Rockin at the Hard Rock Cafe

We had planned to have a birthday lunch at Spiros - one of the few Greek restaurants here, but it was closed. We ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe which the gnome likes because he loves cheeseburgers, cokes and fries. He also loves the women of rock while I enjoyed The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Elvis on the big screen. It was freezing and rainy yesterday so we weren't surprised that there was snow on the roof across the lane, today. It is cold but thankfully didn't rain until after our Noh Theatre experience. At the National Noh Theatre, we saw two performances: The Snow Fight and Kuzu. Would you believe this theatre has white carpets and white plush covered seats - all in pristine condition? It is a small theatre - 500 seats, but full for each show. It has been open since 1983. It a simple stage under a large roof. There are white pebbles on the stage reminding the audience of days past when the performances were staged outside. Ther is a hanging screen at one end which the Noh players use to enter and exit. It has five colours: earth, water, fire, wind and sky. The main characters, usually the hero and heroine, wear masks. There is no improvisation; everything is carefully and efficiently choreographed. In the second play, there were 8 unison singers and a dancer. The first play had 2 main characters and a mother and a priest. We got a translated synopsis of both plays but the best thing was a small screen on the back of the seat in front of us. It had the English version of the script and helped us understand what was going on. The costumes and acting though, really told the story. This theatre had a reasonably priced restaurant/tea room and gift counters as well as seating areas/lounges where people ate a boxed lunch before the show. We were invited in early because it was so cold out. The exterior of the building was simple but was surrounded by carefully scultped trees and plantings. It was like a courtyard in front and contained several interior courtyards. There is always a place for relaxation and reflection. We want to see dance and puppet shows, next. On the way home, we stopped for gyudon, a beef and rice mixture. Luke had a set which contained soup, poached salmon, rice and salad. A box of red, salty ginger provided a new taste and texture and hot tea revived us. Next to us was a teacher from Paris who was in Japan to teach French. He was sharing an apartment with a South American, a Tiawanese and a Japanese. Common languages: Japanese, French, English. Amazine how many people travel and work here. Amazing the language fluency and willingness to say hello.