Hama-Rikyu Garden tea-house

Surrounded by the city on 3 sides and the Sumida-Gawa (river) on the 4th, is the Tokugawa Shogunate's private hunting garden, the Hama-Rikyu. And inside on the pond is this tea-house in which a cake and a cup of green tea costs ¥500, kneeling on the floor, and I received instructions in English on the correct etiquette (rotating the cup twice, each time through 90degrees, and all that) for my own solo tea ceremony.

Tokyo

November 27th 2008
Politeness and the culture clash I've been a sucker for all things Japanese since I was at school. The TV broadcast James Clavell's Shogun and Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha in rapid succession and I was rather taken with the place. So I am a little disappointed in myself that it took so long to come here. I think I know why this is though. To a large extent, writing a ... read more

Asia » Japan » Tokyo

In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Fol... ... read more

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