Why Japan is cool: High Tea in Tokyo

Eating in Japan is more than just sushi and sashimi! 

For those of Commonwealth heritage, here are some photos of a high tea I had with a couple of long-time friends at the Four Seasons Hotel in Tokyo.  Periodically when I visit Tokyo on business, we get together and find some cool place for lunch or dinner.  The great thing about Japan is that there's always like 25 restaurants within a 20-minute walk from wherever you are.

Words of a culture have also been an interest of mine.  Why is it called "high tea"?  Is there a "low tea"?  What makes "high tea" high?  I found my answer in Wikipedia:

High Tea (also known as "Meat Tea") is an early evening meal, typically eaten between 5 and 6 o'clock in the evening. It would be eaten as a substitute for both afternoon tea and the evening meal. The term comes from the meal being eaten at the "high" (main) table, instead of the smaller lounge table. It is now largely replaced by a later evening meal.

It would usually consist of cold meats, eggs and/or fish, cakes and sandwiches. In a family, it tends to be less formal and is an informal snack (featuring sandwiches, biscuits, pastry, fruit and the like) or else it is the main evening meal.

On farms or other working class environments, high tea would be the traditional, substantial meal eaten by the workers immediately after nightfall, and would combine afternoon tea with the main evening meal.

With that, I'll let the photos of the food speak for itself... 

Japan, and particularly Tokyo, has become very cosmopolitan in its cuisine.  There are restaurants specializing in French, Italian, Brazilian, Mexican, anything your heart desires.  There are also some very cool nouveau and fusion restaurants, e.g. Dazzle in the Ginza or Legato in Shibuya.  It's no longer just about sushi and sashimi, although its freshness and variety is unsurpassed.