forward to them so much that she blurts out some puzzling words while she entertains customers the night before her day off.