Tea Ceremony at Hikone Castle

I was invited by Keiko, a co-teacher at Ritto High School, to a tea ceremony in Hikone.  It took place at Hikone Castle grounds, at night.  Very beautiful.

Hikone castle during the day.  Hikone is Ann Arbor's sister city, and it's about 45 minutes from Erik.

The view of Hikone and Lake Biwa from Hikone Castle.

Erik and Keiko-sensei's family just after the ceremony.

Keiko-sensei serves some tea.

Keiko-sensei's sister, brother-in-law, and child ("Michael Jordan") get on the boat.

Click here to go to ENN's report on how Erik screwed up this ceremony!

Ritto's City Sports Festival

In September comes Japan's Sports and Health National Holiday.  To celebrate, Erik was invited by his "Japanese Mother," an administrative assistant at Ritto High School, to this sports festival.

Erik and his "Japanese Mother," Shemada-san.

The kids get in on the fun, racing for some prizes.

Click for ENN's Story on the Sports Festival

Cultural Faux Pas?

In Kusatsu, a friend of Erik's from the US takes on a fun Japanese guy in arm-wrestling.  Japan 1, US 0.

Erik appears in a Japanese magazine!

Click here for the full story on ENN.

More cultural missteps caught on film to come!!