The Last Samurai lives here. Also performs circumcisions on Fridays.
There was a lot of bowing and verbal apologies from the pretty waitress at the St. Cousair Winery when she realised that I was served with the wrong tea. Nevermind that I didn't even notice and was then guiltlessly enjoying my second cup. I had requested for rose tea and got served jasmine tea. She took my already empty tea pot and came back with a bonus serving of rose tea. I really do not know the protocol for accepting an apology or emphasizing that I was not the least bit bothered and so there was a long exchange of bows between me and the waitress. Hils was of course was jealous of all the attention I got. She said they made the error on purpose because pretty waitress fancied me. Hey, I couldn't help it that I was mistaken for a celebrity. We were after all in middle of pretty nowhere eastern Japan, population 109. And God, Nagano prefecture is indeed the Alps of Japan. Forest cover is 80% and I saw lots of ski slopes at elevation 400m. I would have wanted to swim in the hot springs with the snow monkeys but I was told that they didn't bathe in the hot springs during the summer. Oo nga naman. Sayang, those monkeys could have happily checked my head for lice. Later in the day, I was able to catch a good ol' fashioned tea ceremony at a traditional Japanese house.
There was a banquet that night with the big guns in attendance - Government leaders, bosses from the iconic Japanese companies (Mitsubishi, Nissan, ....baakero, do I really have to enumerate them???). And despite the bacchanalian feast and the freeflowing sake, at exactly midnight I went to the Daily Yamazaki to buy my dose of mochi before staggering to my hotel room. I knew I got drunk and I hope I said nothing embarassing to the guys from Sony or NASA. Worse, did I really challenge that CEO guy from Toyota to a Judo Match inside the governor's Lexus as Hils claims? There is one thing I know, the Nintendo guy was not happy that I kept using my chopsticks to test the screen of their new game console. Touchscreen ngarud, eh di kahit ano pwidi....Oh well, I can hear echoes of "You will never work in this city again...."
The High Priest of Zenkoji Temple blesses the early morning risers. I woke up too late today for morning prayers. (That's a lie of course, I woke up very early to watch the first half of the Sweden v. England match.) Oh well, I will come early tomorrow to pray for the world's salvation. When meeting the high priest for the first time, do NOT say what I said - "My kendo skills are better than your kendo". PS. That banner is of course the Swastika, a holy Eastern religious (Buddhist, Hindi, Jainist) symbol that was corrupted by Adolf for his white supremacist crap. Here, it symbolises the Buddha's heart.
On our way to Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture, we ate traditional Japanese lunch at a service station. Hils refuses to eat sushi, sashimi, or jellied sweets. Which is good, because I get to eat from her plate.
If you have ever played with a katana or a normal Japanese knife, as The Nashman has, you will quickly realise why those useless 'slicers' on the TV shopping network do not sell in Japan. I have done fencing, had a go with European swords, but only a Katana fits my small frame. Now, where is that last white samurai with a big nose? I want a go at him.
Tough times fall on former child star as he is forced to pimp on the streets. I have forgotten, didn't Astroboy sacrifice himself in the last episode?
Moer Japanese engrish. I robs it very much.
The Jasmine tea from St. Cousair Winery shop. Aside from sake, soba noodles, and mochi, Nagano and the Shinshu province has a fledgling winery. I don't know the history of this vineyard because I can't read Japanese. The whites have a sweet fruity aroma and Hils tells me the wines she tasted were good. But it was too early to drink, hence a traditional western afternoon high tea.
I could not pass on a traditional Japanese high tea. If you complain so much about how long it takes for the barista to prepare that piss of an overpriced cup of coffee at evil starbucks, consider that it takes 10 minutes in the Japanese tea ceremony for the hostess to even sprinkle the green tea into the cup. At least there are elements of theatre, art and balletic grace in the way the hostess moves...
I totally pigged out today. The governor of Nagano, who used to be a fiction writer, is a very funny man. He explained his stance in this 'post materialistic' era of Japan and why he allocated more money for education and culture than superflous construction of megastructures. Speaking of megastructures, I could feel my unborn baby kicking in my preggers of a belly as I gobbled sashimi, sushi, tempura, lobster, wagyu beef, cheese, wasabi, sake, beer, and sweets. I didn't even socialise that much because, darn it, this feast does not come to often too a poor hungry student like me.
Please don't mention the war......or is that an apology? Whatever. We belong to the new generation now. The past may be very painful for Flipinoys like me, but it was painful for everyone. On both sides, parents, children, and lovers never saw their parents, children, and lovers again even after the smoke settled.