US Trip: Day 2

We arrived in Tokyo at 6:45 AM and my onward flight was not till 5:00 PM.  Ordinarily such a long layover would be a problem but I had learned about free tours given from the Narita airport and had signed up for one.  It turned out to be a really good investment of time and it was free.

The main international terminal has an information desk where travelers can sign up for four guided tours and six self-guided tours.
We were lucky to be able to experience a once-a-month program at a cultural center. The first part of the program was a Japanese tea ceremony.
The tea ceremony was accompanied by music from a koto, a type of Japanese harp.
The second stop in the cultural program was a lesson in flower arranging.
Then the men and women were given a chance to try on kimonos and other traditional Japanese clothing.
The last exhibit was a lesson in calligraphy, writing Japanese kanji.
An exhibition hall at the center had a display of formal carriages used for different events. The smaller carriage on the left was used for formal weddings.
After leaving the cultural center, we walked to the Naritasan Temple. Workmen there were preparing to celebrate the 1080th year anniversary of its founding.
This was our group for the tour, our two guides on either end, an American woman, and myself.