Japan 出汁 美食之旅(2)

It's an exceptional opportunity for every foodie to watch, how mochi is pounding. Even more so to participate in it! We really enjoyed the interesting insights, and discovering the whole process – not to mention the unique deliciousness of the fresh mochi. We could even try four different types of it! The organisation of the whole event was very smooth: easy communication, clear itinerary, friendly and nice hosts, professional chef by the soup making (actually, it was a complete lunch), lot of further tips and informations on the traditional Japanese cuisine. Marie, our host is actually an advocate of the fermentation and traditional way of cooking ("washoku"), so she has a broader point of view on this topic. Through her experience, we could also get a deeper understanding on the usage of the ingredients and their health effects. It was a pleasure to meet her and participating on this experience. I would warmly recommend to all food lovers and enthusiasts! (The location is within reachable distance of many famous sake breweries and also not far from the Fushimi-inari shrine. So you can schedule nicely into your plans.)

Our group of 6 had a wonderful tour of Uji on April 7! With excellent English, Terumi S. led the tour which focused on a wide variety of Matcha and Green Tea experiences. We especially liked Terumi putting tea-making in Japan in context by pointing out the differences as we went along. Even though it was raining we were able to do all of the activities indoors. I especially liked the tea ceremony where the women were in full kimono dress with Terumi translating the ritual. She went the extra mile to get us to our next appointment by riding the train with us and showing us the connection! Arigato for an exceptional tour!