(いっぱい食べて嬉しそうな小春です🥰)


Today, I went on a lovely Kyoto date 
with someone visiting from overseas. ☺️🌸


He planned our entire schedule in advance,
which was a huge help because Koharu is not very good at making plans. 🥹✨


It was extremely hot,
so we started the day with his favorite matcha soft-serve ice cream and shaved ice. 🍦🍵


The cold and sweet matcha desserts were perfect for a hot summer day in Kyoto♪
After that,


we took a relaxing walk around Ninenzaka!


We found so many things that felt uniquely Japanese. 👀✨

We are both very curious,
so even simply walking around together was fun


because we kept discovering new and interesting things. ✨


He knew so much—not only about China, where he is from,


but also about the cultures and histories of many other countries.


He taught Koharu so many things she had never known before. 📚


After that, we went to a restaurant that served both unagi and wagyu!


The small side dishes and miso soup were delicious too. ✨


I had never seen unagi and wagyu
served together on the same table before,
so I was very surprised!


We shared a little of everything,
and he also tried Japanese sake for the first time. 🍶


However, it seemed that
both Koharu and he preferred sweeter drinks. 😂
While we were eating,


we talked a lot about his work, university life, 

hobbies, and many other things.


I was very happy to learn so much more about him. ✨


Next, we went to our first traditional tea ceremony experience. 🍵


Surprisingly, our instructor was from the United States
and explained everything clearly in English!


We learned about the history and culture of tea
and even had the chance to whisk our own matcha.


It was such an interesting and educational experience. ✨


I was deeply touched by the instructor’s beautiful explanation of “Ichigo Ichie,
” the idea of treasuring each encounter
because it may only happen once. 🥹


We had originally planned to do a little shopping afterward
and then say goodbye...


However, he had never experienced Japanese karaoke before,
so we decided to extend our date a little and go together! 😆🥳


But actually, I usually say no to karaoke. 😂
I'm really not confident in my singing
and feel too embarrassed to sing in front of other people...


I cannot even sing in front of her family or closest friends. 😖


But this time, he told me,
“It’s okay, I don’t mind!”
so I decided to give it a try. 🎤


He was such a good singer,
and his soft, gentle voice was very relaxing.


I immediately became a fan. ☺️✨


People always look especially cool
when they are good at something you are not good at, don’t they? 😂


Finally, we went to a wagyu steak restaurant. 🥩
Huge pieces of meat, bigger than anything Ihad ever seen,
kept arriving at our table!


I was a little nervous at first,


but he cooked everything perfectly,
and the two of us finished it all. 😋


We ate a lot, walked a lot, laughed a lot, and learned a lot.


It was such a fulfilling day filled with new experiences,