Strangers in Kyoto

What it’s about

Madoka Shibusawa has married into a family that runs a hand fan shop in central Kyoto, a business with 450 years of history. She is charmed by the city, but on her first day alone in the store she speaks to a television crew and offends a number of local people by being too frank. She and her artist friend Anzai begin an essay manga about the traditional shops of the area, yet Madoka still has plenty to absorb about the indirect rules and the quiet hostility of the established shopkeepers.

What hooks you

Masanori Tominaga directs a cast led by Mai Fukagawa as Madoka and Shigeru Muroi as Tamaki Shibusawa. The screenplay is by Atsushi Asada, and the production is set among Kyoto's merchant traditions.

Who it’s for

It will appeal to those who like gentle culture-clash comedy, stories of creative friendship, and everyday life in Japan's old capital.