Noticing

December 2025: Tales from Japan

Artwork by Anna Brones

Dear Readers,

As some of you may know, almost two weeks ago I went on a wonderful trip to Japan.My brilliant daughter suggested that instead of the normal blog I share my travelogue and photos with you. Not all of you are on my private Diane Terry Coach Facebook page, where I share more of my daily musings and where I recently shared my stories of my travels. A fifteen day, non stop, international trip at 66 is not like what it used to be! I would not trade it for the world but I am not bouncing back as fast as I would like with this very bad cold. I hope you enjoy these stories from my wonderful trip!

Mr 🦊 and I set out for Japan almost two weeks ago. My main reason was to fulfill my Bucket List dream to go to Mirukashi Salon. I have followed the food writing of Prairie for almost a decade now. But as long as we were going all that way, we threw in Tokyo at the beginning and end, Kyoto & Osaka in addition to Karatsu on the other coast. 

We traveled light with just an Away roller bag and a Nomad bag and did carry on only. After flying Delta One and landing in Haneda we took a cab to our first hotel, Hoshinoya. It is smack in the middle of the financial district but close to great walking around the Imperial Palace and beautiful Tokyo Station. Mr 🦊 loves to get his steps in! 

Hoshinoya is technically registered as an onsen and not a hotel. The onsen waters are piped from deep in the earth to the top floor where there is an oculus window for viewing the heavens. Their iron exterior is iconic. You are greeted by staff and you take your shoes off and they store them in a locker for you. Each floor has 6 rooms and a communal space for coffee and tea and reading. Upon check in, we were treated to a tea tasting by a French expat, Gerard, who visited 20 years ago and never left. He was very knowledgeable about the teas. He steeped the tea leaves in 3 different temps of water so we could notice the changes in flavor. Nothing is ever wasted in Japan. At the end the tea leaves were mixed with Ponzu sauce for a delicious otsumami or little bite.  

Our room was impeccably designed and appointed. The wet areas of the bathroom were surrounded by glass that all went translucent at the touch of a button. I really appreciated the floral arrangements from the ornate to the very simple at every turn. So stunning. We had a plethora of food options available just outside the door. I had a craving for chestnuts and chanterelles and lucked into an Italian restaurant that had a fettuccini featuring both. 

The second night we asked the concierge to book us the best omakase they could get us into on short notice. Seamon was delightful. Very friendly and very good. I don’t know if it was the jet lag or shirako that did me in, but I had to tap out at about bite 15. 🥵  very unlike me. 

Japan has an app called GO for taxis. It makes getting around SO easy and the exchange rate is ridiculously in our favor right now. 

So landing and acclimation had begun. 👍🏻

Kyoto Days

After 2 nights in Tokyo we took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. I was a bit stressed about this but it turned out to be very easy as a helpful employee took over. I told him Nozomi train, right hand side for Mt Fuji view, 2 seats together. It delayed us 30 minutes to get that perfect combo but it was worth it. 

But before we bought tickets there was the matter of lunch. We went to the Daimaru Department store attached to the station. Mr 🦊 was skeptical as I hit the top floor button in the elevator, as most food courts are in the depa-chika or department store basement. But I had remembered this is where my friend Nancy took me last year for tonkatsu. We ended having yakitori that was delicious and just enough to tide us over.

Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto is my idea of heaven on earth. The attention to detail is unparalleled. Andre Fu created this masterpiece and it does not disappoint. 

We had dinner at the bar the first night with the view of the stunning garden. Last year, the bartender was so amazing that I wrote the manager to say he needed a promotion. He is now the Assistant manager of the large dining room. The second night we had dinner at their French restaurant. Booth 67 is my favorite seat in the house. Tucked in the back with high booth walls helps us both hear each other! 😉

Calvin went exploring the temples, museums and what not and had a private luxury onsen experience. I just wanted to be alone and savor the aesthetics of the space as I read Heart The Lover by Lilly King. I did taxi to Gallery Nichi Nichi where I splurged on a citrine ring to go with my moonstone I got last year. They are designed by German jeweler, Karin Kolster-Kelly. One more stop to POJ (Products of Japan) where I buy a lot of things mail order. They, like many retailers are having issues with the new tarrifs and restrictions the US has imposed. As a result no one can really ship anything to the US as the landscape is shifting daily. It probably ended up saving me a fortune but it was also frustrating all the same. 

We woke up to one last breakfast of matcha & salmon eggs benedict in booth 67 before calling a taxi to drive us to Osaka. Our final city before our real reason for traveling to Japan.

Osaka Days

We took a taxi from Kyoto to the Conrad Osaka where I stayed last year. This year we had a private Teppanyaki dinner at Kura with a phenomenal view. Then I hunted down my favorite chef from my trip last year, whose restaurant had moved. It seems nowadays chefs have taken on rock star statusm for what I am not sure, except Jose Andres. This chef is so hard working and humble. I was touched that he remembered I had been there last year and as a sign of respect, he left his station and was outside the front door to thank us for coming and wish us safe travels. If you are ever in Osaka, I highly recommend getting reservations well ahead of time. I have included his business card in photos below. 

I love the contrast of elegant Kyoto and grittier Osaka. I am so glad we made time for both.

I cannot say enough about the staff at the Conrad. Each one, so helpful & willing to go out of their way for us. We were having trouble confirming that we really did have seats on our domestic flight from Osaka to Fukuoka. We could have never unravelled this on our own. Turns out the form to check has a box for first name and last name but you are somehow supposed to know that you must include your middle name in the first name box. 🤦🏻‍♀️ The concierge was so patient and persistent in getting us the help we needed.  A Plus! 

Oh and yes we both only had carry on luggage which meant sending out our laundry at this midpoint of our trip. It all came back in a wicker basket with tissue wrapped pieces or on hangers. I almost wept.

Karatsu Days

The entire reason for the trip was to fulfill my Bucket List dream of attending a fall session at Mirukashi Salon. I will put the link in first comment below. In hindsight being able to share this special experience with Mr 🦊 was very precious. 

There were six guests total for the session. A fabulous couple from Ibiza: very curious and energetic husband who could not sit still and his gorgeous wife who I am sure was Miss Brazil. A creative from Minnesota who was dressed like Beau Brummell daily and could not believe we could travel for 15 days with just carry on. He could have been an Esquire article unto himself. Very intelligent, well spoken. Married to a travel writer and father to a young son was having his solo travel moment; which I applaud. Lastly the loveliest gal in her mid thirties from Brooklyn. Works for a tech start up and is a quarter Japanese but you could never tell by looking at her. She was so wonderful and made me miss my own girl so much. I always feel like these serendipitous situations put people in our paths for a reason and it was lovely to be thrown together vs curating my own group and feeling an added layer of responsibiity. 

We took a domestic JAL flight from Osaka to Fukuoka and then a private driver from the airport to the Seaside Hotel in Karatsu which was to be home for the week. We made it just in time to meet our fellow Salon guests for a mini van trip to Mirukashi Salon for a welcome dinner just as the sun was about to set. As magnificent as our waterfront hotel room was, seeing Mirukashi Salon at the top of the hill was magical for me. 

I have followed Prairie’s food writing in different publications for what must be a decade now. She posseses all the traits that I admire and some I aspire to in life. She is intellectual, intentional and so very thoughtful down to the smallest details. Some of you know from my blogpost last year that I ran into her, quite by accident in Kyoto, at Gallery Nichi Nichi and had my blubbering fan girl moment with her. 

And so the best part of the journey began for me with a welcome dinner prepared by Prairie, served on her partner, Hanako’s beautiful ceramics. Every ingredient carefully foraged or chosen. Served on a gorgeous wooden table with lazy susan, that Pairie’s mother had made and shipped from Maine. The studio was utter perfection looking out onto an expansive view but also open to the kitchen with huge copper backsplash. 

I slept so well that night knowing that we were in for a magical few days. ♥️

Mirukashi Salon Autumn Session

We started our day at the Salon by being greeted by a wonderfully, jovial and well natured artisan soba noodle maker/chef and his Belgian wife. @chosetsu_an is their restaurant in Karatsu. The craft of noodle making, like so many special things about Japan is dying out. It is extremely physical work. Mr 🦊 was a great student but his back hurt afterwards. I stuck to supervising which I excel at. 😂

We got to enjoy the fruits of everyone’s labor for lunch. Then we had a tray top matcha tea ceremony and wagashi. 

We walked down the road to Hanako’s pottery studio. You can see from our table settings just how talented she is. I was all ready to buy tons of her work but thanks to L’Orange’s tarrifs, no one wants to deal with shipping to the U.S. I ran into this over and over again. 🤦🏻‍♀️Next time I might have to buy an extra suitcase just to bring all my finds home with me!

Monohanako is a production potter.  We got to watch her throw and before we knew it, she had an entire plank filled. She is a third generation potter. Her father was a reknown potter and well travelled and has many past apprentices scattered throughout the USA. That was a full day and we were driven back to the Seaside Hotel with world class onsen till our very special dinner pick up. 

We were driven to a residential neighborhood, down a tight alley and stopped. Even in the dark with just landscaping lighting you could feel something very special about this home. It had been hand built by a a carpenter who worked on temples so all meticulous joinery work. Nothing nailed together. Inside you could smell the unmistakable alchemy of tatami and wood that is disappearing. 

We were met by Mai Ito, a beautiful, petite chef whose looks belies her culinary chops. She has leased this home to house her new restaurant to open in July of 2026. We were being treated to a private dinner by another member of Prairie’s inner circle. 

The meal was outstanding and culminated with hands on sushi roll making that even I participated in. But I could not peel my eyes away from how solidly this house was built along with the furniture. The kaidan tansu (or step tansu) was gorgeous. It usually comes in parts and the steps form to be able to access lofted storage which is infrequently used. It was a thing of beauty as were the rafters. 

Mai’s generous hospitality along with her culinary acumen is sure to make her future restaurant a real success and I will be cheering her on. 

That was a wonderful full first day that delivered more than I could have ever imagined. It reminded my of my friend Leslie Gilpen Bateman that we lost this year. The most vibrant and energetic of all of us. She was a Delta stewardess for decades and loved to travel. Me, not so much. Getting me to a potluck across town can be a dicey proposition. But I clearly recall my last lunch with her where she looked me straight in the eye and said, “Do it Diane. Book the trip. Get out of your comfort zone. It will be so good for you.” I remember being ever so slightly miffed that afternoon walking to my car after lunch. Wasn’t my comfort zone what I worked so hard my whole adult life to create to keep myself safe?  What the hecko?

But as I looked out on the Pacific Ocean from our room that night, I spotted a bright star and I silently said, “Leslie!  I did it! And you were right! This is amazing. I will never be the same after this.  Thank you. And yes I remembered to get the cabin crew a box of Frans! 😉”.

Mirukashi Salon Day Two

For 66+years, I guess I had assumed that seaweed came from kelp. I really had no idea. My ignorance was stunning to me and about to be corrected on Day Two. 

On this brisk, autumn day, we were warned to dress warm and in lots of layers. We were driven out of town and greeted by the owner of the best nori manufacturer in Japan. 

Saga is sited for the best nori because it has a mountain dense in nutrition that depends on rainfall for the nutrients to flow into this specific shallow bay where the nori farm is. The bay gets equal amounts of time submerged and exposed making it very ideal. The poles you see are the various farms.  The poles closest to the mountain have the most nutrient rich nori and the most prized product. The first harvest of these poles is THE most coveted nori, which is sold to Michelin star chefs and just a small roster of people. 

Placement of the poles are allocated each season by lottery. Because I am sure to screw up something technical, I am including an article Prairie wrote and researched for almost a year. Definitely worth the read but you may run into a Substack paywall. PM me if you do. 

Which brings me to one of the many reasons, I appreciated this tour so much. Prairie’s story is very unique and should be a book. She is very deliberate and nurtures her contacts slowly and intentionally over time. You can sense the deep respect for her from each artisan that we met. This is the magic that is Mirukashi. 

Another fun story. She begged us not to bring purses on the boat and to leave all our valuables, especially our passports on the bus. Um, no. I’m gonna pretend my hearing failed. 

She went on to tell the story of a woman on one of her early tours whose purse was unzipped and when jumping from boat to pier lost the contents of her entire purse into the bay. 😳. Ok that was not going to be me. That anti theft travel sling was strapped and zipped. The story ended well as it could only end in Japan. After much distress and giving up they moved on from the scene with a distraught member. But then Scuba divers from the small community dove to find her purse and all the strewn content including her passport. Dried it all out and delivered it to Prairie. That is a true Japan Story. 

So our frozen bodies were back to shore and back onto the warm bus and off we go to the Vinegar Factory housed in an over 100 year old Machiya. Huge earthen ware vats of vinegar were housed and in various stages of production. The vats you see below have just as much pot submerged in the earth as you see above ground. I loved the smell. The owner of this factory and show room was very personable and spoke English. Upstairs we had a multi course lunch where each course featured another kind of vinegar. It was delicious. I could have bought up the whole store but no shipping to the USA right now. 😭🫩🥴

Then we switched gears back to nori and went to the actual factory where the nori that we are familiar with is made. The next gen, son of the family took us on a tour of the factory and showroom. I asked to be shown just the best of the best. Nori is light, and I was willing to sacrifice something, if need be to bring some home to Chef Suzuki at my favorite Sushi Suzuki if need be. It is a fascinating process of aquaculture well worth the read.

We had an onsen break at the hotel before yet another, very special dinner. 

This chef had a thriving career in the city but realized it was not where he wanted to raise a family. He wanted better air and more of the country. He found a dilapidated, traditional home that had been abandoned and took a year to rehab it himself. Learning how to replaster traditional walls and redesign the interior to house his dream open kitchen and dining areas for his restaurant. Everything from produce to fish was the freshest of the fresh, foraged or from special market relationships from people who speak food. 

I looked around the table and beautiful surrounding again that night feeling so blessed for such a bespoke experience. I really enjoyed the company of Prairie and Hanako, our fellow session attendees and I knew that Mr 🦊 was enjoying himself also. But as we made our way back to the main road to our mini bus, I knew we only had another full day together.

Mirukashi Salon Final Day 

It is crazy how quickly the week flew by. Each day, the care put into what we did by Prairie was unparalleled and deeply appreciated by all. She is so deliberate and thoughtful and always gave us the confidence that there was no “winging it” involved. Furthermore, she was so generously sharing a glimpse into her inner circle of creatives who all appreciate and share the same values. This totally took it from yet another food tour to a bespoke experience. 

Our final day began back at the beautiful studio where we learned Japanese knife skills to make the dashi for what would become our hot pot dinner later that night. 

Then we got on the mini bus to view the autumnal foliage. We got to a spot where the leaves were remarkable in a garden surrounding what was a private home at one time. Everything was planted for perfect viewing when dining on the floor from the big room. But it was a bit too crowded compared to what we were used to. Hanako slipped away and came back, excited by what she had found. She led us away from the parking lot full of tourist buses just a little further up the mountain. There on the steps of an unused tea house, we each got to make our own bowl of matcha to enjoy with a fresh dango, under the canopy of a huge ginko tree. It was stunning and we were all alone! 

Later that night we came back to the Studio for a final time to enjoy hot pot, try Japanese Amaro and sake. Prairie had made us lovely Sayonara gifts that included recipe cards of what we had made together with her beautiful photography, her pickled plums or ume ume boshi & her vinegar. Included was a pair of chopstick holders in matt black in a modern but unconventional shape. Upon careful study, one realizes it is the exterior footprint of Mirukashi Salon. Amazing.

I was sad that it was ending so quickly yet also knew it was perfect. 

Truly perfect. ♥️

Final Days in Tokyo

After leaving Mirukashi Salon & our fellow Session Mates, we had an early wake up call for a cab ride back to the Fukuoka Airport to Haneda. We arrived at the Okura Hotel an hour early for check in. No problem. They whisked our luggage up to our room while we got some late lunch. I took a hot shower & my nap turned into 10 hours of sleep! Our room was utter MCM perfection, with white rift oak and dark metal accents, a steam sauna & fabulous view. 

The next morning I had coffee with Mr 🦊 who had an itinerary of his own, which included Tokyo Tower & some museums. I had a reunion lunch with classmates at Tofuya Ukai, in the shadow of Tokyo Tower. I have always said if you only had 24 hours in the city, this is the perfect restaurant to come to because the grounds are so spectacular. Every sightline has special something. My friends were kind enough to come in from Yokohama so we could have lunch here. They lost their very long lease and will be moving in spring  and it will never be the same. I am borrowing my friend’s Nancy and Karen’s photos because they are better than my own. The cuisine is all centered around tofu and each course has it cooked a different way. It was delicious but the company of my grade and middle school friends was even better. We all felt so blessed to share a meal. There is something about the Saint Maur International School experience that bonds us for life. 

Dinner that night was at NOBU. It was a very easy stroll half way down the block. We had a lovely early meal. The bill came and it was SO reasonable because of the exchange rate. 

I had forgotten to pack my nightie on this trip and I hate hotel pj’s. I noticed they sold Nobu Sushi Club TShirts in the bar. So I decided to grab a tshirt to sleep in. I was asked if I belonged to The Sushi Club. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I just had Sushi, so I said yes. I did not even think to ask what the t-shirt cost. It was the next day when the separate charge came in that we realized the T-shirt cost a third of our entire meal,and drinks!! I told Calvin he better cremate me in that damn tshirt. 😂

Our final day in Japan, our only firm plan was dinner with clients from 1995 turned dear friends. Calvin was sore from climbing down Tokyo Tower, so was not as eager to do his bazillion steps. He asked what was on my agenda and I said I was thinking of going to the Nezu Museum and having lunch there. He asked to come along so we did that. We did suitcase Tetrus the rest of the afternoon and took it very easy. We had a small bite at one of the hotel bars that overlooks our Embassy & the Ambassador’s Residence. This is the iconic hotel lobby and neighborhood of my childhood with my Dad. In fact, I wanted Mr 🦊 to experience a Japanese barber which is in the building. The straight edge razor is a real barbering! 

Then it was taxi time to meet our friends. We went to their favorite local hangout, a delicious Pizza place close to their apartment. I met Jim and Rie in 1995. It’s so long ago, I cannot be 100% sure how but I think we met at an Open House and quickly put together the fact that I knew his aunt and cousins from Spokane and Hayden Lake. I ended up selling them a home in Montlake. They decided to spend more and more time in Tokyo and I introduced them to W Property Management. 

Jim and Rie are typical of the majority of my clients. We start out strangers, find a common thread, and then continue a mutual admiration for decades after. When I say I ♥️ Jim & Rie, everyone knows it is true. I love spending time with each and both of them. We can talk for hours and laugh and enjoy great food. There is something about knowing someone for such a long time that brings such comfort. They trust me completely and know I am a straight shooter when it comes to real estate advice. The evening was one dish after another of the best tasting food. Sardines, another appetizer, salad, two pizzas, dessert. I didn’t want the night to end but we knew the next day was a huge travel day for The Olds. We were talking so much that no one even took ANY photos. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I am so grateful we got to catch up. Clients like Jim & Rie have given my 35 year career the kind of intrinsic meaning that is priceless for a solo-entrepreneur. Small business owners put their everything into their work, 24/7. I know I have. I am also rewarded each holiday season when past clients take time out from their full days to acknowledge the part I had in them being able to gather in their homes with their loved ones. Nothing brings me more joy than to get a one or two liner from a family that says, “We are gathering at our table for year 22 and we will be re-telling the tale of how our best Realtor, Diane Terry, The Neighbors Are Talking, helped us score this house even though we were NOT the highest offer. We are still, ever so grateful!”. 

Our last day in Japan we asked for one hour extra for check out to minimize our time at Haneda, Delta One Lounge or not. The Okura Hotel has a lovely museum on their grounds. So after my last Princess Breakfast on starched damask linens, with hotel silver, garden view and food cooked to perfection in the special Guest Only Dining Room, I had my last bite of musk melon till the next time. I joined Mr 🦊 at the museum and then we had a cab ride to Haneda and home.

Mirukashi Salon exceeded every expectation and in every way.  I hope to go back for a spring session soon. 

I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful and your upcoming holiday season full of great food & the best people. I for one am thankful I had the foresight to set my Thanksgiving table before I left. K & D took over the kitchen and I just had to rest. It was a great lesson in letting go and letting others help. I hate asking for help and am awful at it but am working on it. 

Thank you for welcoming my blog into your inboxes and sharing it with your friends. It means more than you will ever know. If you aren’t following me on Facebook, this was a taste of what my more frequent posts are like.

I hope you enjoyed sharing my journey. 

Sayonara.

XOXO,

Coach Diane

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Blog Artwork by Anna Brones