That's Quite a Welcome

On our first full day in Tokyo, we set out to find sushi for lunch. I love sushi and wanted to eat it as much as I could during my trip.

My husband and I noticed a rotating sushi place in Ueno that was crowded at 11am. There were restaurants all around the area, but this was the only one that was crowded. As a restaurant fan, I know that if a place is crowded with locals, it has to be good.

"There," I said. "I want to go there." We peered through the glass but there wasn't a seat available. I glanced around at the other restaurants in the area and then back at this one. I really wanted to eat there. We were about to step away when I noticed two people getting up from the counter.

"Come on." I grabbed my husband's hand and we entered the restaurant.

The entire staff shouted the welcome of "irasshaimase" as we sat down at the counter. A female staff member demonstrated how to make our green tea with the cups, hot water spigot, and container of powered green tea that was within reach at all times. And then the fun began. We pulled plates of tuna sashimi and spicy tuna with avocado off the rotating belt. The tuna melted in our mouths and we knew we had struck gold.
My husband and I are very quiet people so we talked in low tones as we ate, mainly focusing on the atmosphere around us. The sushi chef was only a few feet away from us and he talked in Japanese to other clients as he prepared dishes.

We were getting ready to leave when the chef placed this in front of me.
"Welcome," he said. "On the house gift."

After hours of traveling (18 to be exact) and suffering from jet lag, this kindness almost made me cry. I thanked him as I picked up my chopsticks.

He said, "Enjoy. But has wasabi, very hot."

I smiled and nodded. I was a pro at wasabi. I ate it all the time back at home.

I dipped the first piece in some shoyu (soy sauce) and put it in my mouth. It was delicious at first but then the wasabi fumes reached the back of my throat. I started to cough but quickly washed it down with some green tea.

My first lesson: Japanese wasabi is not the same as the wasabi we have in America.

I picked up another piece and put it in my mouth, determined not to let the same thing happen. I managed to swallow but my eyes had started to water.

The chef was watching me. "Good?"

I blinked back a few tears. "Good. But hot."

He handed me a tissue.

My husband and I laughed as I dabbed my eyes.

My husband and I shared the plate, each having four pieces. He ate all four quickly and although he agreed the wasabi was very hot, he had swallowed quickly to avoid the effects and was now sipping green tea and watching what I was going to do.

I stared at the two remaining pieces. I would not leave a piece on the plate after the chef had been so kind. The welcome plate had to be finished.

And so I continued, picking up the third piece and after swallowing, drinking lots of green tea and dabbing my eyes with the tissue.

Three down, one to go.

I took a sip of green tea and picked up the fourth piece. The wasabi flared into my nose and tears filled my eyes but I chewed and swallowed.

When I put my chopsticks down, the chef beamed and handed me two lollipops that were shaped like sushi.

I thanked him and the rest of the staff and we paid and were on our way.

Outside, I turned to my husband. "Well," I said as I put my hand on my stomach which was warming from the inside. "That was quite a welcome."