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Post by Germany on Dec 30, 2012 16:31:28 GMT -5
“Japanische Teezeremonie”
That was what the book title read as Germany paced his house trying to get ready for the long voyage to Japan’s house. He had honestly finished packing his bag an hour ago, packing light because he didn’t want to impose on the other nation since he had been kind enough to take him to a tea ceremony to begin with. His bag had been neatly placed near the front door, jacket carefully placed over the bench and his gloves and scarf lying on top of it. He had asked one of his co-workers if they would be so kind to drive him to the train station since he would be gone a while and didn’t want to leave his vehicle in the train parking lot for that long.
After checking the time his attention, once again, became focused on the book. however, the more he read the more he realised how complicated this ceremony could get with it’s different types of Temae which he was currently reading through to the manner in which one examines a teacup and so forth.
Germany had been hoping that the book would shed a bit more light on the subject except all it did was further confuse him on certain aspects of the ceremony. It seemed whoever had written this book or who had attempted to translate it into German had done a poor job. There were a lot of things, he could gather, that had been lost in translation. Perhaps lost in double translation since the author was, he turns the book over and yup it was indeed an English author. Next time he’d examine the books a bit better before purchasing one but the thought of getting an instructional book had come to him last minute as he was leaving work and so there hadn’t been that much time to go through the entire selection (not that there was very many to choose from anyway). And even if he had wanted to get the actual English copy, Thalia’s English section consisted mostly of fiction.
Before he even heard the knock on his door Germany had already shrugged on his coat, wrapped his scarf around his neck and pulled on his leather gloves as he made his way to his suitcase, book tucked under his arm.
“Hallo! Ludwig!” Came the voice on the other side of the door. Ludwig’s lip quirked up a fraction of an inch before he pulled the door open.
“Guten tag Til.” The man gave him a large smile before bouncing down the stairs and to his car. Ludwig followed but with much less enthusiasm. When they had both settled in the vehicle Til’s eyes studied the book on the taller German’s lap. “Ahh, you know Ludwig, you should have gotten one of Horst Hammitzsch books. I hear he’s really good at explaining Japanese customs.”
They were already on their way to the train station which luckily wasn’t located too far away. “Horst Hammitzsch, hmm. I’ll remember that for next time.” He notes storing the authors name for later. Ludwig wouldn’t even ask how Til knew that of all things since he couldn’t remember the last time the man had travelled anywhere except to go back him and visit family in Hessen.
Ludwig listened to Til’s light conversational rant making a few comments here and there and before either of them new it they were at the train station. “Are you sure you don’t want anything from Japan?” Ludwig asked as he disembarked the vehicle leaning over the door to get a good view of his co-worker. “Ja, don’t worry about it Ludwig. Just come back safe and don’t run off with a cute Japanese girl. Work will not be the same without you if that is the case.”
Ludwig couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at that before nodding. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about anything like that happening.” And with a few more exchange of words most of them consisting of Ludwig thanking Til; he was off to catch his train.
The train ride was short and since he had arrived quite early to the airport everything else went by without a hitch. It was just a matter of waiting to board the plane and then arrive in Tokyo.
(( If you want me to add or change anything let me know. ))
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Post by Japan on Dec 31, 2012 5:57:28 GMT -5
Kiku had experienced some trouble finding a proper Chado practitioner who was willing to accept a foreigner into their ceremony. He had almost turned to a tourist trap in frustration before one of his female friends had agreed – although only after hearing a concise and factual account of the German’s looks.
He could only hope that she contained herself around his German friend, and if push really came to shove he trusted that the German could move faster than the 40 year old. The woman had been so excited to meet the German she had almost invited herself to meet him at the airport, which had involved some creative manoeuvring from Kiku and his leaving an hour earlier so that she was unable to attend.
Which was why he was currently contentedly sat on the Narita express with his PSP, playing Monster Hunter to pass the long journey. He was far more at ease with the whole affair, naturally, and he would take the time to brief Ludwig before the actual ceremony. It would not involve much at all really. Ludwig would not be performing the ceremony and he seemed disciplined enough to sit still for a long period.
The only issue Japan had really foreseen was finding a Kimono to fit the taller nation – and he had already been sure to locate and loan several different pieces from shops that exclusively cater to foreigners and after getting the sizes from China –he was the workshop of the world after all – he had felt comfortable with that as well and only hoped the German didn't mind the colours he'd picked out.
It was clear the smaller nation had done as much as he could to put the Ludwig at ease.
He puts his PSP away when the train reaches it’s last stop, debarking with everyone else. He holds himself back from the rush however, hesitating at a vending machine before purchasing a lemonade. With time to kill he feels that he can abide cultural norms and sits with the drink, relishing in the peace of a deserted train station. He doubted many Japanese stood still long enough to enjoy the moment, but Kiku tended to stay back. Strangely enough he did not enjoy the rush of a train station.
He finishes his drink before the next train arrives, making his way out of the station and towards the arrivals lounge where he settles himself with a seasonal latte from Doutor and dutifully sits for his guest in their designated meeting spot. It does not take long however for him to go and check the arrival time before planning a short bout of shopping.
Which explains why Kiku is sat in the designated spot with a bag, and two bottles of lemonade to greet Ludwig with. Much like his own people he had a weakness to duty free and had been keeping an eye on the price of a new camera… the temptation really had been too much. He hoped the Germanic nation would not mind.
(It sounds Perfect. I can't live up to your level. ))
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Post by Germany on Dec 31, 2012 15:49:10 GMT -5
Flight time: 11 hours and 33 minutes
Germany was sitting in economy class, carry-on tucked under the seat in front of him and luckily no one sitting beside him. Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten how uncomfortable economy class was for a man his size but a twelve hour flight shouldn’t be too bad as long as the seat beside him remains unoccupied which looked to be the case since they were just waiting for the signal to take off.
He waited patiently in his seat, book once again resting on his lap as he leaned his head back against the headrest but finding that his height made it so he’s neck was resting on it more so than his head. He repositioned himself, sitting straighter before he felt the plane jerk forward lightly and then begin to speed up.
It was in a matter of minutes and they were ascending into the air and even a shorter amount of time until they were at the proper height for the flight.
That was when he unclipped the tray and gently laid out his book pulling out a pen and highlighter as he went through the material diligently.
Flight time: 9 hours and 14 minutes
The book was tucked in the pouch in front of him and Ludwig had opted for watching a movie instead. The selections weren’t the best but he shouldn’t really complain because the airline could have easily left them with nothing to do for nearly twelve hours.
Flight time: 7 hours 0 minutes
The flight attendants were coming round with their meal. The German had already put away his headphones deciding that it wasn’t worth watching another movie or anything really. The meal smelled good and it was coming at a good time because he was feeling a little hungry.
Flight time: 5 hours 42 minutes
The person behind him was kicking his seat. He had glanced over his shoulder to get a good look at the individual only to find them asleep and feeling as if it would be too impolite to wake them just to tell them to stop an action they were unaware they were doing.
Flight time: 3 hours 39 minutes
Ludwig had found some semblance of peace. He had dozed off arms crossed over his chest and head unconsciously jerking back up whenever it slumped down too far.
Flight time: 1 hour and 18 minutes
His neck was really sore. He really shouldn’t have fallen asleep in such a position but there was really nothing he could do about it as he lightly massaged the sore muscle with a slight sigh.
Flight time: 0 hour and 0 minute
They had finally landed and Ludwig was thankfully off the plane. He had his jacket draped over his arm, carry-on in one hand as he proceeded to follow the arrows leading him to the arrivals section of the airport. He had only been in Haneda Airport a few times but it always amazed him how large it was even though many of his airports were just as big like the one in Frankfurt.
And then he remembered how crowded the airport was and although this was an international airport with people of all nations landing and departing from here. He still stuck out like a sore thumb not only because of his height but his blindingly blond hair and blue eyes.
He had made it to the baggage area without a hitch occasionally getting stares here and there and sometimes being bumped into because of the crowds. But, luckily, when he did arrive because the airport had been so large the baggage belt was in function and bags were already circulating around. His eyes were quick to find his own bag and didn’t waste time picking it up and heading out to find Kiku.
When he was out his expression fell at the amount of people that were waiting on others. The small Japanese man could be waiting for him anywhere out here and so he began scanning the crowds to see if he could spot him.
(( Oh you certainly did. You surpassed my level. xD Anyway, I had a little fun writing this reply. ))
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Post by Japan on Jan 3, 2013 6:05:07 GMT -5
Kiku was sat fiddling with his camera, occasionally looking up to see if he could spot a tall blonde man. Which wasn’t all that hard, considering the average height of a Japanese man was well below that of Ludwig’s height.
He spots the man looking rather lost and snaps a picture, because he has to test the quality of his camera before they leave. It was wholly for that purpose, even if he didn’t delete the picture that contained a somewhat rare expression of the German. He would add it to his album.
Not that he would ever admit to having one. He tucks away most of the camera equipment in the box, leaving the camera out in case he had a chance to take more odd pictures. You could never judge a person’s actions after a long flight after all.
Once that is done and he is content with his own decorum, he puts the taller nation out of his misery and approaches. He’s currently in a fairly fashionable and comfortable Western outfit, that perhaps makes him look a little younger than he originally intended. The camera is hanging from a lanyard, bringing his rather odd look together and making it wholly him. He had somehow slipped into tourist mode despite being in his own country.
‘Ludwig-san. I hope the flight over was pleasant enough. I do not doubt the quality of your airline however, so it must have been pleasant.’ There is a ghost of a smile on his face as he resists the urge to bow, offering his hand instead in greeting.
‘Perhaps we should stop by a coffee shop before riding the train? I imagine you’re somewhat tired of travelling at this point and the first train ride will be about an hour or so.'
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Post by Germany on Jan 3, 2013 14:53:33 GMT -5
Everything seemed to be on fast-forward as he watched people upon people being greeted by family or friends. It was these kinds of settings that reminded him that although he was a nation he shared the exact same emotions of needing any sort of affection like the humans that surrounded him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash but dismissed it for another party greeting a long lost family member. And plus, there were tons of people in the airport with cameras probably many for who this was their first visit.
When he had all but lost hope, that is when he sees the small form of Kiku approach him. He lets out the breath he hadn’t realised he had been holding in and takes the last few steps to greet the shorter male, a small smile etched into his features. The second thing he noticed was the nice camera that was hanging from his neck finding it slightly amusing that it was the small Japanese man with the camera instead of him, the tourist.
“Kiku.” He greets as he listens to the rest of what the shorter man had to say. “The flight was long but it was not the worse by far.” That’s because the worse had been on a flight with Airtalia and as much as he liked Italy…the Italians airline wasn’t the most ideal plane to take anywhere really. Out of all the airlines he had used he could easily list the top ten if anyone had asked him.
Ludwig grasps Kiku’s extended hand firmly before shaking it and then releasing it to sneak the book he had been carrying into one of the open pouches of his bag. He was a little embarrassed that he had even brought the book at all. He should have just left it at home after reading the essential chapters.
“Coffee sounds good actually. I could really use something to wake me up a bit.” He says as he starts in the direction of where he assumed the coffee shop was since many people were coming from that direction with coffee mugs in their hands.
“Were you waiting long?” He asks hoping that it had been a short wait really not wanting to inconvenience the smaller man further. “I added around twenty minutes on the arrival time so that you wouldn’t have to wait around while I’m going through customs and getting my suitcase.” Ludwig explains lightly mostly for conversation.
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Post by Japan on Jan 5, 2013 12:58:51 GMT -5
Kiku nods, expression rather still as he listens to the taller male. 'I have never worried about taking one of your airlines, Ludwig. They are always reliable and on time, if not early.'
His eyes fall to the book rather quickly as Ludwig places it in his bag, a fond smile tugging at his lips when he reads the title. He should have known Ludwig would have gotten such a book. It was the man to a Tee. Next time they did something like this he would need to offer some suggestions on what to read.
The book he had this time seemed fine though, although it probably suffered in the translation from English to German and lost a lot of the nuances the Japanese would have had. He’s sure the German nation persevered and understood the majority of the contents however.
He takes one of the German’s bags, knowing that it was the polite thing to do but also concerned that his friend was suffering from the toll of the long flight. He himself knew how tiring such a journey could be.
He leads the way to the coffee shop, shaking his head at the question. He had been, but Ludwig didn't need to know that. 'No longer than I needed to... I wanted to do a bit of shopping before you arrived, if I am being honest.' His hands go to his camera, holding it up to snap up another candid picture of Ludwig.
'What do you think?' he asks, holding it out as they walk into the open plan coffee shop, heading towards the counter.
Kiku could have taken Ludwig to Starbucks, but he felt the coffee here - at Doutor - was of higher standard and their specials were more to Kiku's liking than Starbucks own. He stops in front of the counter, 'If you're feeling adventurous I would recommend the Sakura Latte...?'
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Post by Germany on Jan 7, 2013 13:47:00 GMT -5
Ludwig had wanted to protest when Kiku took one of his bags but the man was quick in his actions and didn’t leave him enough time to say anything. Although, he did have to admit it was a nice gesture, he still felt bad mostly because he looked considerably stronger then the shorter male. It made for an odd sight to see the two together and to also see the small Japanese man carry one of his bags around the airport. He’d have to make it up to Kiku later.
His gaze shifted from looking at Kiku and then glancing around the airport at the mall-esque appearance it had now taken on. The mall looked quite a bit better than any malls he had in Germany. Well, in his opinion, but he wouldn’t say that his malls were lacking in any way it was just Japan knew how to make them too really attract buying customers.
His attention is drawn back to the camera around Kiku’s neck and the extra bag that the smaller man seemed to be carrying around with him. It made sense, that’s where the camera came from, he hadn’t recognized it seeing as he had just seen Kiku with his older camera (which was top of the line when he was using it). Ludwig can’t help but blink at the quick snap shot Kiku got of him as his features contort, for a few seconds, into something akin to surprise and worry at the picture before disappearing completely from his face.
Ludwig shifts the bag over his shoulder a little more comfortably before studying the camera carefully. “It looks very professional. What happened to your old one?” He asks casually before they enter the coffee shop and he can’t help himself from studying his surroundings and noting the calming feel the place had. It kind of reminded him of a coffee shop, Aida, he had frequented with Roderich in Vienna one time. Great desserts, he’d have to go maybe convince Kiku to join him if the smaller nation wasn’t too busy.
He studied the menu finding that they did have the orders in English, at least, so it wasn’t too much of a challenge to read things over. “Sakura Latte.” He repeats rolling the word around in his mouth. He was here to learn more about Kiku’s culture so it would only seem appropriate to start now. “Ja, I don’t see why not and if you recommend it I’m sure I’ll like it. But let me pay…at least, I insist.”
Usually he was more than fine just splitting it but again he was a guest here and Kiku was going out of his way to host him so it was a small step at repaying his companion for his more than generous hospitality.
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Post by Japan on Jan 8, 2013 13:51:59 GMT -5
Kiku would protest to his size being considered in this gesture. It was simply something one did for their friend after a small journey, and as of late he had even seen women take bags off of their male counterparts. Thus he did not really see the need for Germany to make up for it later, and no one appeared to be taking much notice of it.
As of late shopping had become a cultural past time in Japan, and the foundation of his economy. Japan was now a service economy, often exporting it’s manual labour to other countries in Asia as a gesture of kind intentions. The Japanese people were no longer willing on the most part to work in factories, or act as cleaners and only those in the villages who had grown up with it all their life and knew nothing else would be content to continue on their family tradition… And even those cases were rapidly decreasing as younger generations were sent to university and stayed there, often remaining in the cities.
The Malls as such are a place of leisure and comfort, and a lot of money is spent just trying to keep people there. They’re encouraged to buy the latest and upgrade, which is why he isn’t all that embarrassed or guilty when he replies, ‘Nothing… This is simply better.’ He lets the camera hang as he orders the two lattes, using an odd mixture of English and Japanese.
‘I think you are forgetting that I will be your guest soon enough Ludwig. Even then, you would not need to repay me in anyway. The pleasure of being a host and your company are payment enough.’ He smiles, the expression hard to catch, and looks up at the German. ‘If you are uncomfortable with me paying however we can go betsu betsu… I mean, we can split the bill.’
He was accustomed enough to Germany to know that this is how he normally operated, and he was more than happy to maintain the status quo - which was why he was giving the German the opening.
The woman behind the till unfortunately hears the snippet of Japanese, perking up. She had been worried they would expect her to use English despite Kiku obviously being Japanese.
~Are you splitting the Bill?~
~Sorry, We haven’t decided yet.~
He turns to the German, ‘She’s asking if we’d like to split the bill?’ he asks, expression rather pained. He knows the woman is trying to be helpful but… it had put pressure on the two to make a decision, which is not what he wanted at all. He wanted the German to have a relaxing trip.
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Post by Germany on Jan 10, 2013 2:02:17 GMT -5
Ludwig couldn’t help his gaze from straying around the small coffee shop as he studies every inch of it before turning back to the cashier and then back to Kiku. The small Japanese man always new exactly what to say to ease his mind and he merely takes it in silently, unsure exactly what to say as a response.
However, before he even gets a chance to answer, the young cashier interrupts speaking primarily to Kiku as she says something in Japanese that caused him to quirk a brow. Even if he had learned a few phrases before arriving, he probably wouldn’t have understood it regardless. But, he could proudly say that there were still a few things he remembered from their shared time as allies.
He listens to the translation and gives the shorter male a small smile when he sees Kiku’s pained expression. He gently rests his hand on the smaller man’s shoulder to briefly reassure him that it wasn’t much of a stress to decide whether they should or should not split the bill. As Kiku was more than aware, Ludwig was very much for equality and no one should ever pay more than they’ve purchased. And plus, he had exchanged enough Euros into Japanese Yen as long as he had budged correctly.
It was probably no surprise that he had done considerable research on change difference and what was the average cost for most items in Japan. On top of memorizing the train stops just in case something were to happen and he had to part ways with Kiku for a while.
“Splitting the bill works well.” He finally answers maintain that status quo that he was so comfortable with.
Ludwig pulls out his wallet from his jacket and takes out a 1000 yen bill passing it to Kiku. That should be more than enough to cover the latte he had ordered or at least he hoped. It could be quite possible he had misread something but he was certain he hadn’t.
“Your currency is quite interesting Kiku. I always enjoy looking at them when I come to visit.” He comments idly as he waits for the cashier to process their order.
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Post by Japan on Jan 10, 2013 18:09:10 GMT -5
The coffee shop is what one would imagine a chain to look like, looking somewhat similar to Starbucks or Costa. There are small Japanese accents that let you easily identify the chains country of origin however, the most eye catching one of this shop being a small dry landscape garden on a lifted platform.
Kiku relaxes with the smile, quickly turning to the girl to confirm that they will be splitting it. Somehow the German always knows how to make him feel at ease. Perhaps it is his superb organisational skills and competent demeanour. Either or, he was genuinely one of Kiku’s most pleasant visitors. He rarely had to worry about the German’s tourists over drinking or wandering off to his pleasure quarters… and that made his life considerably easier.
He's happy to see that the German has already exchanged money, taking the bill with a soft thank you before handing it over to the cashier. The German receives 500 odd yen in return, all in coins.
He blinks in surprise, 'I would have thought the Euro would have been more interesting. You can find French coins in Ireland and Estonian coins in Romania and even then they are legal tender. I think it speaks well of the successful regionalism in the region and saves a lot of money concerning the printing of cash.'
Taking a number to place for their table at the cashier's instructions, he helps Ludwig with his bags over to a booth by the window. From here they can watch the people rush by, their mind always 10 steps ahead of their body in the rush to keep up. 'I would say that the euro crumples more easily than the Yen however...'
There is a small pause as he sits himself down and takes off his camera, lovingly putting it to the side. It would probably become as much a part of him as his old camera. ‘Apart from that however the practice of putting famous monuments from different countries on your notes makes the exploration of your notes all the more exciting. And I do believe it’s becoming somewhat of a hobby in Japan as of late to collect, or at least study the different notes.’
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Post by Germany on Jan 10, 2013 19:14:47 GMT -5
Ludwig takes the change returned as he glances over the coins some of them reminding him of Norwegian Krone, minus the Japanese characters that decorated the front and back. He opens his wallet having a specific compartment for the coins and gently easing them in before slipping his wallet in the zipped pocket of his jacket.
He follows Kiku towards the booth placing his bag on the inside before sliding in to face his companion. He lets out a small chuckle at the comment about the Euro being interesting. “It was when it first came out.” He admits. “But, it’s a common sight for me now. I’ve been looking at Euros for years, there’s nothing special about them.” Ludwig continues completely agreeing with the last part of the smaller males comment.
“I have to agree with you that it does save on some printing, however, and this may sound odd coming from me, since having one currency definitely avoids unnecessary complications. But, it was nice having the Deutsche Mark. It was something special to a nation, almost like having a reason to be proud of yourself.” He says in all honesty knowing Kiku wouldn't judge him for this kind of thought. “Although, I admit, that the Euro has saved Europe from a lot more conflicts because we rely more on each other and it tries to make us feel more united.”
Which wasn’t always the case, there was still animosity between many nations but it was shown more in sports or the jokes that were produced by national comedians. He blinks when he hears Kiku’s next comment as he smiles at him. “Hmm, I haven’t noticed that but I don’t doubt it. I’ve seen some Euro notes come back as if they’ve seen a battle field.” The European Central Bank was situated in Frankfurt afterall.
When Europe had all those different currencies, not that it didn’t have several countries who had kept or weren’t apart of the EU who had their own currency still, Ludwig had loved collecting different coins and bank notes. Actually, he still had his currency book stashed away in a box in his closet that he would occasionally take out to look at. He had collected quite a few notes that dated back before any of the World Wars. He could easily say he was proud of his collection.
“I could see how the Euro is interesting for those who don’t have to deal with it every day.” He agrees and at that same time, their number is called out and Ludwig is quick to get up and fetch their order for them, thanking the barista with a small smile. He has to avoid a few customers, seeing as the place was decently busy and managed to make it back to their booth without much of a hitch, setting both drinks down.
Ludwig leans forward to take in the aroma of the Sakura latte before gently bringing the cup to his lips and taking a hazardous sip, because it was still fairly hot. However, besides it burning his tongue, it did taste quite good. He places the cup back down deciding to wait for it to cool down before taking another sip and glances at Kiku. “You were right, it’s very good.”
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Post by Japan on Jan 13, 2013 18:14:01 GMT -5
Japan almost protests when the man stands up, surprised at his speed. He should really be the one fetching the drink, especially after the German’s long journey. He’s half way up when the German is already half way across the room, sighing as he eventually just sits himself back down in resignation. He was really lucky to have found a friend in Ludwig, considering how considerate the man was. He thanks his friend when he returns, hands wrapping around the mug as he glances down at the creation.
The drinks never did quite look like how they were advertised here, but he thought it added to the character. He glances to the German, anxious to see what he thinks of the concoction. He was quite concerned as to how the man would take the taste.
He should have maybe warned him about just how hot the drinks were here. He smiles though glad he had recommended the odd beverage when the German confirms that he does indeed like it. ‘We can try Sakura Ice cream another day then, if you would like.’ Since it was the cherry blossom viewing season, there was an abundance of seasonal foods to compliment the transcendent flowers.
‘I think the sweets we will have at the tea ceremony will also probably be Sakura flavoured,’ he says, blowing on his own drink before taking a sip. It was a sweet flowery taste that he couldn’t get enough of. ‘The woman who is hosting the event has a garden that is suited to this time of year so I think you will enjoy it.’
Kiku would avoid mentioning her interest in him quite yet. There was no reason to cause him undue worry just yet.
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Post by Germany on Jan 14, 2013 0:55:47 GMT -5
Ludwig glances up from his drink, having looked down at it to examine it further before nodding slowly. “If it tastes similar to this I wouldn’t mind at all.” He says finding it interesting the difference in specialty flavours that one could find in different parts of the world. Sakura flavour was unheard of in Germany and Europe in general. Then again, Japan had the perfect environment for such plants to grow in so it made sense that it would be found here, of all places.
He takes a larger sip from his drink as he absorbs the information being fed to him about the ceremony. “Out of curiosity, what are other typical sweets eaten at the ceremony. I imagine when it isn’t the season for Sakuras, there is an alternative.” Ludwig’s gaze glances over to the book stored on the side of his bag. He didn’t remember reading anything of that nature. He wished he had done a bit more research on authors that wrote on the subject before he had made the purchase.
Ludwig’s expression doesn’t betray the slight excitement he was feeling at the prospect of being in a perfect setting for the ceremony. “This woman doesn’t mind that I’ll be joining in on the ceremony?” He found it odd that someone would be so willing to invite a foreigner with no knowledge of such an event. He just hoped he didn’t do anything to disrespect the woman at her own tea ceremony.
The German continued to sip at his drink before another question popped in his head. One that would certainly come in handy when they went to the ceremony. “Kiku, is there anything I should avoid doing so I keep from causing offence? Should I bring anything as a thank you for such an opportunity?”
It was a legitimate question. He knew that a custom, at least in Europe, was to offer a gift to the people hosting you. It wasn’t always practiced but it was a habit that hadn’t quite died for him and one that he personally thought was nice. It showed ones true appreciation of another’s kindness.
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Post by Japan on Jan 16, 2013 14:38:49 GMT -5
Kiku smiles softly at the question, happy that the German at least appeared to be interested gauging from the questions, if not from the expression. He sips his own latte in time with Germany before he replies.
‘The term for them in general is Wagashi, which comes from the type of sugar that you use to make them. But as to what they look like, and taste… that varies greatly depending on the host. This host tends to favour seasonal sweets, with a red bean filling. I can take you to a shop where they make them, if you would like?’
He sips his coffee again, nodding at the second question. ‘To be honest, I am afraid she may be a little too excited at the prospect of having a foreigner attend her ceremony. I am not too sure if I am over speaking, but it might be best to practice caution around the woman and not turn your back to her.’ Japan looks a little pained to admit the latter part, but when asked he felt he could not let his friend go in unprepared.
The final question evokes some amusement. He really doubts the German would put a step out of line, ‘I am not exactly sure yet… But I do not think either of us will be taking the first or second rank. That means that we will not be required to put too much input in. If worst comes to worst, you will be second rank while I am first. If you are second rank you will have to help hand out the confectionaries and tea. The first ranked guest meanwhile has to engage the host and pick the opportune moment during the preparation and consumption of the tea to ask questions concerning the tools she is using and the décor of the room as well as the garden. It is a great honour to be given the role but…’ He trails off, leaving the downside implied. It is a somewhat stressful role, and the abilities of the first rank can be as important, if not more important than the host’s own.
He glances out the window, watching a couple rush past - bags in hand. Further down the corridor there was a time limited sale on, or so it appeared. ‘I do not think we will be put in such a situation however. I have already made it clear that I would like to be free to translate the proceedings to you.’
He shifts in his seat, ‘You do not need to bring a gift, but it is a custom that you bring your own paper and utensils to eat the sweet with. I have a spare set of both that I am more than willing to lend you.’ There is a pause before he adds, 'I am sure my friend would not oppose to a gift however, if you wish to give her one.'
He attempts to switch the topic after that, having felt he had lectured the German enough on the customs of the tea ceremony, at least for now. ‘Were you able to find someone to look after your dogs?’
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Post by Germany on Feb 4, 2013 23:14:10 GMT -5
Ludwig should have probably taken out a notepad to write everything down but he hadn’t been expecting such a detailed explanation, even though, he really should have known since Japan was never the type to half ass an answer. However, now that he had a bit of time to process the information and realise that there was so much that he needed to experience and this small cultural exchange would barely scratch the surface. He knew exactly why he hadn’t taken advantage of this when they had been allies but he wished he could have learned something more than sending officers over as liaison and to assure the continuance of Japanese aid to the axis. He swallowed a little at the reminder of such dark times before his attention focused back on the smaller man in front of him.
It was really the second question that caused him to quirk a brow, a look of unease flickering across his features. “Excited?” He asks as his imagination takes over and he can’t help but wonder what she could possibly be excited about. At least, in regards to him but then, by the way Kiku was looking at him, he could almost guess and the thought was unpleasant. He didn’t say anything more on the subject, instead storing the information for later use. He would have to prepare a strategy to make sure he could see her at all time. Or, he would have to make sure Kiku remained by him during the entire event, which didn’t seem plausible in the retrospect of things.
Ludwig finished off his drink, bringing the cup down gently as he leans back a bit and lets his hands fall into his lap. He wondered how it would have been like attending one of these during the 40s. It was sad that he had never made any time or showed any interest. It also made him wonder if his brother had ever participated in anything like this, having come to Japan a lot earlier than him.
When Kiku brings up their host a second time he can’t help but look up at him. “Ja, I think I might just do that.” It would be a good strategy plan depending on what kind of a threat she would be to him. He had brought some chocolates from his house to give to Kiku and a few extra so he’d probably use that as a gift. “I think I have something in mind for a gift so don’t worry about taking me to any stores.” He says pensively as he mentally decides which chocolate he would give her.
The question about his dog makes him smile lightly. “Ah, ja, I have my bruder looking after them but I also asked a friend if he wouldn’t mind checking up on them.” He trusted his brother but sometimes he could never be too sure. The Prussian always found something to keep his interest and when it impassioned him, sometimes the albino forgot about his surroundings until that obsession was quenched.
“Do you think we should be heading out? The ceremony is today, correct?” As much as he knew Japan was never late, he still disliked the idea of it possibly occurring.
(( Not my finer post, but I did it!!! >D Ah haha, no skirt for me. ))
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