A Secret in Japan ( A Descriptive Essay by Mari Takuno)

A riyoute is the most expensive, luxurious restaurant in Japan. These restaurants are also very exclusive. They usually refuse service to customers without introduction beforehand. When I first went through the gate into a riyoute, I heard peaceful singing of birds and the soft sound of a stream. I felt I was in a special space far removed from my common life. I believe riyoute restaurants have the most beautiful Japanese cuisine, the most sophisticated service, and the most stunning surroundings.

A riyoute serves splendid Japanese food. There are eighteen dishes for each person, each with a small bite of food. These dishes are served over two hours or more. Once in the spring, when I visited a riyoute, I saw colorful food which tasted fresh, delightful, and pleasant, just as spring. I caught the soft and pleasant smell of the food such as sprouts and rape blossoms. For the season, the chef had prepared dishes in the color of spring. There were pink foods for the cherry blossom and light green food for the new bamboo. The experienced chef had collected organic vegetables from special farmers the same morning. The fish came from one particular fishing port. A good Japanese food must have a fresh aromas and seasonal colors and tastes. The chef chose the ingredients for the food carefully since the dishes are pieces of art. I enjoyed the beautiful spring cuisine.

The service also made a deep impression on me. The waitresses were all women wearing beautiful kimonos (Japanese traditional clothes), for the season. Kimonos have the season colors and tell ancient. Further, the waitresses were very gentle, kind, and quiet. When they entered our private room in the restaurant, they softly opened the sliding door and walked on their knees, not their feet, carrying the food.

A riyoute is always in a wonderful Japanese style building. There is a black tile roof, a white wall, green trees, a blue waterfall and pool, and red and yellow flowers. When I enter, I remove my shoes because no one should walk on the beautiful tatami (woven straw mat) floors. When I touch the tatami, I feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The restaurant is divided up into many private rooms, each decorated with a single, but perfect, ikebana (flower arrangement) with flowers from the season. For example, in fall chrysanthemums are very popular. Ikebana has to be change everyday depending on the customers. Also, people are seated on the floor in front of low wooden tables. To add to the single beauty, each plate is almost like a beautiful painting for the season. Usually, riyoute use plates made by famous ceramic potters.

A meal at a riyoute restaurant is a very special experience shared by very few Japanese people. People will remember for years the beautiful food, exclusive service, and the exquisite beauty of the restaurant.

Mari
10/03/2009

Our end of semester luncheon

Cookbook cover art by Eliska

Lunch at MTI

After our trip to State College, we walked over to the campus of the Manatee Technical Institute to have a fine dining experience at the bistro. The students at the Culinary Arts Program prepared and served us a lovely gourmet lunch. Both the food and the conversation were of exceptional quality.

A Visit to an Elementary School

We visited Wakeland Elementary School of International Studies, an International Baccalaureate elementary school in Bradenton. We mentored first graders, who were working on creating art projects with international significance. We were very impressed by the creative plans they had written for their projects. Mari wrote the students' names for them in Japanese, and they were so fascinated that they didn't want to let Mari leave. Thank you, Wakeland, for this opportunity for intercultural exchange.

A visitor who touched our hearts

Heike's friend Barbara came to visit from Munich. She joined us on field trips, and we are so happy to have met her. She is pictured here with us in the butterfly garden at Mixon's Fruit Farm, at the De Soto National Memorial, on the patio at the Ca D'Zan, and at Captain Brian's. Thanks, Barbara, for sharing these times with us.

A Visit to the Art Department at State College

Mari organized a field trip for us to visit her pottery teacher, Daniel Wolfe, who graciously welcomed us to his studio and gave us a tour of the Art Department at State College of Florida in Bradenton. We learned a lot about art in 3D. Thanks, Dan!

DEDICATION: NELS MATSON

We dedicate our blog to Nels Matson, who had the patience to teach us, all first-time bloggers, how to make a blog. Nels is a very special person with a very big heart, who dedicates his time to helping raise consciousness and money for children with congenital heart defects. He is bicycling across the United States this summer for the Children's Heart Foundation. Thank you Nels for all that you do for the children.

For more information, please go to the following sites:
www.athletes4heart.com
www.athletes4heart.blogspot.com
www.childrensheartfoundation.org
www.firstgiving.com/athletes4heart

A Trip to the Ringling Museum in Sarasota

In the courtyard


Mari and Lucie admire David...while Ivete photographs



Under the banyan tree