Koizumi Katsuko sat cross-legged on a sun lounger made of golden teak wood, with an easel in front of her, using watercolors to replicate the scene of the sunset sinking from above the antique hotel building into the bottom of the Yangon River.
Mrs. Sakai, on the other hand, was wearing a bathrobe, holding an iPad, lazily browsing fashion news on a nearby lounge chair.
"This month is International Fashion Week, hmm, the brand's new product launches are quite intensive..."
Every year, she spends an amount on luxury clothing from brands like Prada, Gucci, Hermes... that equals several times the annual income of an average Japanese middle-class family.
Whenever these luxury brands released new products, VIP client managers would fawningly call her, asking if she was interested in pre-ordering.
Professor Yajima is a major artist recognized throughout East Asia.
Being a major artist carries even more prestige than being a big celebrity.
