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This website explains that:

「～ところへ／に」は、ある段階における状況を変化させるような出来事が起こることを表すと説明した方がいい。
to indicate event that will change the situation in certain stage
(this is my own translation (it might be incorrect))

「～ところで」は、前の動作が終わり、一区切りがついた時点で、後の変化が起きる、又は動作を起こす。
In a point of time when the action is over and there's a break, another action happens / perform another action
(this is my own translation too)

ふっとうしたところへとりにくを入れます。

I think ところで is more suitable (even though I think it's wrong) in this sentence because 「前の動作が終わり、一区切りがついた時点で、後の変化が起きる、又は動作を起こす。」

前の動作が終わり = ふっとうした　後の変化が起きる = 肉を入れます

But anyway, I feel like I don't understand the difference between ところで and ところに/へ at all because when I feel it's unnatural when I use it. See also Usage of ところ to represent time with に and で

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A simple explanation about the difference between ところに/へ and ところで is that the former takes not only time but space aspect of an event into consideration.

  • X ところで Y: Y at the same moment X happens
  • X ところへ/に Y: Y at the same moment, same place X happens

ふっとうしたところ（へ／で）とりにくを入れます

Both will work in this example, because according to my common sense, it instructs you to put chicken into the pot when water in it boils. However,

○ ふっとうしたところでとりにくをやきはじめます
× ふっとうしたところへとりにくをやきはじめます

because, if I'm correct, you can't roast meat in the pot with boiling water inside. In order to do so, you have to bring another utensil to put your meat in, and it is not the same place the boiling takes place in.

A little deeper reasoning for that is that へ/に are particles to mark the destination of action (i.e. towards it), unlike で which denotes general background settings. Even they are idioms, their usages are bound by grammar. That also means you can't use ところへ/に when the verb don't accept it.

○ 渋谷を歩いているところに先生が来た
× 渋谷を歩いているところに先生と会った
○ 先生が渋谷を歩いているところに会った

When you use 会う "meet / run into" with the other one marked by と, you can no more use に in this construction.

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  • Thank you very much. I do understand most of it. But I stuck in a sentence "That also means you can't use ところへ/に when the verb don't accept it." Why it's ungrammatical to use particle に after ところ when there's と particle at the end of the sentence. (× 渋谷を歩いているところに先生と会った) What does not accept ところに here. In my opinion, I consider it "X ところへ/に Y: Y at the same moment, same place X happens" (the answer above) 渋谷を歩いているところに先生と会った X = (someoneが)渋谷を歩いてるところに Y =（same personが)先生と会った.
    – Kyuu
    Jun 18, 2020 at 10:20
  • I've never known the concept of when a verb accept some particle (When you use 会う "meet / run into" with the other one marked by と, you can no more use に in this construction.). BTW, I'm grateful for your help.
    – Kyuu
    Jun 18, 2020 at 10:20
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    @Kyuu By "verb accepts particle" I wanted to say that a verb has its case framework. For example, in English you can say "give you a gift" and "give a gift to you" but you can't mix it like "I gave you a gift to your secretary" (to mean something like "I handed a gift for you to your secretary").
    – broccoli forest
    Jun 19, 2020 at 3:09
  • "X = (someoneが)渋谷を歩いてるところに Y =（same personが)先生と会った" Mmm... I think I can get its meaning with that context, but somehow felt not right (in parsing sense) to me.
    – broccoli forest
    Jun 19, 2020 at 3:22
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    And the last question (I hope) 1.最後の問題が解けたところで(X)、試験終了のチャイムが鳴ったんだ(Y)。 2.試合時間が残り一分を切ったところで(X)、ゴールを決められて負けてしまった(Y)。 I think ところに/へ can be used in these 2 sentences too because Y happens in the same place X happens. 1 = Chime ringing in the place the problem is solved (maybe the place is school) 2 = Goal was made in the place where the time is less than 1 minute (maybe the place football was stadium) Is it usable ?
    – Kyuu
    Jun 19, 2020 at 11:04

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