Tea by day, Drinks and Games by Night

Post date: 04-Dec-2009 09:50:11

Colin and I escaped the everyday hectic rushed life of touring in the Metropolis today by attending a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. It was a relaxing experience. Matcha green tea is served in a beautifully decorated tea bowl. The fine green powder is whisked into boiling water using a bamboo whisk. The frothy delicious tea is slightly bitter so sweets are usually served to offset the bitterness. We had a neat little sweet made of egg on the outside and red bean paste (azuki) on the inside. It looked a bit like yellow play doh and had a similar texture to eating play doh.

After the ritual we felt rejuvenated, now I want to buy all the cool supplies so that we can have our own tea ceremony at home.

We wandered around the garden of the new Otani hotel where we attended the tea ceremony.

After an afternoon of tea, we were ready for a night of drinking at the 8bit Cafe. It's a great pop culture bar where you can enjoy non-alcoholic drinks such as milk tea with marshmallows or an alcoholic drink such as Dr. Mario (just what the doctor ordered, be sure to take the pills too), Princess Peach (sweet and juicy), or a Blue Badge (has a great grapefruit taste).

Dr. Mario and milk tea

Princess Peach and Blue Badge

I interviewed the owner, bartender and DJ, Nawo. He opened the bar 4 years ago because he likes the video game culture. The video game themed bar even follows you right into the bathroom where toys and manga are displayed. You can play old games, new games or just chill and enjoy the great atmosphere. There are often events hosted at the bar too.