10-05-08

After a not so good night sleep (such is called jetlag .....) in Japan, we started our day very early, Toshiharu-san picked us up from the hotel at 7 am. On special request of Arjan, he organised an authorisation to assist to a sumo training in a beya = school for sumo players. I already assisted to it 3 years ago, but since we arrived almost from the beginning of the training, we saw much more, incl. the warming up. Also interesting was the fact, that at the after the warming up, a former sumo champion participated as well and there one particularly notices the hierarchy of this very popular sport in Japan. Then off the 3 of us went to the Hamarikyu-teien, often referred to as the Detached Palace Garden with walks, ponds and teahouses (see picture of tea service). Then we visited the genuis Imperial Palace East Garden, the only quarter of the palace proper that is open to the public. Dying for some coffee, Toshiharu-san took us to the best coffee of town (sorry, we forgot the name of the place.....) near to the JR railway station, and we enjoyed a nice sandwich as well. Before going off for some ballet, Toshiharu-san showed me a tea bowl of Yen 11.550.000 (approx. Eur 80.000) just to show me why during a genius tea ceremony it is of importance that the guest express their admiration of the teabowls used by the host ... 　 Toshiharu-san showed me as well the restaurant where we will have our farewell dinner in 3 weeks time, but more about that in 3 weeks!