13 Years Later: Japan Through New Eyes
The morning in Kyoto was slightly snowy. Kyoto is surrounded by mountains on all sides, making it a basin with high humidity. The temperature also feels much colder than the actual reading.
Today’s customers are Addy, a Malaysian national, and her mother, Linda. When asked, “How long was the flight from Malaysia to Japan?”, Linda replied, “We came from Australia, not Malaysia.” They have been living in Sydney since 2019.
When applying for a reservation at Komurasaki An, there is a section to write your nationality, but it is not always the case that people live in the country of their nationality. Last year, we had customers who were French but actually lived in Kuwait, and others who were Indian but had moved to San Francisco, USA. It made me realize how many people interact with the world beyond their nationality, and how an international community is being built.
Linda goes back to Malaysia twice a year to see her parents who live there. Linda first visited Japan 13 years ago and went to see her cousin who lives in Tokyo. At that time, she enjoyed Tokyo Disneyland with her young child, Addy.
Addy had a strong desire to study in Sydney, and that desire prompted her mother to decide to move to Australia in 2017. I expect Addy to use her excellent English skills to play an active role in the world.
They will travel to Osaka, Nara, and Takayama from the next day. I hope they will make many wonderful memories and come back. I hope to see you next time not as guests of the tea ceremony, but as good friends of our family.
Late that night after the tea ceremony workshop, I emailed 91 photos to Addy. The next day, I received a reply from her.
Dear Aki and Naoko,
Thank you so much for having us at your beautiful home. We’d be honored to visit you as friends the next time we are in Kyoto. Please let us know if you ever visit Sydney!
Thank you again for the wonderful photos and the beautiful memories 🙂
Yours sincerely
Addy and Linda
