Cooking -- December 7, 2010

We had a fun cooking lesson with six ladies including one newcomer.
Three of them came with a few months' old babies. They were just adorable. We made two popular dishes, okonomiyaki and yakisoba. Started with cutting cabbage and other ingredients, we cooked them on the table,which seemed quite new to them. Besides pork we used shrimps, squid, and cheese.

Hikari School -- December 2, 2010

Hikari School started again with new members. We had Ikebana lesson first. After a brief instructions by the teacher,the ladies started arranging flowers and did a very good job as shown in the picture. We also enjoyed sencha tea ceremony.

Shodo -- November 15, 2010

Two ladies attended a shodo class today. They enjoyed quiet time of grinding an ink stick and also noticed subtle smell of ink. Autumn chrysanthemum(秋菊）and chitoseame candy(ちとせあめ）were the words they practiced this time. After practicing many times on sheets of plain paper(半紙), it is always a bit nervous to write on a square decorated paper(色紙) for the final copy.

Cooking -- October 21, 2010

Today's menu, Japanese curry, was requested by members.
Two members joined us at 10am for shopping at Tokyu Plaza market.
After buying ingredients for curry, we explained about some
prepared foods like croquettes they wanted to buy.
We made two kinds of curry, chicken curry and seafood curry.
Persimmon and pear salad was refreshing and pear sherbet matched
curry dish very well.

Shodo--Ocober 18, 2010

On a cool autumn day, we welcomed three new participants in shodo class.
Though that was almost new experience, they seemed to enjoy using
a brush and practicing kanji 夢(yume, dream). One lady came to
Tokyo just two months ago and other ladies live in Japan quite long.
It is amusing to hear the different ideas of the people from different
countries.

Cooking -- September 28, 2010

Despite heavy rain three people came and joined us for cooking.

We made seasonal dishes; salt-grilled sanma, pear and cucumber

salad, nikujaga(braised beef and vegetables), cooked rice, and fig

dessert. Though we were afraid ladies were reluctant eating fish, they

enjoyed sanma as well as nikujaga. Pear salad and fig dessert were

refreshing.

Cooking -- August 25, 2010

On an extremely hot day we had a cooking class. Though many members
were still on holiday, three ladies joined us. We made several seasonal
dishes; somen fine noodles, fried ginger pork, thread cucumber salad,
traditional eggplant dish, and water melon jelly. The thread cucumber
which is a local speciality of Nagano, not found in the city, was
delicious. We had fun taking out the fibers inside. Look at the photo!

Shodo -- June 21, 2010

As summer holiday is coming near, people seem to be busy.
Still one new lady joined shodo lesson for the first time
having an interest in new experience.
It is a good opportunity to talk something Japanese in
explaining words,kanji and hirakana.

Cooking -- June 15, 2010

We had a fun cooking class at a new location. Eight ladies including
three newcomers joined us. We made two different kinds of sushi rolls,
traditional makizushi and California rolls. It was quite a challenge
but they did a good job. We had black sesame ice cream for dessert.
Delicious!!

Hikari School -- June 10, 2010

The last lesson of this term was held. First we did traditional 'kumihimo', cord making. It was the final lesson for three ladies., who received certificates of completion after taking simple tests. At the end of the lesson eight children joined us and we had a picture taken.

Seven ladies joined us for Hikari School today. Enjoyable workshop was making scent bags. A couple of scents they blended were put in small cloth-bags. Tiny scent bags were cute. Then everyone practiced tea-serving manners using individual tea set. After the lesson we presented a certificate of completion to one lady who is moving back to Finland soon.

Shodo -- May 17, 2010

Shodo lesson starts at new venue. Ladies enjoyed the lesson in a
fresh and cool air. Teacher explained about today's theme, 茶摘み
'chatsumi '(tea picking). Drawing a carp streamer on a post card was
also fun.

Sayonara potluck lunch -- May 10, 2010

Ten people and six children got together and enjoyed potluck lunch.
Started with tea ceremony, the lunch started. Dishes had a great variety;
salad, soup, bread, pies, fish and meat dishes, sushi, and several side dishes.
For dessert we had several cakes and fruit. It was really a nice
gathering. At the end we thanked the member who hosted the lessons
and said goodbye.

Hikari School -- April 22, 2010

Lesson today was origata tsutsumi (wrapping)using a sheet of washi paper.As "Kodomono-hi"(Children's Day) is coming soon and the day is also celebrated as Boy's Festival,origata shape was a helmet. After the workshop ladies enjoyed tea-guessing game checking the color or aroma of the tea in a small cup.

Cooking -- April 19, 2010

Five ladies joined us for cooking today. We made takikomigohan
(mixed rice),marinated fish, simmered bamboo shoots with wakame,
and agar agar with fruit. The ladies were impressed with a rice
cooker cooking which is easy and convenient to make various rice dishes.

Hikari School -- March 18, 2010

Five ladies joined us for Hikari School today. Six little girls were happy
playing around us. First we did furoshiki wrapping, then we enjoyed
sakura tea. Between two sessions one lady got dressed in 'yukata'
summer kimono.

Cooking -- March 15, 2010

We had a fun cooking with a visitor from Finland today.
We made very traditional dishes 'yakitori'and 'onigiri'.
Seasonal dishes were rape blossoms dressed with mustard sauce
and clam soup.
Ladies were interested in making onigiri. For filling they
preferred salmon flakes and konbu seaweed to umeboshi which
is too sour and salty for them.

Shodo -- March 8, 2010

Shodo class starts with new members at new venue. Ladies are thrilled to have a new experience. As they are both left-handers, southpaw becomes a topic of conversation.

Hikari School -- February 18, 2010

We did origami first with origami paper and then with handkerchieves.
A handkerchief folded into kimono-shape will be a lovely present.
One lady had a test and was presented a certificate of completion.
She is moving to Germany next month.
We will surely miss her.

Shodo -- February 15, 2010

It looked as usual class. Ladies gathered in a cold
rainy weather and practiced shodo followed by hot
coffee and warm conversations. But there was some
lonliness in it as some of the members leave Tokyo
soon. It would be nice if they will cherish
the memories of the class and enjoy shodo
wherever they go.

Cooking -- February 8, 2010

We had a newcomer from Finland who arrived just a few weeks ago.
Six ladies enjoyed today's cooking class. We cooked Grilled fish
wrapped in auminum foil, Japanese pork miso-soup, cucumber salad,
and yuzu sherbet. Thanks to hard-working ladies, lunch was ready
around noon. Lively lunch with four kids!

Art shodo -- February 4, 2010

Today ladies enjoyed making a magical small folding
screen. Idea comes from a traditional Japanese toy.
As teacher prepared three long washi paper
beforehand, ladies finished it taking not much time.

Cooking -- January 25, 2010

Four ladies joined us for this year's first cooking class.
We cooked very traditional and popular one-pot dish 'Sukiyaki'.
Fun to cook and eat at the table. For dessert we challenged to
make strawberry rice cakes 'Ichigo daifuku', which was very
delicious.