The Japanese Style Hotel ....

So apparently I never posted this blog that I started back from October. Whoops. I'll post it now considering that it kind of goes along with the one I just wrote about the Enkai.

Way back when Amanda and I went to Osaka and Kyoto with our teachers on (surprise, surprise) a bus tour. We visited temples, stayed in a traditional Japanese hotel, ate cultural food and wore traditional Japanese yukatas. It was a lot of fun and we learned a lot about the Japanese. Plus any opportunity we get to hang out with our Japanese friends while traveling somewhere new is a win-win situation.

Our hotel was true Japanese. The flooring in the room was all tatami and, of course, you were not allowed to wear your shoes.

The room had a real peaceful vibe.

Our first line of business was to drink some tea.
Mayaka showed us the proper wear to make the tea.

First, put the leaves in the tea thing? I don't know. I wasn't a very good student.
Next add the water?

And then pour? Mayaka would be so disappointed in me.

We drank our tea and learned about the ritual of reading tea leaves. Amanda attempted to read her own, but I was clueless. Plus, don't tell Mayaka, but I wasn't a huge fan of the tea. It's an acquired taste that I haven't acquired yet. I'm working on it.

After we drank tea and relaxed, we went to the onsen to do some more relaxing. When we returned to our room (all relaxed), Mayaka showed us how to properly put on our yukatas, which is the summer form of the kimono. "The proper way to wear a yukata is not necessarily obvious. The left side of the yukata is wrapped over the right side (the reverse is to be avoided as only the dead at a funeral wears the right over the left), and an obi (belt) is used to keep the yukata from falling open when worn in public. In private, as after a bath, the yukata is usually simply belted." (Thank you Wikipedia).

Mayaka was showing us what NOT to do in our yukatas.

We got it all figured out (with a little assistance) & took a Japanese style picture (peace!!) as proof that Amanda and I are slowly but surely becoming Japanese.

much love,
-tara-
xoxo