1985/7 Japan

25 January 1987 

Hi there

So how was your holiday? I am exhausted. I spent the last two nights in Kyoto and only got four hours sleep last night. And then I had to rush back on the bullet train this morning to get to my Ikebana lesson. We used irises and tulips and some leafy plant for which I cannot find a translation in the dictionary. For the first time today I used an upright vase. In order to keep the flowers at the required angle you have to manufacture ‘holders’ from spare branches. It’s a little complicated, but the results are worth the effort.

It snowed in Kyoto the whole of yesterday. So its was cold, but beautiful. My New Zealand friend, Brian, and his Japanese wife Kazuko, held a party on the Saturday night and invited me, not only to attend the party, but to spend the weekend. The party was lots of fun and we only got to bed after 2am. One of my students is a sushi maker. He made up a box of sushi for me to take to the party and somehow I only got to sample one piece. I went away to open my wine and when I came back it had all been eaten. So I daresay it was good. On Sunday, Brian, Kazuko, a Canadian friend, Andy, and I went to my favourite restaurant for a lunch of Indonesian omelettes amongst other things. And visited two really beautiful temples in the snow. One of the temples sports a Zen garden of rocks and white sand raked into perfect lines and tiny splashes of moss. These Zen gardens are so completely different from our idea of a garden – with lush growth and riotous colour. They have none of this. And yet they are incredibly pleasing. You could sit and contemplate them for hours. They are very restful. By the time we had finished photographing the temples and gardens and carp and had had a cup of coffee, it was time for the pub. Where we ate and drank until 2am. As I said, I’m exhausted.

I started carving my woodblock last week and my hand was so stiff for three or four days afterwards I could hardly hold a pen!! But I can’t wait to see the results. Unfortunately that won’t be until near the end of February.

One of my students invited me to a Japanese Tea Ceremony early this month. This is one of these very traditional Japanese customs that, so the Japanese like to believe, is beyond the comprehension of foreigners. Basically you are invited to drink thick green tea, but as with many Japanese customs the purpose of the exercise is to produce in you a certain frame of mind. Usually I chafe at all the rules and regulations that govern everyday life her, but I found the 1000 odd rules that govern the Tea Ceremony curiously restful. I haven’t actually COUNTED the number of rule, but I’m sure I don’t exaggerate when I say 1000. Nothing is left to chance. From the wordless bow with which you greet your host to the way in which you rinse your hands. From the way in which you place your shoes to the words spoken by the principal guest to the host. To the way in which the napkin that is used to wipe the tea utensils is folded to the way in which the bowl of shared tea is prepared, presented, turned, sipped, returned and cleaned. Etc, etc. It was really quite fascinating.

Michael and I were taken out to a crab dinner by our boss last week. ONE crab here costs $50-$100!! We neither counted them nor got a peak at the bill, thank goodness. We had cold crab dipped in a special sauce. Hot buttered crab. And crab served in a kind of soup with mushrooms and leeks. Delicious. That same week one of my students took me out to a Taiwanese dinner. She is 50 years old and ever since she left high school has been meeting each January for a meal with seven of her classmates. A tradition 32 years old!!

All for now.

Take care
Lotsaluv
Gail

P.S. How goes the no smoking and drinking regime? How goes the arthritis?