'Kintsugi' is a Japanese artistic technique to combine all the pieces of broken tableware with gold. It is a traditional way of reusing in Japan. My friend beautifully made it to the teacup that I gave her as a gift from the UK! Now, she can enjoy milk tea with the newly designed cup with gold. Give it life!

金継ぎはにほん日本の文化で割れた食器を金で一つにしてあtらしいデザインとしてまた使います。友人にあげたイギリスのティーカップが金継ぎで新しくおまれ変わりました。またミルクティーが飲めるようになりましたね！大切に使ってもらえてうれしいです。

Have you ever heard about 'black tea from Shizuoka', Japan? My brother gave me this tea which was grown on the neighbour mountain! As a child, I grew up with the environment of green tea everywhere. However, I have never heard about the black tea from my region. I was not sure about the quality of this black tea... However, it was absolutely delicious! The flavour and smell are gently sweet and I cannot believe the green tea farmers near our house have produced such high quality black tea! I am very impressed. It is a great discovery. Thank you so much my brother!

​兄からもらった静岡紅茶。しかも実家の周辺で栽培されたもの。静岡ではお茶畑がそこら中にあり、家の隣にもありますが、まさか紅茶も作り始めたとは。どんな味がするのか、あまり期待はしていませんでしたが、興味津々で飲んでみました。それが、さわやかな甘い香りが絶妙でとても感激しました。静岡紅茶、その存在自体も知らなかったんですが、侮れません。すごい発見でした。ごちそうさまでした。

I was very happy to have had this opportunity to make this Japanese style wedding cake with green tea flavour for my student. It was my first time I made a wedding cake! It took two days and the origami cat couple (nekobina) was also my first time I made in my life! He is a big fan of my handmade cake, because I normally make cake for my academy's anniversary celebration and end of year party (bonenkai) with the members of Arai Academy of Japanese Studies.  The cake was made of green tea (maccha) sponge and green tea cream with some white cream for the wedding theme. It was so lovely that everyone said the cake was the best! Anyway, I really felt happy that the married couple were absolutely happy with my hand made wedding cake!

今回生徒が日本人の相手と結婚することになり、抹茶のウェディングケーキを頼まれて作ってみました。新井アカデミーの2周年記念や忘年会などで私の手作りのケーキをふるまっていることもあって、この生徒は抹茶ケーキが忘れられなかったようです。人生初めての手作りのウェディングケーキです。抹茶のスポンジに抹茶のクリームで、結婚式らしく、少し白いクリームで飾ってみました。2日がかりで、特に折り紙で作った猫雛も初めてでしたが、何とかかわいく作れてよかったです。なによりも皆様にケーキが一番おいしかったと言われたこと、結婚した二人がとても喜んでくれたことが本当に嬉しいかったです。これからも末永くお幸せに！

私の元生徒が現在、酒ソムリエ協会でインターンをしております。６月１９日にロンドンで「日本酒入門コース」が実施されるとのことです。ご興味をお持ちの方は以下のリンクをご覧ください。（２時間のコースで８０ポンド）
http://sakesommelieracademy.com/ja/ （日本語）

My old student is currently doing an internship at SAKE SOMMELIER ACADEMY. 'Introductory Sake Professional' will be held on 19th of June. If you are interested, please see the link below.　(£80 for the two hour session)
http://sakesommelieracademy.com/ (English)

Lesley Downer is a new member of Arai Academy of Japanese Studies. She is a writer and has a strong passion for writing about Japan to the rest of the world. Especially, she has deep knowledge about Japanese geisha through the historical point of views. She has spent time in geisha district as well as many places in Japan in her life.

She explained about the geisha who was the actual model of one of the most popular opera 'Madam Butterfly' at Royal Opera House and at Proms on BBC. Those her videos are accessible from the link below. https://www.lesleydowner.com/videos/

The list of her books
https://www.lesleydowner.com/books/