Tatler+
He definitely came back a changed man.
“I’ve been in a bit of rush of late. Sometimes it’s a looming deadline. Sometimes it’s when my GrabCar Premium driver gets lost for 10 mins. Occasionally it’s that concert that is sold out in nano-seconds (Yes, I’m talking about you, Ed Sheeran).
My digital content director Daphne is concerned and sends me packing on the next flight out to Tokyo. “Take a breather. Go explore. And report back”. I've learnt there is really no arguing with Daphne, so I sort out my holiday capsule wardrobe in speed time, while she slips a “beauty care package” from Shiseido’s most luxurious skincare collection Future Solution LX into my Globetrotter luggage case.
But I am reminded of life’s serendipitous paths: You never know where your discoveries will take you. But would this trip be the antidote that I need?”
Chapter 1: Chado
“Since I arrived in Tokyo, I have refined my caffeine choices, choosing to sip on green tea over French press. To enhance my appreciation of it, I took lessons to truly experience the art of Chado. Rituals are lacking in the modern world right now, but there is immense beauty in the formality of this tea ceremony. The careful choreography, the mindfulness in each move is a reminder that I should never rush through the most mundane of everyday regimens. The next day as I was getting ready, I found myself going through the same motions with the bottle of Shiseido Future Solution LX Concentrated Balancing Softener E which similarly has Uji green tea extract to support the skin's regenerating abilities, prepping it to maximise the absorption of the goodness of my skincare products that follow. Lesson learned: Time taken to be in the moment, is not wasted.”
(Related: The Tatler Nose's Sensorial Tour Of Rome)