Japanese Pottery and beyond (5/4)

The city of Kanazawa is called a little Kyoto. It was the place gold was discovered in ancient Japan. We visited the gold leaf shop and made a pair of our own chopsticks using gold leaves. I also got many chances to do window shopping of their pottery (original Noritake facility) they are beautiful but expensive. See below:

My husband and I designed our own chopsticks. Mine are
on the right side.

Japanese Cuisine (5/3)

We had a formal dinner (Kaiseki Ryori) almost every evening. The Japanese style meals are always eye catching and colorful. There are so many beautiful dishes in front of you, just for you. They were all delicious. We enjoyed them very much! Here are few samples:

 Sweet and Green Tea (Mocha) served after Tea ceremony  

Japanese Style Hotel and Their Ikebana (5/2b)

Our first night at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo 

Outside garden at the Omachi onsen hotel in Shinchu. 

This was one of the hotel rooms we stayed in

Restaurant entrance   

Ikebana decoration at Hadori Onsen 

Nipple fruit Plant

Morning glory 

Hadori Onsen of Yamashiro hotel in Kaga emphasizes
the area where Japanese monkeys (saru bobo) enjoy hot
 springs in winter.   

We stayed at Sasaro Onsen in Gero with an unusual wood
 furniture collection. The owner is an architect.

Japanese Style Hotel and their Ikebana (5/2a)

We stayed in four Japanese style hotels. They all have Onsen (Hot Springs) facilities, which we enjoyed very much. We also stayed in two Western style hotels during our trip in Japan. I have never seen so many flower arrangements, big and small, displayed at the right places in the hotels. Some are very unique.

 

 

In ancient times, they used mochi to make branches because
lack of materials during the Winter season. This
 arrangement was in the Togukawa  government regional office.