Tour report, February 13, 2016

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming.
It was very warm day, even in the middle of winter season.
We enjoyed our tour with 30 or more foreign visitors.
Let me attach some photos of today’s participants.

Near the rest house in the East garden of imperial palace,
there are some MITSUMATA trees planted which are used
as raw material of Japanese bill paper.
And MITSUMATA means “pronged to three” in Japanese.
Can you see the branches are forked into three in this photo?

By the way, 14th Feb. is St. Valentine’s Day. In Japan,
– Girl or lady hands chocolate to boy or gentleman.
– In place boy or gentleman will give back anything after a month
(which is called “white day”.)
-Lady in the office serves obligatory-gift chocolate to colleagues or bosses.
(although it has been decreasing lately.)
-School girls exchange the chocolate with many girl (same gender) friends
just for pleasure ( which is increasing as our new trend)

I have investigated each situation in other countries from our guests.
From Canada:
Man hands chocolate to woman only if he really loves her.
From Singapore guy:
Only from man to woman, no return, no way!
From American lady:
It is rather special day to date for couples.
From New Zealand:
Rose flowers are set with chocolate.
From Taiwan lady:
We have another V day at the star festival in Luna calendar.
From Korean boys:
We are not sure because we do not have any girlfriend yet.
(No no! That is why you have to do your best at the V day!! )

Anyway, exchanging daily life information is another fun in our tour.
Please come and join us!

Y.A.