#Hama Rikyu Gardens

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Looking closely at the trees in Hama Rikyu Gardens I found these exquisite support beams that are tied to the branches. Either to help keep the tree from falling or to guide the way it grows, these are another detail in which really exemplifies how well cared for and loved the plant life is here. If not for the people caring for it throughout the past three centuries, the Japanese Black Pine tree seen in the first photos would have never been able to achieve its size and age!

[henk-heijmans]

Hama-rikyu gardens, Tokyo, 2020 - by Vesa Pihanurmi (1967), Finnish

[a-student-out-of-time]

You know, I wonder what other couples we may see during this arc.

*Thursday, February 14th, Hama-Rikyu Gardens, 3:03 PM*

She said to meet them here...

Man, this place is really pretty.

But where's Mikan...?

*Hajime goes walking for a bit, and notices someone familiar near the water*

...

Kotoko?

*Gasp* You're here!

*She hug-tackles him*

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, kiddo.

So if you're here...

I'm here to give you for all-important quest! But first you must answer me these questions three!

What is your name?

Hinata Hajime.

What is your reason for being here?

To spend some time with Mikan. And you if you'd like.

What's the name of the four chambers of the heart?

Uhh...right atrium, left atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle...?

Correct! Congratulations, you passed all the questions!

Now spin around three times with your eyes closed and then turn around~

*He does so, and sees...*

H-Happy Valentine's Day, Hajime...

-Sprite by bonjourchaton

[sailorspazz]

Inouesatoh Exhibition 2023

In the summer of 2019, Vanilla Gallery in Tokyo hosted an exhibition for Inouesatoh featuring her 10 Dance art. In July 2023, they announced they would be running a second exhibition from September 7th to the 24th, this time additionally including her works from before 10 Dance, serving to also celebrate the 20th anniversary of her manga career. In addition, there would be new 10 Dance goods for sale, as well as some merch from earlier events. After attending the amazing Real 10 Dance event in February 2023, surely I couldn't justify going to Japan twice in one year for 10 Dance related things, could I...? Well, spoiler alert, I did, so below the cut you'll find my report on attending this special exhibition!

After a rather long trip that included a one-hour technical delay of my first flight and a three-hour weather delay of my second flight due to a typhoon going through Tokyo, I made it to Japan on the evening of September 8th, with my exhibition ticket set for entry at noon on the 9th. After doing various things in the morning such as getting a nice bowl of fresh seafood at Tsukiji, walking around the Hama Rikyu gardens, and stopping by the large Uniqlo in Ginza (where I ended up buying a Magic Knight Rayearth shirt, one of my old fandoms from the 90s lol), I arrived at Vanilla Gallery about 10 minutes before noon, where I saw several other people lined up on the sidewalk. Once the doors opened, we were led down a couple flights of stairs, where the above poster was displayed on one of the landings. Then, after getting to the bottom of the stairs, there were two different rooms labeled A and B. The left side was A, which contained all of the 10 Dance pieces as well as the merch selling area, and the right side was B, which featured Inouesatoh's older works, as well as displays of 10 Dance art reproductions that were available for pre-order. Everyone headed into the A side first, where all of the walls featured either original drafts (for chapter 31 and earlier) or large digital copies (for chapter 32 onward) of manga pages, plus various illustrations such as volume covers and special colored pages. For the earlier chapters you could see things such as white out, corrections, and notes about which screentones should be used. For the later, digitally created chapters, the pages looked mostly the same as how they were printed, except some were larger and showed bits from the edges of pages that were originally cut off and hence not fully drawn in detail or screentoned. There were over 100 pieces on display in total; some of the scenes featured included chapter 11's flirting practice, chapter 15's subway makeout session, the entire farewell dance sequence from chapter 33, and Suzuki and Norman's *ahem* "arrangement" from chapter 38.

The absolute "wow" piece was the new artwork created specifically for this exhibition, featuring Suzuki being a devil and angel simultaneously (and Sugiki indulging people who are into feet lol). I had seen some pics of it on Twitter, but it still surprised me with how impressive (and big!) it was in person. It was the only piece that pictures were allowed to be taken of, so here're the shots I took (due to the lighting, I couldn't really get a shot without reflections, unfortunately):

I'm absolutely o b s e s s e d with their expressions.

For a sense of scale, here's a picture Inouesatoh and Teacher shared on Twitter:

In the middle of the room, there was a set-up that included a map of the Ginza area that showed locations used in the series (including their route to Tokyo station from chapter 33), a chair that included an artfully draped dance tuxedo, four sketches of merchandise ideas (one that was used for the stand, one that turned into the angel/devil piece, one that she colored and shared on Twitter before we even knew about the exhibition, and a fourth that hasn't yet been used anywhere, but I hope it will be since it shows a really cool and dynamic pose), several flower arrangements celebrating the exhibition/Inoue's 20th anniversary as a manga artist/her birthday (September 10th), and a guestbook for fans to leave messages. I was wary of writing anything at first, since I don't ever practice hand-writing Japanese, so I know my penmanship is sloppy and I have a hard time writing kanji from memory (I tried turning to my phone for assistance, but alas did not have a wifi connection in that underground level). But I thought I should still try anyway, so I just wrote a short and simple message congratulating her on the exhibition, saying that I'd come from America to see it and it was great.

Here's an image that Vanilla Gallery shared on Twitter that gives a good view of the center and a partial wall:

I then headed over to the B room, where Inouesatoh's earlier works from 2003 to 2011 were featured. Many of the pages included sex scenes, which somewhat amusingly had bits of black tape covering the naughty bits (I saw a fan note on Twitter that if you looked at them from a slanted angle you could totally see under the tape lol). One of the walls also had information about the signed reproductions that could be pre-ordered for delivery in mid-December. This is an image from the online sales afterward showing the options and prices:

I didn't place an order at the venue because I wasn't sure if they would deliver outside of Japan, and didn't know if my friends who live there would be available to receive the artwork in that timeframe. Instead, I waited until afterward and placed a proxy order for the new piece through Buyee.

There were other items available to purchase on site, so I indulged myself in a bunch of merch! On my first trip to the register, I picked up the tote bag, washi tape, art books for both this exhibition and the previous one, the acrylic stand, two blind pack keychains, and six blind pack art cards. The art cards included five regular designs and one rare special (the new angel/devil piece), and I hoped I could get all of them in one go. I tried to quietly open the packs to see if I'd gotten lucky, and while I did get all of the regular designs, no special was among them. So I bought a second round of six cards, plus two more keychains just because. Again I checked to see if I had gotten the one I wanted, but all I had was doubles/triples of the five regular designs. So I gave it one more shot, six more cards, and again ended up with duplicates. At that point, I figured I shouldn't let myself keep gambling since I'd probably just get more and more duplicates of the ones I already had, so I sadly accepted my fate lol. At least there's a beautiful print of the new art piece in the catalog book for me to stare at (plus the signed version that'll be coming my way in December!)

After the event ended, they started selling the exhibition catalog and acrylic stand online, which can be found here. Also available is a separate catalog featuring her pre-10 Dance works (assuming the split is because her earlier series are owned by a different publisher). That book is sold here.

Though I had wanted to visit some more of the sites used in the series that I didn't get to see on my previous visit (when I had been racing against the clock as it got dark), ultimately I didn't end up having time to go on a full pilgrimage. However, on my last day just before heading to the airport, I wanted to at least visit one of the most important series locations and take a few photos with the adorable acrylic stand. So here I present to you, the Shinyas having a date in their favorite park!

Overall, it was a short but fun trip! I'm glad I was able to go to this exhibition, to see the original drafts in person and admire the craft that went into them. Also to feed my need for merch; I'm so happy to indulge in a more direct form of support than the secondhand goods I've bought before. I hope that this event was considered a success and let Inouesatoh feel the love and encouragement from her fans, inspiring her to keep pushing onward in her now two-decade career in manga!

[bleachbleachbleach]

Byakuya’s Falconry Teahouse

Or, you know the Shihouin Falconry Teahouse, or the Shiba Falconry Teahouse, or whoever. Because I am me *I* never turn down an opportunity to imagine Byakuya in A Getup.

I visited the Hama-Rikyu Gardens, a restored Edo Period garden in Chuo City, which were really exciting to me because they had 1) A FALCONRY TEAHOUSE, and 2) a saltwater pond, because the gardens are situated right on Tokyo Bay. How cool is that?? A saltwater pond! I love canal locks.

I wanted to share some details that might serve as inspiration for any and all of your Bleach purposes, as they are now serving mine.

First of all, this one garden has five teahouses in it, which seems like a lot of teahouses--but as someone who owns a lot of tea, who am I to judge, really. I act like if there were a Teahouse Tycoon game I wouldn’t put 19 teahouses on one island.

This is what Soul Society would look like if Yamamoto didn’t put his foot down and pass municipal codes to keep the architecture uniform and period, LOL.

I only took pictures of the Falconry Teahouse, my beloved, but they were all architecturally very different, which I thought had a fun, like, Disneyland effect. Shoguns, amirite. If your eyes don’t mind very tiny text, here’s some info about the others:

The falconry teahouse was located near the duck-hunting grounds, where ducks were hunted with nets and--you guessed it--raptors.

There was a shrine for the ducks they killed:

The Falconry Teahouse (or Hawk Teahouse) takes the Bass Pro approach, with a much more rustic, countryside aesthetic than the others. I am obsessed with the roof in particular:

THICC

Here it’s closed up in storm shutter mode, because it was a cleaning day, but it continues its rustic aesthetic indoors as well, with a dirt-packed floor and stove area. This is so its users would have room to sit around in it without taking off all their falconry gear and shoes and whatnot.

I joked about the Disneyland effect, but as you can see from the first photo in this post, the next tea house is basically across the street, and looks nothing like this one. We have a teahouse at home, but we built another one.

I assume there’s ducks that non-shinigami nobles spend their time hunting, but I also like the idea of divisions having outposts out in Rukongai, since it makes sense to have bases of operations that are closer at hand than the Seireitei, given that even the Seireitei is so large it can’t be quickly traversed (or so we’re told when we’re first introduced to it).

Ope, I lied, I do have a photo of a non-Falconry Teahouse teahouse. This is a wood detail on the Tsubame, or Swallowtail, teahouse:

I’m gonna be honest with you, this is not the most virtuoso woodburning I’ve ever seen, but still think it’s cool, and adds a loving character detail to the structure!

Maybe the only shinigami who can effectively navigate the Seireitei are the ones who know to look for the poorly stenciled birds on each building. (Real talk, I was looking for a meeting room at my workplace once, and after locating it I was told that the rooms are all named for local water features, and their relative elevation correlates to what floor the meeting room was on. It was a REVELATION.)

[crazy-kitch]

Le Tea House flottant des jardins Hama-Rikyū - Tokyo 📍 Quel plaisir de débuter la journée dans un cadre aussi paisible, niché en plein centre de l’agglomération la plus peuplée du monde 🌸 #tokyo #visittokyo #japan #visitjapan #matcha #wagashi #dorayaki #gardens #hamarikyugardens #teahouse #japanaesthetic #travel #traveljapan (à Hama-Rikyu Garden) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqA1fE-oLN0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ssacp]

茶道。 #浜離宮恩賜庭園 #浜離宮 #東京 #日本 #日曜日 #日曜日朝 #週末 #tokyo #hamarikyugardens #weekend #sundaymorning #walking #teahouse 🇯🇵 (at Hama-Rikyu Garden) https://www.instagram.com/p/CprPZQ3LMFl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[ringomagic-blog]

都会のオアシス「浜離宮恩賜庭園」

Hamarikyu Gardens, an urban oasis

東京で行ってみたいと思っていた「浜離宮恩賜庭園」をやっと訪れることができました。11月の気温も18℃と絶好のお散歩日和だったので、心躍る気持ちで庭園の門をくぐりました。

I finally got to visit the Hamarikyu Gardens, which I had always wanted to visit in Tokyo, and as the November temperature was 18 degrees Celsius, it was a perfect day for a stroll, so I walked through the garden gates with an excited heart.

浜離宮恩賜庭園の基本情報

Hamarikyu Gardens Basic Information

浜離宮恩賜庭園は、徳川将軍家の庭園として知られ、江戸時代から続く歴史的な場所です。東京都中央区に位置し、都心の喧騒から離れた静かな空間が広がっています。アクセスも良好で、最寄り駅は都営大江戸線の「汐留駅」や、JR「浜松町駅」から徒歩圏内です。庭園内には、池や小道、そして美しい日本庭園が広がっており、訪れる人々を魅了しています。

Hamarikyu Gardens is known as the garden of the Tokugawa shoguns and has been a historical place since the Edo period.Located in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, it is a quiet place away from the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo.It is easily accessible, with the nearest stations being Shiodome Station on the Toei Oedo Line and Hamamatsucho Station on the JR Line, both within walking distance.The garden features a pond, pathways, and a beautiful Japanese garden that attracts visitors.

庭園の美しさと自然

The beauty of the gardens and nature

訪問時の体験

Visiting Experience

平日の午後に訪れたのですが、意外にも多くの外国人観光客がいました。特に欧米からの観光客が多く、彼らがこの場所の魅力を感じ取っている様子が印象的でした。日本人の中には、浜離宮恩賜庭園を訪れたことがない人も多いのではないでしょうか。私自身も、もっと早く訪れておけばよかったと感じました。

I visited on a weekday afternoon, and there were surprisingly many foreign tourists.Many of the tourists were from Europe and the United States in particular, and it was impressive to see how they sensed the charm of this place.I suspect that many Japanese have never visited Hama Rikyu Gardens.I myself felt that I should have visited it earlier.

こうした歴史的な背景を知ることで、庭園の魅力がさらに深まります。

Knowing this historical background adds to the garden's appeal.

外国人観光客の多さ

Large number of foreign tourists

若い日本人におすすめの理由

Why is it recommended for young Japanese?

特に若い日本人の男女には、ぜひ訪れてほしい場所です。都会の中にある自然のオアシスで、リフレッシュできること間違いなしです。忙しい日常から少し離れて、心を落ち着ける時間を持つことができるのは、現代のストレス社会において非常に重要です。友達や恋人と一緒に訪れるのも良い思い出になるでしょう。

It is a must-visit place, especially for young Japanese men and women.It is an oasis of nature in the middle of the city that is sure to refresh you.It is very important in today's stressful society to be able to take some time off from our busy lives and have some time to calm down.Visiting with friends or loved ones will also be a good memory.

このように、浜離宮恩賜庭園は、ただの観光スポットではなく、心を豊かにしてくれる場所です。ぜひ、訪れてみてください。

Thus, Hamarikyu Gardens is not just a sightseeing spot, but a place that enriches the soul.Please visit.

[worldsandemanations]

Hama-rikyu gardens, Tokyo, 2020 - by Vesa Pihanurmi (1967), Finnish

[musubipartners]

Aphrodite Afternoon Tea at Mesm Tokyo

This Tokyo-based afternoon tea is inspired by an ancient Greek sculpture.

We've never seen such a romantic and artistic dining experience!

From January 9th 2024, visit Mesm Tokyo to savor stunning afternoon tea that will take you back to ancient Greece. Called the "Afternoon Exhibition", the overall dining exhibition will exude vibes representing the goddess of love and beauty.

On the menu are items such as a Greek yogurt peach mousse resembling Venus de Milo, Baklava, Moussaka and Tiganites(Greek-style fritters). Be spirited away to your own Greek mythology as you take in the breathtaking views of the waterfront and Hama-rikyu Gardens.

Find out more.

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I have been completely mesmerized by the different plants and trees that are able to thrive in Japan’s climate. Seeing the different ways that they are cared for through their root systems and placement around Tokyo has been extremely moving for me personally as it is not common to see so much care and attention be given to the local plants in Colorado.

[speedydragonlight]

MUST SEE TOKOYO, December 5th-12th, 2023 More dates to choose from

Only the capital of Japan can bring together in harmony historical temples, the most modern buildings, neon lights, Sakura trees, and the highest technology.

There is so much to do in this city, you would never get bored.

The top five places are a must see on your visit! Temples, and Museums

Senso-ji Temple is a must!

Tokyo Skytree for 360-degree views of the city from up in the clouds

Shibuya Crossing

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, one of Tokyo’s most popular parks

Ginza district for a shopping spree!

Tokyo National Museum

Tokyo Imperial Palace

Meiji Shrine and Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery, and more

Beautiful Gardens to see

Hama Rikyu Gardens

Happo-en Garden

Hibiya Park

Kiyosumi Teien Garden

New Otani Japanese Garden

*AIRFARE NOT INCLUDED*

*Prices subject to change with availability*

Licensed, bonded, and insured Travel Agent

Email, wonderfultravelswithsharon@gmail.com

#beauty#tokyo#skytree#wonderfultravelswithsharon

[941injapan]

May 30th --- Tea ceremony

3rd day in Japan and I've got to say, the moment I think this trip can't get any cooler, it does. This morning we went to the Hama-rikyu Gardens for my first Japanese tea ceremony. This was such an incredible experience. Not only was it the real deal, but this ceremony was conducted by one of the most revered tea masters in all of the world. I feel like it is such a specific and odd flex, but I think that it is so sick that I can say I did this. I appreciated the attention to detail, and the proper and deliberate technique used in the ceremony. The surrounding park was massive, and the view of the lush greenery flowing up to massive skyscrapers is truly a unique sight to see. After our tea ceremony, a good amount of our group mates went to a sushi spot tucked away around Ginza. I ordered the Toyama bay house specialty set, and I'm starting to notice a trend here with food. Many of the flavors here are not the textbook definition of delicious. Spanish food back home has tons of seasoning, and you tear up a whole bunch of it and feel full. Here, eating is not just cause you're hungry, but to have an experience with one of your 5 senses, the sense of taste. With such different flavors, complexions, and freshness, it's hard for me to describe it because I've never contextualized what these flavors even are. Something beyond salty, sweet, bitter, tangy, and all of our other words to describe flavor are present in these foods. I also got some horse mackerel sushi and grape soda and they both hit the spot. I walked out not full, but also not hungry. So strange, considering I'm such a big eater at home. I come back from the gym and I want a big meal to demolish.

Anyway, after this I went to Odaiba. The train ride up was very scenic, especially considering the trip over the bridge to get to Tokyo Bay. I saw the unicorn gundam statue, much bigger than the pictures I must say. I bought my first ever Gundam, an exclusive kit only found at that store. All of those models are so intricate, and truly can be considered art. One thing I noted was how western Odiaba felt, maybe it has to do with its proximity to the port, so people there may have an affinity for international goods? Anyway, I saw the Tokyo big sight and also a store called A pit autobacs. A 3-story facility for everything performance cars. 1st floor was the cleanest mechanic service center I have ever seen in my life. 2nd floor was simple parts like wipers and floor mats, collectibles, magazines, manga, and offroading equipment. The 3rd floor was my favorite. Specialty performance parts. Coilover kits, fully built race-ready engines, performance brakes, turbos, and full exhausts. The stuff I saw up there goes for ridiculous prices in the States, I felt so honored to be around such superior motorsport equipment. I bought a genuine TRD shirt because I'm a big Toyota guy, then went home. Every time I come back to the hotel, I have such good items. When I call my parents I tell them I got a bunch of loot like a pirate has treasure.

I wanted to double back on the readings for today about the tea ceremony. The sophisticated nature of this cultural experience traces back in Japanese history a long way. The samurai, or ruling class, would host these ceremonies for many reasons. Flaunting wealth, discussing politics, and negotiating peace and business. The entrances to the tea house were low and narrow, so everyone who walks in must be humbled and forced to bow, as well as leave their sword because it won't fit. This established a level and even playing field for those attending. The tea would be enjoyed and matters would be handled. I found it particularly interesting that after WWII, the Japanese switched to more Western means of socialization such as golf. Overall, the tea ceremony experience was impactful, and the context of the readings was useful.

See pictures here

[chelseainjapan-blog]

May 30- Tea Ceremony/Tsukiji Fish Market/Koenji

I feel like every day I say is my favorite day- but today was REALLY my favorite day. We started at the Hama Rikyu Gardens for the tea ceremony, which I was pleasantly surprised by. The ceremony itself was extremely enjoyable, I found the tea and treat delicious and the ritual entertaining. The two women who lead the ceremony were also very charming and funny, making a great start to the day. Afterward, I went to the Tsukiji Market with a group and found it very similar, but a lot more touristy, to the markets in the Philippines. Personally, I am a huge foodie and I enjoy wandering through different areas but I realized not everyone is exposed to different foods at the level I am because of my upbringing as a Filipino-American. For instance, some of my peers were disgusted by the smell of fish, and the appearance of certain foods at the market, and refused to try certain dishes. However, I really enjoyed seeing the cuisine served and was able to try wagyu and eel on a stick for the first time. I think it was very evident that the Tsukiji Market targets tourists, with even the men who worked at the wagyu stand having American English accents. Funny enough, the man who worked at the wagyu stand asked us where we were from and he responded that he has family in Jacksonville. After the market, I went with a group to Koenji to thrift and explore. This area has to be hands down the best place I’ve been to in Japan yet. I thrifted a $15 Valentino shirt and a $5 Marc Jacobs shirt, ate really yummy izakaya, explored hole-in-the-wall stores, and went to different artsy bars. It wasn’t super touristy and it was a really friendly area!

Academic Reflection

Today, we attended a tea ceremony, which has a long and interesting history. In our reading “Chanoyu: Following Ceremony to a Tea” it is discussed that “the belief that the tea ceremony was the best way for young Japanese women to learn etiquette grew in the mid-20th century”. I found this to reflect what was told during the tea ceremony, where the master of the tea ceremony said it was a practice passed down from the women in her family, generation to generation. She referenced that she had learned from her mother, and passed the practice down to her daughter. However, the reading also references that many young women are trying to learn chanoyu out of pure curiosity.

In the reading “A Journey Through Chanoyu” wabi tea is referenced as more simple, but not lacking in presence. This was reflected in the tea ceremony, as the ceremony itself was very simple and not grandiose, but the simplistic elegance of the actions performed and the tastes created a new depth to the experience. I wonder if I would have felt the same way if the tea ceremony was a longer one that lasted four hours though!

[maya-in-japan]

May 30-Wagashi

Today, we went Hama-rikyu Gardens and participated in a tea ceremony. Before the ceremony, we could explore the park and buy hanami dango. I really enjoyed the flavor of each dango and it was cool to find out that each dango reflected the life of a cherry blossom starting with the pink blossoms to the green color after they fall on the ground. I also went to see the flower and peony fields, which were really beautiful. The tea ceremony was amazing to witness as well. The entire process was really intricate from the inspection and cleaning of the tools to the mixing of the tea. The tea had a really subtle taste that paired well with the sweets that were given. The hostess teaching the history of the general design of tea rooms was interesting. I found out that the door to enter the tea room was built to be low and small so that people entering had to bow to enter and couldn’t bring in their weapons. This allowed the meeting/ceremony to proceed in a calm manner without any interruptions or open hostility. Afterward, some of my classmates and I visited an Indian restaurant as one of the nearest vegetarian options available. Later, we went back to Shibuya to walk through it a bit more. It was interesting to see that there was a whole line of ramen shops on one street and we also went into Daiso, which I would compare to Target or 5 Below. Hopefully, I can return to Japan soon after this program ends because I would like to return to Hama-rikyu Gardens and other parks/gardens in Tokyo and other cities that I will possibly visit.

    Reflecting back on the reading, I don’t believe any of the activity experience betrayed anything that I had read prior. The tea hut and the tools used during the ceremony displayed the wabisabi asthetic that had grown to be popular in the earlier years of Japan. The tea hut and the surrounding garden was small and subtle in design in contrast to the extravagance of earlier tea ceremony tradition. It also demonstrated how the tradition is now dominated by women. It was interesting to read the gender shift over time for the tea ceremony. I wonder if anyone tried to dispute this change due to the history behind the tea ceremony. It was also interesting to read that yea ceremonies were mostly used to display extravagance and wealth amongst other men.

     The readings made me more curious about the tea ceremony as well. It’s really fascinating how intricate the process of the ceremony is. The hostess had stated that she studied at the tea master’s school for over 10 years to be in the position she is now. It’s remarkable how much work it takes to perfect the ceremony. I wonder if more men will start to learn the art of the tea ceremony if they’re able to learn the history behind it. 

[sebastianinjapan]

May 30 - Tea Ceremony at Hama-rikyu Garden

Ever since I signed up and saw the itinerary for my study abroad, I’ve been excited for the tea ceremony. My only experience with it are in films such as Ozu’s Noriko, and Ozu was able to capture the tranquility and beauty of the event on camera. While today’s tea ceremony only consisted of the ending portion (in all a tea ceremony can be 4 hours), I can confidently say that the aura captured by Ozu is a mirror of reality. The ceremony was held by a renown tea master who’s craft has been handed down for generations from mother to daughter. The event itself while simple was very intricate as the tea master conducted themselves in a very calculated manner. The tea itself was wonderful, and it was the first time I had ever tried matcha! The tea was accompanied by delicate sweets in the shape of various natural objects meant to remind one of the current season. Once the tea ceremony was completed, I walked around the beautiful garden with my roommate Sam. This is the second day in a row that we have visited beautiful green spaces that exist within the city. This has come as a real surprise as my mental image of Tokyo has always been a concrete jungle, but so much care is placed into the development of these green spaces that it truly feels like you are in a completely different area. After our group excursion was concluded I went to the Tsukiji Fish Market where I tried grilled eel and sake for the first time. The market was bustling with each alleyway tightly packed, as people shuffled from one stall to the next. My energy ran out faster than it has these last couple days so I turned in early, and will just try to recuperate for tomorrow.

Academic Reflection

Our readings for today closely aligned with our excursion, acting as a sort of primer so we didn’t walk in completely blind. I was reminded of how seriously the Japanese take their crafts, as the tea master who served our tea has been conducting ceremonies for 40 years now. She attended school to become a master and is now passing down her teaching to her own daughter, as he mother did for her. While the historical facts from the readings were wonderful, such as the bloodthirsty Nobunaga being satiated by tea ceremony equipment a single phrase really stuck out to me. That phrase is ichigo ichie, which means “one time, one meeting.” Maybe it comes with age (even though I’m not that old yet) but I found it to be such a beautiful phrase and it really grounded me in the moment at the tea ceremony. I will likely never meet the individuals who conducted our ceremony again, and when our trip is over I will likely never see my peers again. While it may sound gloomy when put like that, the real beauty I found was that whether it’s the chaotic Warring States Period or our own chaotic time maybe through odd circumstance (or fate if you’d like) we may meet again. But the next time our meeting will be completely different, and nothing like what came before which makes that previous moment special.

That’s ultimately what I got out of todays reading and excursion. Im unsure if I will even ever return to Japan after I leave, so while I’m here I should be fully engaged in the present not worrying about the minor issues in my life.