Bizen

If nothing else,I can now tell my Shigaraki (pale,coarse clay with granular feldspar inclusions,pink/orange flashing,dramatic ash effects) from my Bizen ( dark clay,finer,more subtle kiln effects): tomorrow we plan to take the train to Bizen and check the action.Jun,our guide,says we need two days,but we also have to fit in a ryokan change and a temple or two.Today we sat with the iconic Zen rock garden,whose name ,together with even basic hello/goodbye Japanese,escapes me,and the beautiful Golden Temple (I just finished the novel about it by Mishima before the trip- now I'm savouring the last all-too-brief volume of Proust,for whom the Japanese also have a penchant).We get by on profuse and often gratuitous bowing,wide guileless smiles and pidgin English,so far an unassailable combinａｔｉｏｎ．Ｔｈｉｓ　ａｎｃｉｅｎｔ　ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ　ｏｃｃａｓｉｏｎａｌｌｙ　ａｎｄ　ｓｐｏｎｔａｎｅｏｕｓｌｙ　ｒｅｖｅｒｔｓ　ｔｏ　Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ　ｔｅｘｔ，ｗｉｔｈ　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｉｔ　ｏｂｖｉｏｕｓｌｙ　ｆｅｅｌｓ　ｍｏｒｅ　ａｔ　ｈｏｍｅ，ａｎｄ　ｈａｓ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｄｏｎｅ　ｓｏ，ｓｏ　Ｉ　ｓｈａｌｌ　ｃｏｎｃｌｕｄｅ．Ｗｅ　ｈａｄ　ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ　ｇｏ　ａｔ　Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ　ｂｒｅａｋｆａｓｔ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ，ａｎｄ　ｓｕｒｖｉｖｅｄ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｔａｓｔｅｂｕｄｓ　ｉｎｔａｃｔ，ｂｕｔ　ｔｏｍｏｒｒｏｗ　ｉｔ’ｓ　ｂａｃｋ　ｔｏ　”ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ　ｂｒｅａｋｆａｓｔ”，ｗｈｉｃｈ，ｌｉｋｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｈａｎｋｆｕｌｌｙ　ｕｂｉｑｕｉｔｏｕｓ　Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ　Ｔｏｉｌｅｔｓ，ｉｓ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｏｕｒ　ｃｕｐ　ｏｆ　（ｉｎｓｔａｎｔ，ｂｕｔ　ｗｅ’ｒｅ　ｔｈａｎｋｆｕｌ）　ｃｏｆｆｅｅ