46 – A Small Room, the Right Size
The room itself was tiny.
When all eight friends sat down,
it felt almost cramped.
Elbows nearly touching, bags tucked under chairs,
people shifting slightly to make space as I moved around the table.
From a real estate brochure perspective,
it would have been a negative point.
But from the perspective of a host,
it was perfect.
It forced us to be close.
It made conversation natural.
It turned a “room” into a shared experience.
In that tight space, I could see every face.
I could notice who was nervous about using their hands,
who was already reaching for the wasabi,
who was quietly concentrating on the rice.
I realized something that night:
All those years I had chosen to do private tours rather than big group tours—
it wasn’t just a business choice.
It was my nature.
I like small circles.
I like hearing people’s stories.
I like being able to remember not only their names,
but what they told me about their families, their hometowns, their favorite foods.
As a guide, I had always limited myself to private groups
because I wanted to talk with my guests, not just talk at them.
Now, standing in this little classroom with eight people around my table,
I understood:
My sushi class would follow the same rule.
Small, private, personal.
Not by accident, but by design.