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Lucie travels to Japan for a Branded Try Living With Lucie for Japanese Green Tea.
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00:00I'm Lucy Fink and this week is 5 Days of New Year's Resolutions.
00:08Hey everyone! Happy New Year!
00:10Has everyone been saying that to you recently?
00:12I'm pretty big on New Year's resolutions.
00:14Always have been.
00:15And at the end of any year, I like to take a long moment to reflect and think about my
00:19big picture goals.
00:21And at the end of 2018, it was pretty clear to me that my biggest resolution was to travel more.
00:26So when one of the commenters suggested that I do 5 days of New Year's resolutions, I thought, why don't
00:31I do so while traveling?
00:33And at the end of last year, I took a journey across the world to Japan, a place that I've
00:38always wanted to go to but honestly never thought I'd make it to.
00:41I took the Try Living with Lucy crew along with me and I spent 5 days diving into New Year's
00:46resolutions.
00:47So now let's rewind to the start of my trip and I'll show you what I did.
00:57After a long day of travel, including a two-hour flight to Detroit, a layover, and then a 12-hour
01:03flight to Japan,
01:04I arrived in Tokyo and I went to my hotel room to unpack.
01:08I was staying in Shinjuku, which is one of the busiest entertainment, business, and shopping areas in all of Tokyo.
01:13It was almost like Times Square.
01:15The first New Year's resolution that I wanted to bring to life was my desire to have a lot more
01:19authentic cultural experiences.
01:21If you remember, last year during 5 Days of Mindful Habits, I went to the East Village downtown in New
01:27York City
01:27and I took part in a Japanese green tea ceremony.
01:30And ever since then, I've been dreaming of doing an authentic tea ceremony in Japan.
01:35When I first arrived at the space, I removed my shoes and I was led into a small tea house
01:39inside of a small room.
01:41Hello! Nice to meet you! Nice to meet you too!
01:44Welcome to Tea Room Chazette.
01:46Twin Dragon's house, Dragon's brings happiness.
01:50We climbed through a sliding door.
01:52In I go!
01:53And I assumed my position on the tatami mat.
01:56And I definitely remembered many of the aspects of the tea preparation and presentation from my previous tea ceremony.
02:02I was first presented with an assortment of Japanese confections.
02:06As I was told, eating the sweets beforehand would improve the taste of the matcha tea.
02:10The tea master went through all the steps just as I remembered, cleaning the tools, preparing the matcha, whisking it
02:16up, all while moving slowly and deliberately.
02:19She ensured I was holding the tea bowl properly, left hand on the bottom, right hand holding the bowl,
02:25and also that I rotated it twice clockwise before taking the first sip.
02:29Once the ceremony was over, we bowed to one another and then she even let me make my own bowl
02:34of matcha for her.
02:35The guest had become the host.
02:37Do you do this every day?
02:38Yes!
02:38I scooped in the matcha powder, added hot water, and whisked away in a W motion, only stirring in a
02:45circle at the very end.
02:49What do you think?
02:50Wow, very delicious!
02:52And then we bowed, saying arigato, or thank you, to one another for sharing in this beautiful ceremony.
02:58Arigato gozaimasu!
03:00I love the taste of matcha, and while it was a similar process to the ceremony that I had participated
03:05in in New York,
03:06the experience was overall very different here.
03:09First of all, I got to grind my own leaves, this time using the matcha stone mill.
03:13And second of all, I was in Japan.
03:15I just kept seeing this vision of a map in my head and realizing that my pin was dropped all
03:20the way across the world from where I usually am.
03:23It's one thing to drink matcha at home, but to enjoy this in the country where it's grown, in a
03:28ceremony that's been celebrated for hundreds of years, now that was pretty special.
03:35The second New Year's resolution of the week that I wanted to explore was trying new foods, and particularly local
03:41foods.
03:42Now that I'm back home and my trip to Japan is over, I can say with certainty that on that
03:46trip, I expanded my palate.
03:48I tasted a bunch of things on that trip that I had never tried before, including fried eel, fish liver,
03:54udon noodles, and grilled fish fin.
03:57I also enjoyed a ton of local favorites, lots of fresh raw fish, bowls of ramen galore.
04:02I know just how much of an art form sushi making is, so on Tuesday, I wanted to explore that.
04:08I reached out to these twin sisters who worked together as Japanese cuisine chefs for three years in Geneva, Switzerland,
04:14and they offered me a private sushi making lesson at one of their homes, so we met at the nearest
04:19train station and walked over together.
04:21We first washed our hands, I removed all of my rings, and they handed me a Sunway to wear, which
04:26is the traditional work clothing of Japanese Zen Buddhist monks.
04:29First, we sliced the fish, sea bream and salmon, and I was taught how to fillet the fish at the
04:35proper angle, all in one smooth slice.
04:38And then you don't have to push hard, you can just keep moving the blade, because this is quite heavy,
04:43and then it just cuts well, yes.
04:45Very good.
04:47Nice.
04:47Yeah, see?
04:48Wow.
04:48Next, we moved on to the rolls, so we put down a piece of dried seaweed with the shiny side
04:54facing the sushi mat, and the rough side face up.
04:56Wet your hands well, because you take the rice, it's quite sticky. You'll be surprised.
05:02Now, we reached into the rice bowl and spread the rice on the seaweed from left to right.
05:06Now, this is not just white rice, this is special sushi rice made using vinegar, sugar, and salt, and because
05:12it's so sticky, you need to make sure to keep your hands wet as you work so that it doesn't
05:17stick.
05:17We added some fish and veggies, and then rolled it up with a bamboo sushi mat.
05:21The reveal.
05:23Wow.
05:24That's beautiful.
05:25We made a couple of rolls this way, and then attempted an inside-out roll.
05:29So, for this type of roll, you add rice to the seaweed, and then flip it over, pop the ingredients
05:34in, and then use saran wrap to roll it up so that the rice doesn't stick to the mat.
05:38Next, we worked on forming some nigiri, and this is where the real technique comes in, so I was first
05:43given some fish and rice made out of felt to practice with.
05:46And once I learned the steps, I was ready to give it a go with the real fish and the
05:50real rice.
05:50Rice bowl on top of the fish, and squeeze a little.
05:54Slide down.
05:54Very good.
05:56There's my sushi.
05:57Yeah, very good.
05:58Look at that.
06:00These twins are incredibly talented.
06:02Making sushi with them on Tuesday actually felt a bit meditative.
06:05You get into such a flow once you know what you're doing, and it can be incredibly calming and restorative.
06:10After working for hours on my sushi-making skills, we finally sat down and enjoyed every last piece of sushi
06:17that we made.
06:18Mmm.
06:19Good?
06:19Mm-hmm.
06:20Amazing.
06:21And lastly, we wrapped up the class with a freshly-brewed Japanese green tea, the perfect sushi pairing, and the
06:28perfect ending to a wonderful day with new friends.
06:33My third New Year's resolution of the week was actually sparked by my recent five-day challenge video where I
06:39tried five days of learning new skills.
06:41And this resolution is to become a student of the world.
06:45So what does that mean?
06:46Basically that I want to learn as much as I can in this life.
06:50So when I tried thinking of a new skill that's related to Japanese culture, a friend of mine who used
06:54to live in Japan suggested that I try taiko drumming.
06:57Taiko is an ancient Japanese form of percussion that uses a whole different range of drum sizes and includes loud,
07:04hard, and fast choreographed movements.
07:07It's not only a beautiful art form, but it's also an incredible upper-body workout.
07:12I met with an expert drummer at Taiko Lab who offered to teach me the basics.
07:17I was given a hapi, which is a traditional Japanese coat often worn by taiko players.
07:22I love it!
07:23Oh, it's so beautiful!
07:25Good!
07:26Pretty good!
07:27And I went into a practice studio space that was lined with taiko drums of various sizes.
07:32I first learned how to properly hold the sticks and where to hit the drum.
07:38Okay!
07:41Agimasu!
07:43So!
07:43So!
07:45So!
07:46So!
07:47So!
07:47So!
07:47And then she went into teaching me various counts and words to chant alongside them.
07:53So!
07:55So!
07:57So!
08:00So!
08:02So!
08:05So!
08:07So!
08:09So!
08:11So!
08:12So!
08:23Okay, she taught me a whole routine and then once I was comfortable with it
08:27we raised our hands and began playing in unison
08:54the whole process was actually pretty aggressive and I found myself just screaming really loudly
08:59and flailing my arms all over the place but truthfully I was having the time of my life
09:03and I have not enjoyed an activity like that in a really long time.
09:07After a little while I switched over to an even bigger drum which means that I upgraded
09:11my stick size as well by the end of the class my ears were ringing and my arms were just
09:18completely worn out.
09:20The two of us wrapped up my private lesson with a relaxing cup of Japanese green tea.
09:24My second activity for the day actually had nothing to do with becoming a student of the
09:28world but I just wanted to try something out that's been gaining a little bit of popularity
09:32in Japan a golden facial.
09:34I went to a local spa had my face steamed and cleaned and then had a mixture poured on my
09:39face containing gold foil powder, caviar extract, and collagen powder.
09:44Is that no gold?
09:46Yes.
09:46It was very cold and refreshing and way different from any facial I've ever had in America.
09:52Part of the reason that I wanted to end Wednesday with a facial is that I knew that on that
09:56same
09:56day I was about to leave Tokyo which is the largest city in Japan and head to Kyoto which is
10:01a way smaller city that's a lot quieter and slower paced than Tokyo.
10:05Tokyo was just filled with light and color and movement and noise and in addition to
10:11what you already saw I did so much there including visiting Takeshi Todori in Harajuku, going
10:16to an owl cafe, visiting the robot restaurant, checking out Shibuya Crossing, doing tons of
10:22shopping and eating and so much more.
10:24I took the bullet train to Kyoto on Wednesday afternoon, saw the beautiful Mount Fuji out the
10:29window and by the time Thursday rolled around I was ready for some relaxation.
10:38That leads me to my next New Year's resolution which is indulging in more relaxation and self-care.
10:44Something that I got really good at in 2018 was taking the time to listen to my mind and body.
10:49I know that this is often way easier said than done and can be very challenging for people
10:53who have school, full-time jobs, or even kids to take care of.
10:57But there are some major benefits if you can find a little bit of time every day or even
11:01just every week to focus on yourself.
11:04On Thursday morning I woke up before the sun and I took a train to the western outskirts
11:08of Kyoto.
11:09I watched the sun rise from a beautiful bridge and then I immersed myself in the bamboo forest.
11:14Because I had arrived so early I virtually had the place to myself.
11:17I also think coming on a weekday was smart because supposedly it gets packed with tourists
11:22on the weekends.
11:23There was one pathway through the grove and I honestly couldn't believe how beautiful
11:27this place was.
11:28It has got to be one of the most peaceful and serene places in the world.
11:33Considering that the New Year's resolution I was exploring on Thursday revolved around relaxation,
11:38this spot was the perfect fit.
11:40And it was also an amazing low-key follow-up to the previous fast-paced days I had spent in
11:44Tokyo.
11:45In the afternoon I continued with my day of relaxation by treating myself to a shiatsu
11:50massage.
11:50A form of Japanese bodywork that literally translates to finger pressure.
11:55I was led into a private room, given some loose-fitting clothing, and then laid out on a heated
12:00tatami mat.
12:01While I was waiting for the massage to begin I was given a cup of Japanese green tea to
12:06help calm my mind and find peace in the moment.
12:09We only filmed part of the experience because I really wanted to be in the moment and actually
12:13enjoy the massage, but of course once the camera stopped rolling that was when the treatment
12:18got really visual.
12:19My massage therapist was twisting me in all directions, she was lifting me up and flipping
12:24me around.
12:25She was really using her fingers to knead into my muscles.
12:28Thursday overall was a full day of relaxation and revitalization.
12:35My final resolution is to practice mindfulness in all situations.
12:39When I'm in New York I'm constantly in my head and thinking about far off places and what
12:44my life would be like if I lived somewhere totally different.
12:47Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love New York and I love my life here, but every
12:51now and then it's easy to get caught up wishing you were somewhere else.
12:54Maybe somewhere a little warmer.
12:56So in 2019 I want to become better about really living in the moment, being grateful for exactly
13:01where I am and appreciating each and every minute.
13:04I started off Friday by indulging in some desserts because why not?
13:08Kyoto is known for its matcha so I visited a famous dessert shop and tried a selection
13:13of sweets in a 300 year old traditional townhouse.
13:16I tried out some mindful eating, really enjoying every bite and pulling out all of the rich
13:21matcha flavors.
13:22Next, I took the Kyoto city bus about 45 minutes out of the city center and visited a Zen Buddhist
13:28temple.
13:29I met up with a local Zen priest for a private meditation session.
13:33He's turned his life's work into educating others on the positive benefits of Zen and mindfulness
13:38and he travels all over the world to do this.
13:41After taking off my shoes, I went inside the monastery and immediately felt like I was transported
13:46back in time.
13:47There were grand corridors inside and outside and the whole area was silent and surrounded
13:53by Zen gardens.
13:55We went into a meditation space and he first talked me through some of his thoughts on meditation.
13:59Many people just focus on meditation for the relaxation or developing better focus, something
14:05like that way.
14:06Meditation is observation and experiment.
14:11Creating conditions to observe yourself.
14:14It's not just feeling, oh, I feel more peaceful and relaxed.
14:17Not like that.
14:23Unlike the meditation I'm used to, he told me to keep my eyes open, focusing softly on the
14:29ground about three feet in front of me.
14:30He burned some incense, the birds were chirping, I just focused on my breathing and let my mind
14:36go.
14:36He finished our session by saying something that has really stuck with me, which is that
14:40all lives are going to have positives and negatives, ups and downs, happy times and sad
14:45times.
14:45It's just like a good movie.
14:47But if your life looks like this, and it's just one straight line across, who's going to
14:52want to read your story?
14:53After this amazing mindful experience, I wanted to end the day somewhere where I could dive into
14:58the rich culture and history of Japan.
15:00So I went to the Kenenji Temple.
15:02It was built in 1202 and it's the oldest Zen temple in Kyoto.
15:06I walked around the grounds a little bit, sat down, took a moment of stillness.
15:10I wrote a little bit in my bullet journal, drank some more tea and just took it in.
15:14And before I knew it, I was flying home and landing at JFK Airport in New York City.
15:19And I'm ready to take these five major New Year's resolutions, enjoying cultural experiences,
15:24trying new and local foods, becoming a student of the world, relaxing more, and practicing
15:30mindfulness in all situations, and expand upon them back home.
15:33And once I returned, I immediately hopped online and ordered some green teas from Japan
15:38to give to some of my friends and family members.
15:40I just had to share in the daily mindfulness practice that I myself have been enjoying so
15:45much.
15:45Bye!