Ikebana Flower Arrangement

Today, I taught 30 international students Ikebana flower arrangement with my guide friends. All of them really enjoyed Ikebana and I was so happy.

At the beginning of the Ikebana class we gave a presentation teaching the basic methods and theories. Then, the 20 students were divided into five groups and they arranged flowers in a vase in cooperation. They chose two branches and a lily and stood them on a holder with pins called Kenzan. They imagined a triangle on the Kenzan and stood each of them on each corner. They cut other flowers shorter than the first ones and put them beautifully inside the triangle. We usually display the Ikebana in an alcove in a Japanese room, so we can appreciate it from the front. The students stood in front of the vase and put each flower beautifully making a space between the stems. They arranged them quite well.

An E-mail from My Guest

Dear “Masa”:

We are back home in Nevada and we wanted to thank you for your wonderful contribution to our visit to Japan.

We greatly enjoyed meeting you and having you spend so much time with us, and, of course, we will never forget the marvelous experience of your teaching us to make sushi!

Our most sincere thanks to you.

With warmest regards,

M and P

 

 

Dear M and P,

Thank you very much for sending me your wonderful e-mail. I hope you enjoyed walking from the Ginza-Ichome station on the Yurakucho-subway-line along Ginza Street to your hotel after making sushi in my house.

You are such a sophisticated and fashionable couple. Actually, I showed your picture, which I took at that time, to my daughter-in-law and she said, "He looks like a movie star."

I think you enjoyed the colored leaves in the mountainous areas in Japan but now it is the full season of colored leaves in Tokyo. I will attach a picture that I took from my house. I recommend you visit Japan again in April, when the cherry blossoms are so beautiful. If you visit Japan again, please let me know.

Sincerely,
Masa

The Big Typhoon

I guided two couples from Texas around Tsukiji Market and taught them how to make Sushi in my house on the fourth. They were supposed to go back to their country on the sixth. They were worried about the big typhoon which was said to be hitting Japan that day. Actually, the typhoon stopped many flights and even Narita Express trains. I was safe in my house but I was so worried about them. According to their tour agent, their flight was canceled so they had to stay in Tokyo for one more night. After the typhoon had moved to the area north of Tokyo, it became so fine. I hope they could enjoy an extra holiday afternoon under the beautiful blue sky.

Eating Dinner with my Guests

I also invite tourists to my house to share dinner or lunch with us. I usually prepare Chirashi-Zushi, a common homemade sushi, miso-soup, boiled traditional vegetables with Konnyaku (English name is devil's tongue), Kamaboko (steamed fish paste), Natto (fermented soy-beans) and Umeboshi (salty plum pickles). All of them are very popular, but travelers can't usually eat them at restaurants. I'm a licensed tour-guide, so I can also offer advice on reasonable ways to travel in Japan and good sightseeing spots. Actually, recently I told my guests about a very reasonable bus system to Narita Airport, from Tokyo or Ginza. They saved two thousand yen per person.

Sushi Making from Many Countries

A lot of tourists from America, England, Italy and Australia have enjoyed making sushi in my house. Look at their smiles. It must be an unforgettable memory in Japan.   
Just before we start to eat, Japanese people say, "Itadakimasu." It means, "I'm going to eat thanks to everything including the rice, fish, vegetables, people who have produced all the ingredients such as farmers and fishermen, shop owners, and people who prepared the meal." Then at the end of the meal, we say, "Gochisosamadeshita," meaning "it was a good meal, thanks to everything."

My Tour with a Family from Singapore

A family from Singapore was satisfied with their tour with me. We kept to the schedule perfectly and the driver took them back to their hotel in Tokyo on time. This picture was taken at Odawara Castle. My guest became a Samurai Princess wearing a Kimono. Her two-year-old daughter didn't want to be put on a Kimono because that day was too hot. I hope this will be a good memory for them. 

Tourists from Myanmar and the Philippines

April is a tourist season in Japan. A lot of foreign tourists visited Japan to enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms and spring scenery. I guided tourists from several Asian countries to many spots in Tokyo, Mt.Fuji and Hakone. Luckily, all of my tour days were fine, and they were able to see the beautiful Mt.Fuji covered with snow. Probably all of them were satisfied with it.

Keiso-Soken

I was assigned again to take three guests to the Sumo Arena to watch the special morning training event. The event is held once a year at the end of April before the May tournament. All of the high ranked wrestlers attend the event, so we can see several kinds of training sessions and bouts there. We can get a good seat on a first-come-first-served basis.

Today's hero is Kakuryu because he was promoted to Yokozuna recently after the committee recommended that he would be Yokozuna. He has to show strength, power and techniques to the members. Stronger wrestlers can appoint their opponents, so today Kakuryu can choose his opponent and beat him again and again. When they do Butsukarigeiko, pushing a wrestler out of the ring, a stronger wrestler is usually pushed by a low ranking wrestler. The sumo referee announces the names of both wrestlers.

For the ring entrance ceremony, the wrestlers wear a colorful apron, which shows their status, because only high ranked wrestlers can wear one. Sponsors give one to the wrestler when he is promoted. The design on the apron shows the sponsors related logos, so it is also used as an advertisement.

In the Sumo Museum, they display Yokozuna related things during the Samurai period such as woodblock prints of their portraits.

Kimono Dressing Class

They both looked so beautiful in their kimonos and they were so excited.

Origami

On the other hand, R was a person of Origami. She did quite well at first but she gradually became confused when we tried to fold a paper crane. Actually, we were tired and hungry in the last class of Origami. Anyway, I'm glad that they enjoyed it a lot. Probably they will visit my house again with Jade and other friends. Thanks to Jennie, I have taken the first step forward. 

Calligraphy Class

 

Two ladies from the U.S. and Canada visited my house yesterday. Another laday  couldn't come because of the stop of a train due to the heavy snow. I prepared three classes, Calligraphy, Kimono dressing and Origami. They tried it in real earnest. Please, look at their great effort and works.K was quite good at the calligraphy. R is left-handed so it seemed to be difficult for her.