Tea Ceremony

In May I got my official certificate as a second level tea ceremony master. But today we kind of celebrated that by holding a tea ceremony with my sensei. I did the koicha (thick tea) for about 8 guests. Luckily they enjoyed the taste of my tea (the most important thing), and I made no mistakes in preparing it πŸ™‚



I had on a formal kimono and hakama, and it was very new or full of starch so it did not fold properly when I sat down. It got in the way everywhere πŸ™‚



Though I was quite exhausted afterwards (up at 5:30 am to get dressed) it was fun, and I am happy everything went so well. Though it is quite easy as a foreigner and a guy since most Japanese get very easily impressed when a foreign guy can do tea πŸ™‚

Yodakimbo

After work I took the visitor from our Lund office to Yodakimbo. A small and smoky restaurant in Naka-Meguro. Chie joined us after her work as well. We had a good time talking, eating and drinking. Besides the usual dishes at Yodakimbi we could also enjoy the nabe – chicken shabu-shabu. Delicious!



Kimura-sensei

Waking up in a wonderful bed with a great view of Hibiya park… Then I realize that it is a work day πŸ™ But we still had time to use the room service for breakfast.



Although I had to leave quite early to get to the office (guest from Sweden waiting for me), Chie had half the day off to enjoy the hotel. I had arranged for a late checkout (by 2 pm). So Chie enjoyed another round at the gym, pool and spa before she took a Rolls Royce limousine to where she had an offsite meeting.

In the evening I met with Chie at the Peninsula. We picked up her bags and went to a celebration party of my professor at the University of Tokyo (Todai), Kimura-sensei. He had got a medal from the Emperor for his honorable work in the Japanese and international standardization community. I was there as a guest and to take photos.



To my surprise I found an old friend from my time at the Todai. His name is Kobayashi-san and is now working for Fujitsu and have a wife and an 8 months kid.



I also could meet a lot of Japanese colleagues from my time in ISO standardization. And of course, it was great seeing and talking to Kimura-sensei again.



Happy Birthday Chie

“Happy birthday Chie!” was one of my first words to Chie this morning. Kind of good choice of words since it was her birthday πŸ˜‰ We celebrated it by going to the Peninsula gym as yesterday, enjoying the steam room and the different showers. We also did some shopping for Chie.

At 3 pm we had afternoon tea at the Peninsula. Tea served in silver tea pots and with silver spoons. Three plates of sandwiches, scones, and cakes. We drank two pots of tea each and ate all the plates bare. It took us 1.5 hours of talking, enjoying the live piano music and, of course, the tea and the food. Afterwards we were both very full and satisfied:-)



After tea and some shopping at Drawers we went back to our room to relax. We made another visit to the spa for steam room and showers. In the evening we were so relaxed and still hungry so we did not want to leave the room. We celebrated Chie’s birthday with Champagne (I had strawberries) and a small dinner (Caesar salad and onion grating soup) in the room.



Happy Birthday Chie!

The Peninsula

Once we had slowly woken up in the morning we went to the Hibiya/Ginza area. We were a bit early to get access to our room so we just checked in and left our luggage at the Peninsula. Then we went out for some shopping. It is not that we usually stay at a hotel when we shop in Ginza, just when Chie celebrates her birthday, 18th I think πŸ˜‰



After some window shopping we returned to the hotel and went to our room, a Grand Deluxe Room. Wonderful! Spacious and beautiful. Then we went to the gym where Chie was running and I went through the body in the different machines (using Peninsula provided sports clothing and shoes). We also used the pool where they, as soon as we entered, provided us with bathrobes, goggles and prepared reclining chairs for us. Once we were done with the pool we went to the spa facilities.

In the spa facilities I used the tropical rainfall shower with eucalyptus, the Crystal Steam room (with a faint mint breeze), and the Cool Mist shower (with mint) in that order. The rainfall was a hot wonderful shower that I could have stayed in the whole day, unless Chie was waiting for me πŸ˜‰ The Crystal Steam room was a hot steam room that soothed and relaxed the body. To cool off I used the Cool Mist shower that sprayed a mist of water over you, feeling much like walking through a very thick fog… With mint to cool you and to please your nose.

In the evening we went to Toraji where we had so much yakiniku (grilled meat) that it must have come out our ears in the end. And so much garlic that nobody wanted to be closer than a 100 meters from us, which is quite convenient in Tokyo πŸ˜‰



Back at the hotel we took a hot bath in our room to get rid of the smoke. Then relaxed, talking and watching TV before going to bed. Goodnight!