Waiting for the bus back to the train station was made special by a conversation I had with a beautiful old Japanese man and his wife, completely translated for both parties by Yoko. They were so interested in where I came from, and what my home was like, trading sweets and smiles until the bus arrived.
I revived myself with another iced coffee, performed some amateur yoga poses on the platform, then board the train heading back to Tokyo. The sun melting the mountains to black until the city lit up them up again as skyscrapers.
Tuesday was the day I got to experience Japanese tradition and culture in all its grace. Tan’s friend Miho has an Aunt who teaches the technique of tea ceremony, or, chanoyu. I was fortunate enough to be invited to participate in this beautiful tradition.
Tan and I arrived at the family temple and home, greeted by Miho’s cousin and her mother ( such tiny, beautiful, poised women) and lead down the hall and into a small room where, to my surprise and delight, I was then undressed and adorned in the most beautiful burnt orange silk kimono.
The feeling of having these petite women firmly have me wrapped and bound into breathlessness (mainly due to the firm corset-like garment underneath ) was a little unsettling, however the feeling subsided as I admired myself in the mirror, this elegant traditional dress, complete with the little camel toe socks!
For the next two hours I took part in two types of tea ceremony. The first involving a thin matcha tea, the second, a thick matcha preparation.
Many steps are performed during the ceremony and each step is significant, right down to the number of footsteps taken, the number of rotations the bowl is given, and the direction in which the folds of the napkin are made.
The best tea bowls are thrown by hand and irregularities or imperfections are prized. they are often featured prominently as the "front" or “face” of the bowl, so the bowl is always passed “facing” the next person.
Bows are exchanged between the host and guest of honour (being me!). The guest then bows to the second guest, and raises the bowl in a gesture of respect to the host. The guest rotates the bowl to avoid drinking from its front, takes a sip, murmurs the necessary words, and then takes two or three more sips before wiping the rim, rotating the bowl to its original position, and passing it to the next guest with a bow. The procedure is repeated until all guests have taken tea from the same bowl, and the bowl is returned to the host.
I have to say I had quite a bit of difficulty repeating the phrases that were to be spoken throughout the ceremony, but I did my best and was well rewarded with the traditional serving of sweets upon completion!
In the evening we climbed the Yokohama observation tower and looked out at the spectacular neon sprawl of the city before a belly aching feast the depths of Chinatown.
Tan had work again the next day so the lovely Yoko collected me from the train station again and together we attended a lesson in Ikebana – traditional Japanese flower arranging. The art itself is based on geometry. The placement, angles and heights of each stem in relation to the surrounding flowers are very important in achieving overall beauty of your arrangement. We had a lot of fun sizing and snipping our lilies and foliage into blooming fountains. It was a totally therapeutic experience.
Our next stop was Asakusa. We spent the afternoon dipping freshly baked rice crackers into chutneys and pickled vegetables and sampling sticky sweets (this seems to be becoming a habit of Yoko and I!) and shopping for little trinkets and Japanese socks in this quaint shopping district. We passed a large pit of sand that had many burning incense sticks poking out. The idea is that you wave the smoke around you and inhale it, and this wards off bad spirits.
From Asakusa we got on board of a high speed ferry which looked much like something from the Thunderbirds cartoon and were jetted up the river to Odaiba. We took photos of the miniature Statue of Liberty and visited the Fuji Television studio, where most of the childrens T.V. shows are produced. We even managed to get a picture with a big furry green character! Having enough touristy fun for one day we made our way back toward Shibuya where we met up with Tan and had delicious ton katsu in a great little eatery before heading home to bed, ready for an early start to our Hakone trip.
Hakone is nestled in the mountains, a few hours north west of Tokyo. Tan and I arrived in the midst of a beautiful sunny morning and ventured straight out to the outdoor art gallery.
Set within a spanning park of hills, streams and forest, we explored the unusual collection of art installations. Our favorites included:
A 12 foot mosaic woman standing awkwardly on the grass whom we nicknamed Bertha.
A tower made completely of storytelling lead lighting, a spiral staircase up the center.
A disturbing wedge suspended in mid air made up of a haunting tangle of human bones, skulls, faces and decaying corpses.
A cast iron body, starfished on the lawn.
We checked into our accommodation and were totally excited that we had decided to stay in a traditional Japanese inn, called a ryokan. The floor of our room was lined with tatami mats and a low table was set in the center. Upon the table was a beautiful tea set. To the side lay our mattresses, complete with soft, white linen. So simple, it was lovely.
Our evening meal was an absolute banquet. We proceeded to eat sashimi, sushi, pickles and other tasty morsels to start. Miso soup, fish, shabu shabu and a fine selection of seaweed. The dishes were countless, and at the end, as we rubbed our bellies, we burst into fits of laughter at the site of all the bowls and vessels we had just emptied!
Back at our room, we slipped into the robe and slippers that had been left for us and waddled to the part most looked forward to, the onsen (Japanese baths).
I have to admit at first it is a little strange to be sitting on a stool next to your best friend, naked, scrubbing your body clean. All was forgotten as sighs and tensions were released as we slipped into the steamy waters.
The next day was cool and rainy. We spent a few hours in the toy museum amongst an extensive collection of old wind up monkeys and blinking dollies before climbing into a gondola to see an overlook of Hakone. Unfortunately the mountains were covered in a blanket of mist so it was as if we were sitting in a small white box. We didn’t let the journey go to waste and enjoyed a beer while taking in the fog.
Feeling cold and tired and with an hour to spare before boarding the train home, we decided one more onsen soak should be had. This one was a little more modest. We were extremely busting, and so found the toilet which happened to be a squat one. Tan, with her gammy knee went first, and upon squatting kicked over the sanitary bin which spilled out the contents along with a horrendous smell. Again we were in hysterics, Tan still trying to pee with her hand on her nose and her leg cocked out to the side, and me almost wetting my pants. Needless to say we probably could have done without the experience!
Arriving back in Tokyo that evening we dropped our things off and headed to Ropongi for a night out on the town. A few too many yuzu vodkas and some great company and suddenly it was 4am. Realising it was our last day to make it to the world famous Tzukiji fish market (after several failed attempts) we dragged our tired, post-drunk bodies to the train station, somehow committed to the chase of the early morning tuna sale.
Entering the market in the pouring rain we stood pale faced beneath the shelter of our umbrella, watching the hustle and bustle of the market go on around us. A step in any direction put you in the path of a speeding fork lift or truck or trolley, so after careful planning we ran toward a large shed. Within the shed were rows and rows of polystyrene tubs holding sea creatures of all shapes and sizes. Some were octopus, some were shell fish, some looked like they came from outer space. People in fishy aprons ran back and forth so we had to keep moving into the heart of the market.
Finding a spot where we could stand without being moved along or yelled at, we watched and listened to the song of the bidding, amazed, feeling nauseous and plotting our escape route back through the kamikaze fork lifts.
Frazzled, we made it home and flopped into bed, sleeping sound until late that afternoon, colour flooding back into our cheeks after a shower and a bowl of hot ramen.
My last day in Tokyo was all about relaxation. We stayed in our PJ’s and told all the stories we had not yet told before I left for Bangkok the next day. We watched Brokeback Mountain and ordered a Bento Box before bed.
Tan was an excellent tour guide and is an amazing friend. It was so refreshing to find somewhere that can be so technologically advanced yet still take such pride in protecting and keeping tradition and culture amongst it all. She showed me the true heartbeat of Tokyo and it is for this reason I will return. x
