Room to Notice

Space has a quiet way of helping us notice.

Not only the space around us, but the space within time, and even within human interaction.

One afternoon, I enjoyed a wagashi afternoon tea at HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO.

Traditional Japanese sweets were presented in the form of an afternoon tea.

On a single tiered stand, different moments in time seemed to exist together.

Passing something on does not always mean leaving it unchanged.

Sometimes it means finding a form that belongs to the present while carrying forward what truly matters.

What stayed with me most, however, was not the sweets.

A member of the staff arrived with a trunk beautifully arranged with an extensive selection of TWG Tea.

There was no expectation to choose quickly.

Each tea could be explored through its fragrance before making a decision.

Even the time spent deciding felt like part of the experience.

The flavor of the wagashi is still easy to remember.

Yet after returning home, what came back to me most often was that quiet moment of choosing tea.

Perhaps that is what omotenashi really is.

Not simply providing something for a guest,

but leaving enough room for them to move at their own pace, to listen to their own senses, and to make the experience their own.

Travel is often remembered by the places we visit.

But perhaps what stays with us longest is the way time was allowed to unfold while we were there.

That afternoon, I received more than tea.

I was given the quiet opportunity to be present with my own senses