The place to have tea at the Fujiya is called the Orchid Lounge, but this name gives completely the wrong impression.  It is in fact a verandah running along the back of the hotel, glassed in, with a single row of tables set diagonally against the windows.  There is a short return with only two small round tables, and coincidentally that is where I sat both the first time I came with Keizo, and today.

There is a beautiful view of a small Japanese garden – pond, koi carp (you can see them in the photo), the lot, that is simply exquisite.  I have tried to photograph it but fear that two dimensions really does not do it justice.

 Garden view during tea

Above the main tables, and visible from my seat, is the back of the hotel, including a view of the window of my room.  Mine is first floor (UK counting – Japanese “ni-kai”), slightly right of the centre of the picture, the window before the double doors.  The green pipe that you see to the right of the double doors, incidentally, is an ancient firefighting system and inside there is a roll of flexible hose that can be connected to the end of the pipe.

View of rear of main building – including my room!

The menu reflects typically those things that Japanese coffee shops offer, entirely different from what you would find in any other country.  Not a scone in sight – instead specials were French toast (no it wasn’t breakfast time), cinnamon toast (honestly, it really wasn’t breakfast time), and slushies – ice with flavoured syrup poured over.  I plumped for a cake known as as Mont Blanc – I have never seen them outside Japan but here they are everywhere.  In the less attractive form that I first came across the animal it featured only cream and marron glace paste (a smooth sweet paste made from sweet chestnuts), but he Fujiya version was a triumph – a sponge base, and identifiable bits of real (and less sweet) chestnut made it simply magnificent.

Tea at the Orchid Lounge, Fujiya Hotel

There was then just a short time to rest until dinner, which was quite a different affair.