Japanese Cuisine!( ･ㅂ･)و ̑̑

Split into five groups for cooking in five different styles. Mandatory, I was placed into the Sashimi group (刺身) due to my severe allergy to shellfish. I learned hands on how to slice and dice fresh tuna and salmon. After all groups were done preparing the food, we all came together and had a great feast!

Japanese Tea Ceremony

Today, we had a lecture on "Chado" (茶道)which some refer as the Japanese tea ceremony. It is a precise and comprehensive art, not only surrounding the serving and drinking of tea, but the ritual of preparation, tools and decoration.

(★^O^★)~Taiko~(★^O^★)

"Taiko" (たいこ), a shorter version of "Wadaiko"(和太鼓) is a type of traditional Japanese drums. 

Today we took a charter to Chion-In Wajun Kaikan for a lesson in playing Japanese drums. We had an amazing sensei who was energetic, fun and a little crazy. (lol)

We've learned multiple measures and rhythms commonly used during the Gion Matsuri. Some of us were musically challenged--but we made it!

 I've learned from one of the Japanese buddies on campus that the Japanese term for "selfie" is "jidori"!~ (じどり) 

Me & Sensei 

(●ゝω)ノヽ(∀＜●)

Gold Kyo-Yuzen Workshop at Kinugasa Seminar House

Yūzen-zome is one out of many traditional dyeing methods used to create patterns and designs on kimonos.

In this workshop we have access to 7 colors of the rainbow to color on a tote bag or shirt. After coloring when apply fine gold fold on the outlines of our designs. I choose to design a crane, which was the hardest compared to simpler choices such as dragon, rabbits, or cats.

(I did take a photo of my work of art today but somehow it didn't save on my phone.)

Learning about Geiko & Maiko!~

Today's cultural activity we learned about Geiko and Maiko. We headed to the auditorium on Ritsumeikan's campus to view three women formally dressed in kimonos. 

*Note: "Geisha" is the term used in and around Tokyo, "Geiko" is used in and around Kyoto.

Geiko are traditional Japanese entertainers that perform several arts, such as dancing, singing, and playing instruments. Their main objective is entertain and keep parties lively. 

Geiko

Maiko (A) Front

Maiko (A) Back

Maiko (B) Front

 Maiko (B) Back

Played games like musical chairs!

It was a tie!

Making Japanese Sweets! (わがし) at Tsuruyayoshinobu

We made our own Japanese sweets (wagashi) today! We molded raw sweets (namagashi) with dry sweets (higashi) to make a finished mixed product of half-raw sweets (han-namagashi). Each of us had to make two floral deigned sweets by hand. Luckily, there were instructors at every table, helping us to make our "masterpieces" look edible. ｡ﾟ(TヮT)ﾟ｡

This great display is actually made out with wagashi! I was told that it can last about 2 years. (With humidifier present)

Afterwards, we got to eat them with complimentary おちゃ！

Wearing Yukatas & Gion Matsuri!~ ☆*゜ﾟ*\(^O^)/*゜ﾟ*☆

Gion Matsuri is one of the most popular festivals in Kyoto, Japan. The narrow streets are highly packed with natives and tourists, back-to-back food and clothing stands. The staff took us to "Kimono-PRO", a popular clothing boutique specializing in yukatas. At orientation, all of us filled out a survey listing our height in centimeters and the color we would like to wear. Most of the females listed for pastels like pink or blue. Majority of the males chose black or blue. 

(Heart of the festival)

(Our beatuiful Yukatas!~)

(At Teramachi)

(At Gion by the river)

(There were lots of great food!)

(In front of Kimono-PRO)