Thirty-three international students joined a tea ceremony event held on Ookayama Campus on July 17. The event, jointly organized by the Japanese Section of the Institute for Liberal Arts (ILA) and the Tokyo Tech Tea Ceremony Club, was the first of its kind in several years following the covid-19 pandemic.
Tokyo Tech Tea Ceremony Club members in action
The event kicked off with a demonstration of the tea ceremony process by members of the Tokyo Tech Tea Ceremony Club. The participants watched tensely as the kimono-clad performers went through the motions while a third club member provided commentary in English. "Some teabowls are asymmetrical in shape, a characteristic which we enjoy and appreciate," he said.
The participants then received a bag of sweets which they were instructed to savor before their tea. After this, while sipping on their matcha, they asked the club members a variety of questions regarding the cherished Japanese way of preparing and drinking tea.
Participants returning their teabowls
Next, the participants had a chance to try their hand at making tea. They filled a teabowl with powdered green tea, poured hot water into the bowl, and used a tea whisk to prepare the tea while being guided by members of the tea ceremony club. After enjoying their self-made tea, the participants continued with lively conversations in both English and simple Japanese, admired the teabowls in more detail, and took photos with the tea ceremony club members. After the event, participants with heightened interest in the tea ceremony club stayed behind to discuss various topics, including culture and traditions in their own countries, with the club members.
Tea ceremony club member demonstrating use of tea whisk
Event participant whisking tea
Comments from event participants
- It was a very interesting event. I learned about tea ceremony in Japan and also got to make my own tea. I also had a chat with other students. Thank you for the wonderful experience.
- I was delighted to be able to enjoy the tea and sweets, and making my own tea was great fun.
- I learned about the process of the tea ceremony. The members of the tea ceremony club wore very beautiful kimono and answered our questions very patiently. I'm looking forward to the next traditional Japanese culture experience.
Comments from Tokyo Tech Tea Ceremony Club members
Takuji Tomoyose
2nd year, Electrical and Electronic Engineering
At this event, I was in charge of performing the otemae etiquette and leading the tea ceremony experience. Many international students joined the event, and as a member of the tea ceremony club, I feel we were able to create an enjoyable exchange. The participants were very interested in the ceremony, the utensils used, and the culture. We also learned a lot by hearing the thoughts of the international students and answering questions from perspectives that we ourselves do not usually consider.
Emanuele D'Allestro
2nd-year master's student, YSEP: Young Science and Engineering Researchers Program
As an international student in Japan, experiencing the Japanese tea ceremony is an iconic and enriching cultural immersion. The ceremony is imbued with profound cultural significance and tradition. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing what I learned with my fellow students.
Tokyo Tech Tea Ceremony Club members
