Can you visit Japan without leaving Washington? That's what writer Emily Heil tried to do. Here is her experience, as described in the Washington Post of August 13.
SATURDAY. I'm aiming to capture two Japanese experiences: the country's lush landscapes and peaceful Buddhist temples, as well as Tokyo's bustling street scenes and high-velocity night life. I start out the day with green tea and a steaming bowl of miso soup at Teaism. Co-owner Michelle Brown suggests sencha , the most popular of Japan's green teas, which looks and smells like fresh grass clippings. I take breakfast in the lower level, where koi swim in a trickling fountain.
After a short walk, I'm at the National Japanese American Memorial, a monument to the Japanese Americans who fought in World War II, as well as to those held in U.S. internment camps. A graceful crane rises above inscriptions of quotations by prominent Japanese Americans, setting a lovely and melancholic mood.
Then it's on to the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, two interconnected Smithsonian outlets that house the nation's largest Asian art collections in a serene setting of cool stone halls. I'm drawn to the wood-block prints of Kabuki actors in the exhibit 'Facing East: Portraits From Asia' (through Sept. 4). Apparently, beginning in the 18th century, Japanese people collected images of their favorite actors -- the precursor to the Tiger Beat pinups that graced my junior high locker.
For lunch, I head to Sushi Taro, where if you're lucky, you can snag the tatami room, an enclosed booth-like platform. You remove your shoes (don't wear your day-before-laundry-day socks!), then sit on mats clustered around the low-slung table. A mixed plate of sushi and sashimi makes a light but satisfying lunch.
Arise is a shop full of items so exquisite, they belong in a museum. The vast space makes for an absorbing hour of browsing. Among the inventory of furniture, art and clothing, my favorites are the kimonos. There's a whole room devoted to the rainbow-colored, flowing silk robes, both vintage and new, complete with obis (sashes) and tabi (split-toe socks).
I stop by the U.S. National Arboretum, which is home to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum ( penjing is the Chinese art of cultivating miniature plants, and the precursor to Japan's bonsai). The collection includes several stunning centuries-old trees.
Now that I've gotten my culture fix, I'm ready to reward myself. I drop by Tako Grill, which has one of the area's largest selections of sake, a delicate rice wine. Manager Jasper Caparas says his many Japanese customers like the nigori sakes, which are less filtered than other varieties. "They're a little on the sweet side," he says. For those looking for something more exotic, there's the hot sake garnished with the crispy broiled fin of a blowfish.
When my inhibitions are sufficiently lowered, I'm ready for karaoke. My landmark is a giant mural of a sumo wrestler: Yep, I'm at Cafe Japone, where the karaoke system includes 8,000 Japanese tunes in addition to a catalogue of English titles. Be prepared to fight your way through a crowd of college students and bachelorette parties to get behind the mike -- the competition can be tough. But your heartfelt rendition of "Sweet Caroline" is sure to win over the crowd.
SUNDAY. After last night's revelry, I'm in the mood for something a bit more, well, Zen. And I find it at the Ekoji Buddhist Temple. Don't miss the tranquil rock garden -- or the temple's interior, where intricate wooden Buddha sculptures are on display.
After I leave, I'm craving some indulgence. I head to the spa at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, which offers ultra-posh services such as a full day of body and skin treatments for $600. I opt for the manicure. It's $40, which is certainly more than my $13 lunch-hour mani routine. But the price proves worth it once I'm ushered into a small room with buttery walls and bowls of floating lotus flowers.
Lest I get too relaxed, I make a final stop at Sushi Go Round & Tapas. A conveyor belt parades sushi before patrons, who may pluck off a plate that appeals to them. It's an interactive experience that inspires not a little competitive spirit -- once you spy a platter of fat spicy tuna rolls, you want to make sure you grab them before your neighbor does. A few plates later, I'm ready to return home from my Far East sojourn.
TOTAL: $113
· $10 at Teaism (400 Eighth St. NW, 202-638-6010).
· Free at the National Japanese American Memorial (New Jersey Avenue and D Street NW, 202-530-0015).
· Free at the Freer Gallery of Art (Jefferson Drive and 12th Street SW, 202-633-4880.)
· Free at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (12th Street and Independence Avenue SW, 202-633-4880.)
· $18 at Sushi Taro (1503 17th St. NW, 202-462-8999).
· Free at Arise (5114 Roanoke Place, College Park, 301-486-1230).
· Free at U.S. National Arboretum (3501 New York Ave. NE, 202-245-2726).
· $10 at Tako Grill (7756 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 301-652-7030).
· $15 at Cafe Japone (2032 P St. NW, 202-223-1573).
· Free at Ekoji Buddhist Temple (6500 Lake Haven Lane, Fairfax Station, 703-239-0500).
· $45 at Mandarin Oriental spa (1330 Maryland Ave. SW, 202-787-6100).
· $15 at Sushi Go Round & Tapas (705 Seventh St. NW, 202-393-2825).
