The journalists dine, again

On Wednesday, May 16, we were scheduled to dine at the beach house, Amada Oiso Suikeiso. We arrived in the rain, so umbrellas were hastily procured. Everything seems to happen relatively naturally when one is a guest in Japan.

The tea ceremony was probably less leisurely than if the weather had been better, but it was nonetheless interesting. (Twist the cup a quarter turn, then drink half and wipe the brim...) Fortunately, it was staged on benches under the main dining hall so we were protected from all but the most windblown rain.

After a group photo op, we retreat inside to change into slippers and pose individually clad as Samurai warriors. Hmmm. Some played the role better than others.

Our state-side host, Nick Ostrowski-san, the Samurai.

A toast at a very long table, followed (thank goodness) by the ceremonial removal of the jackets.

They say you could see the Pacific Ocean from this dining room if the weather were clear.

Looking toward the Pacific.

Again fortunately, the menu was offered in English as well as Japanese. (Take your pick.)

Appetizer: prawn cream cheese, caviar, lime, sesame bean curd, crab, delicious sauce jelly, mozuku, grated taro, water shield, radish; steamed soft-shelled turtle, shark fin in the kinugasa mushroom, soft-shelled turtle, Chinese spinach, Chinese wolfberry, juice from a ginger.

The usual suspects.

Our host took the opportunity to show us one of the ways the bandanna could be worn, ala Samurai.

This evening was in many ways all about ceremonies. I didn't quite get the gist of the whack-the-bass ceremony, but here are Mr. Takagi, with the preparation, and Mike, with the ceremonial whack.

(Click to watch the short video.)

I must have again missed taking photos of a couple courses - by now they kind of run together in my mind, of course. Here's the one I passed on: the raw egg.

For sukiyaki, you boil a variety of foods and dip them in a raw egg just before eating. (Not me.)

There's something really nice about the way were continually attended to. Here, the boiling bowls are being cleared away.

Dessert: small watermelon, Kyoho (grape), cherry ginger sherbet, ginger tea jelly sauce, mint, steamed bun shaped hydrangea.

And thus ended the second land-based meal. (It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.)