If you have ever had an English lesson at imagine* then you know that we always ask, “Would you like tea or water?” at the beginning. Of course, sometimes students don’t want something to drink at that time, and that’s OK. We hope that you don’t feel uncomfortable refusing a drink and worry that it might be rude. Please don’t worry – saying, “No thank you.” is a perfectly polite response. If you feel like challenging yourself a little, or trying something new, then you could try saying: “I’m set, thanks.” In this case, set means “OK”, and it is a polite and popular phrase that is used instead of, “No thank you.” in America.

Starting in September of last year, we have given you another reason to say, “Tea, please.” when we ask what you want. We have stopped serving bottled 伊藤園 お〜い お茶 and Midori has started preparing imported organic tea from the nearby shop Uf-fu ( ウーフ ). These teas are much fresher and tastier, and we change them every month so there is always something new to try! In September we began with Rooibos tea from South Africa. In October we had Oolong with orange from Taiwan. After that Rooibos returned, but the November version had ginger. December’s tea was a blend of Chamomile and Darjeeling and throughout January we have been serving a very fine Jasmine tea.

What will the tea be in February? That’s a secret! You will need to come and find out; I always look forward to it. Finally, remember if you just want water, we still have that too. Or you can say, “I’m set, thanks.” but I hope you will at least try the next new tea with me.

Our most recent art exhibition was launched at a party on the evening of 8th September, and what a monster of a good time it was! The artist this time is a young woman from Taiwan who goes by the penname of Sieii Nidosani. She has practiced calligraphy since the age of 12, graduated from the calligraphy department of the National Taiwan University of arts in 2011, and earned her masters from The Kobe University of Design just this year.

It is no surprise then that her work draws heavily on the art of calligraphy, but what she produces is a surprisingly fresh mix of cultures and style. Most of her work is mounted backdrops like those of traditional Japanese wall scrolls, but the charcoal ink paintings themselves contain very modern characters she refers to as “monsters.” She uses brush strokes of varying pressure no doubt mastered during her long years of calligraphy training, and accents the otherwise black and white art with subtle flares of color that tie the compositions together.

Guests at our party who were bold enough could request a free portrait, and more than a dozen people did! The monsters Sieii Nidosani painted for them, like all her others, were more cute than they were scary. Perhaps the only frightening thing about them was how close they came to representing the hearts of each subject. I spoke with one student who was quite moved after she received her portrait monster. The student explained to me that while the monster looked nothing like her, every element of the art represented her character in some way, and she was amazed that the artist could do this when they had only just met!

Aside from the free portraits there was gourmet coffee available, and guests were able to enjoy all the things that have become expected at our parties: free wine and beer, delicious organic homemade baked goods for sale and sample, provided kindly made by our resident baker, Itsuki, and the international atmosphere! There was the Taiwanese artist and her Polish husband as well as guests who came from as far away as South America, and of course there were the staff members from Australia, Canada and the USA.

So whether you are one of our Yoga students, one of our English students, or you just happen to be in the area and feel like enjoying some fine art and refreshment, please stop by for our next party, scheduled for the early evening of Decemeber 8th – I hope to see you there!

I’m writing this on a rainy day in June, but my thoughts are already of sunnier days in August. Many things come to mind, like fireworks and beaches, but today I’ll write about dancing!

Carnival, in Brazil, is the world’s largest dance festival, but did you know that the Awaodori, right here in Japan, is the second largest in the world? A few summers ago I traveled to join that festival in Tokushima. But the Awaodori is not the only dance festival on Shikoku in August! I also went to the Yosakoi festival a few hours farther south in Kochi city!

So, which would I recommend? Well, it depends on what you like…

The Awaodori is more traditional, so if you want to enjoy music, dance and costumes that have come to us from ancient times, then go to Tokushima. The Yosakoi is a modern version of the Awaodori that began around the 1950’s. The music is louder and mixes in elements of rock. The dances are faster and crazier, and the costumes are wilder and more colorful. So, if you like the excitement and originality of this newer style, go to Kouchi!

Ah, but do you want to dance, or just watch? I think that the Yosakoi is more about watching; you can stand in one place while the dance groups move past you down the street in a parade with trucks that carry their giant speakers. Not so many of the people watching were dancing. On the other hand, at the Awaodori, the people watching often join with the dancers. It’s easy to copy the slower Awaodori dancers, and as the night gets later and you have more drinks, it begins to feel like one huge and welcoming party.

As for me? I preferred the Yosakoi. The main reason is that the Awaodori was simply too crowded. Unlike the Yosakoi, the Awaodori dances happen in many parts of the city, and moving to them is difficult with so many people. It was easier for me to just relax at the Yosakoi. And although Kochi is farther than Tokushima, I thought it was more convenient. If you don’t book a hotel months in advance, then you will have no place to sleep after the Awaodori. However, I was able to reserve a hotel room in Kochi when I arrived there at 6pm!

Of course, if you can go to both, then do so! But if you can choose only one, then I hope this review will help you decide! And whatever you do, have a happy summer!

Now that autumn has come, I am waiting excitedly for the leaves to change colors. I love going to see the autumn leaves, but I don’t love waiting in long queues or being bumped around in a sea of people. You may be surprised then, that some of my best leaf viewing experiences were in Kyoto. Many places in Kyoto are very beautiful, but they are also very famous and therefore very crowded. I can still enjoy leaf viewing in Kyoto though, because I have discovered some amazing secrets. I will share some with you, if you promise not to tell too many people…

First, I recommend Kitanotenmangu（北野天満宮）, or rather, the woods around it. Until recently, no visitors were allowed inside this small forest, and it is still closed to the public for most of the year. However, for a couple of weeks in November, we can now walk along the previously hidden paths and enjoy the fall foliage. The grounds are wide, the trees are tall and old and they are even lit up at night. Many people still don’t know about this spot, so it is much less crowded than some of Kyoto’s other destinations.

Speaking of evening light displays, Koudaiji（高台寺）must be one of the most famous. When my wife and I tried to visit, we found a long line of people waiting to buy tickets. The staff said that it would take about three hours to get inside. Shocked and disappointed, we gave up and wondered where to go. That is when we noticed that Entokuin（圓徳院）, directly across form Koudaiji, was open and also had a light display. It was very small, but the illumination of the leaves over its rock garden was lovely, and because there were almost no people there, it was quiet and peaceful.

There is one other reason to go to Entokuin though, and it is the greatest of my secrets. Are you ready? OK, here it is: when you buy your ticket at Entokuin, they will also give you a ticket to Koudaiji. That’s right! So after leaving, my wife and I walked past the hundreds of people waiting to buy tickets outside Koudaiji and we entered without any wait!

So if you are thinking about where to see leaves this year, let me recommend Kyoto, and these three places I have mentioned, in the order I have mentioned them. You are sure to have a wonderful and stress free time!