Tour Report on 7-January, 2017, Saturday

Happy New Year! Thank you the guests who kindly joined our first 2017 tour on 7^th. We had 26 guests, divided by five groups.

Group photo_D_20170107

Group photo_C_20170107

Group photo_B_20170107

Group photo_A_20170107

Group photo_E_20170107

We have relatively warm winter this year, so could enjoy Japanese apricot (Ume) blossom already (it usually blooms in February). Thanks to my guests’ suggestion, I smelled the small flower for the first time. It is light scent but I feel such light scent represents Japanese modesty. I strongly recommend you to do; you can touch Japanese elegance.

enjoyed Instant Kimono_1

enjoyed Instant Kimono_2

at Ninomaru Park_1

at Ninomaru Park_2

at Bairin-zaka_1

at Bairin-zaka_2

Japanese consider New Year more important than Christmas. Traditionally, we eat Osechi-ryori (New Year Dishes). They features various types of dishes prepared exclusively for New Year’s packed into special tiered lacquered boxes. After such overeating, we traditionally eat Nanakusa-gayu (rice porridge with seven Japanese herbs) on 7^th of January, helping our stomach for digestion and asking for our health in the year. The seven greens represent wishes for each.

1. Seri: to win the competition
2. Nazuna: to purify by stroking gently
3. Gogyo: Buddha’s body
4. Hakobe: to spread prosperity
5. Hotoke-no-za: Buddha’s comfortable seat
6. Suzuna: a bell to call God
7. Suzu-shiro: pure white without any spot

We are what we eat and think.

(Posted by Katsumi)

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We have a regular tour every Saturday and have weekday/Sunday tours irregularly.
Please check the calendar on our website, facebook and tripadvisor.