Sunday, July 31st: So I'm basically pro at the Japanese tea ceremony.

Yeah, so I'm basically pro at the Japanese tea ceremony.  But before we talk about that, let's rewind a few hours.  So at 4am this morning, Madelyn and I were awakened to our Japanese cell phone going off and the biggest earthquake we've experienced during our trip.  Later we found out that the reason the cell phone went off was as a warning that it was going to be a big earthquake because it hit in our prefecture.  That's a pretty cool gadget their cells have...but we kinda already knew there was an earthquake with the shaking and creaking walls and rumbling of the ground etc.  Madelyn and I lept out of beds and within 15 seconds or so it ended so we didn't go outside.  But it was the most scared I've been with an earthquake yet!  Pray for no bigger please!
Next was shopping and church, during the service Madelyn and I each shared a meaningful verse with the congregation and why it was special to us.  I shared 1 Corinthians 10:31 "Whether you drink, or eat, or whatever you do, do it to the Glory of God!".  It's just an sucinct way to put one of the greatest reminders for how to live my life, especially on this trip!
After church was lunch and chill time...then at 4pm we were picked up by Katsuko Sensei.  She took us to her home where we had a Japanese Tea Ceremony and dinner with her husband...while wearing her yukatas again!  Their English is pretty good, and with the help of their electronic English/Japanese dictionary, we were able to communicate quite well :)

Just me looking Japanese

Katsuko Sensei making me tea

Mmmmm tea :)

 Okay, now it's my turn to make tea for Madelyn!

Put a little hot water in the cup,
swish it around to heat the cup, and
dump it in the larger cup.

Place a tiny spoonful of the tea powder
in the bottom of the cup and add hot
water to it, enough for about 3 or 4 sips.

Stirring like crazy until the tea
forms a slight foam on top,
then write the character "no" in
the tea and remove the whisk.



Turn the cup with your right
hand 2 and a half times.

And yattah!  The tea is made.  You place it in front of the recipient, saying "dozo" (doe-zoh).  They pick it up and once again turn it 2 and a half times and drink it. 

After making tea for Madelyn, she made
it for me.  Then we made it for Mr and
Mrs Katsuko.  They drank it so I think
we did an okay job :)  but they might
have just been polite!

 Next came prep for dinner.  We helped a little and then were sat down with photo albums.  It was fun!

Prepping shrimp to be fried
into tempura.

Their "hashi" holder made
me smile :)

Katsuko Sensei,
Katsuko San (san is like mr/mrs),
Emely Sensei
and dinner!

 We had hiyashi chuka (He-ah-ss-chew-kah) and tempura.  The hiyashi chuka is cold noodles with sauce and cut up meat, cucumber, and egg.  Yummy!

Us and our hiyashi chuka

And then we ate tempura...they made shrimp tempura, potato tempura, onion tempura, mushroom tempura, weiner tempura, and octopus tempura.

I was adventerous and tried
the octopus!!!!!!!!!!!
Didn't have much of a taste.
Just very rubbery.

The weiner tempura was probably my favorite.  It tastes similar to pigs-in-a-blanket which I like and now am really craving.  Dessert consisted of the fish.  Which was made out of a pancakey/waffley breading with sweet bean paste in the middle.  Pretty good, surprisingly enough! :)

Me being a fish with my fish

And dessert part 2 was honey ice cream and fruit and kanten (vegetable gelatin?).  Oishii!

Katsuko San, Katsuko Sensei, and Emely Sensei

A very fine way to spend the evening :)