2016.7.17

It was cloudy and humid.

This was the middle of three day weekend.

I went to Kimono style Miya to have my new kimono style pictures taken. I have two new summer kimono and was going to change them one after another. But my plan was changed.
After having my formal kimono (homongi: 訪問着) pictures taken I went out for lunch with my model friend to the Japanese restaurant on the 68th floor of the Landmark Tower in Yokohama.
The view from there was very nice and the special July lunch was delicious.

After that we went to the Japanese Tea Room on the 65th floor where I have wanted to visit for a few years. There are three tea rooms, one is a regular size room, the other is a small room called koma (小間) , and another is for sitting on the chair style called ryureiseki (立礼席).
First we had three Japanese sweets and tea at the regular room and then we had tea at the sitting style room too.
They say in winter you can see the Mt. Fuji from that room.
It cost yen 1500.
I recommend you to enjoy Japanese tea ceremony there.

After that we went back to Kimono style Miya again and I changed to another one called tsumugi (紬), and have my pictures taken.

After that I went to another kimono shop, and happened to see the painting process for half collar (haneri: 半襟) and making raden (螺鈿) process for obi (帯), sash. It was a rare chance.

It was a nice day.

2014.10.2

It was cloudy.

I went to the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno to escort 10 international and Japanese graduate school students to the tea ceremony.  Before that we saw the national treasures at the museum.  Volunteer staffs came to the entrance to meet us at 11:30 AM and led to the tea house called Okyokan (応挙館) through the garden where is closed at this time of the year. 
There were three parts.  First we observed o temae (お点前), the tea making procedure and ate sweets and drank green tea called o maccha (お抹茶).  Second they explained about the history of Okyokan and paintings inside of Okyokan by a famous painter Maruyama Okyo (円山応挙).  Third we looked around the tea room including wall paintings, the copy of the very expensive scroll of 36 famous poets and tea utensils.  They say the original scroll cost yen 40 billion or so. 
It was about one hour tour, and cost yen 500 per person.  I think this is a very good experience for foreigners to see traditional Japanese culture, tea ceremony.  If you are interested in, you need to contact them one month before the event.

2013.10.24

It was cloudy and slightly rainy today.

At the Logical Thinking lesson we practiced to analyze the data by MECE (Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive).  Group work is effective because we can notice what we are missing.

After the lesson I went to tea ceremony lesson.  Today we learned the procedures of o koicha (お濃茶), thick tea.  In the world of tea ceremony, November is the first month to taste the new tea of the year.  And the style of pot is changed from furo (風炉) to ro (炉) which is placed in the tatami (畳) mat.  Before using ro in November, there is a special procedure at this time of the year when you make koicha, thick tea by furo which is placed on the tatami mat.  We put a scoop of cold water into a hot pot just before we make thick tea to soften water because the tea powder at this time is kind of old, the last tea of the year, boiling water won't make tasty tea.  I think this kind of manner is very considerate. 
According to the news Japanese Foods Culture will be listed at the UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage. It is very honor.  I hope many people have a chance to taste authentic Japanese Foods.

2012.8.11

It was cloudy.

Yesterday I came home by taxi, so I walked to the station to get my car and went grocery shopping in the morning.

In the afternoon there was a special tea lesson, so I wore yukata (浴衣), summer casual kimono to attend it.  There were 5 pupils and there were 5 different lessons.   Therefore each person became the host of each lesson.  I was in charge of the 4th one.
I used to learn tea ceremony once a week, but these days I cannot go and only attend the special occasions  such as the first tea ceremony in the year called hatsugama (初釜).  So it's been a long time since I practiced the charcoal procedure last time.  I wish I could practice more regularly!