Concept of moon viewing: eating a white rounded tea cake (left above), a special dinner packed in jubako (left bottom), and a scroll with a kanji symbol of the moon (right).

On September 28, the 5th Japanese Culture Class "Japanese Tea ceremony" was held. The instructor Ms. Soshin Hashiba, from the Omotesenke Japanese Tea Instructors, explained to 9 participants about the manners of how to receive and eat a tea ceremony dish, and then enter the tea ceremony room to drink tea and eat tea cakes.

The concept of the culture class was “Enjoying the night with a full moon”. For the tea ceremony many items were used, like a hanging scroll with the Kanji symbol of the moon and tea cakes with a chestnut in the shape of the moon. The tea ceremony dishes were served in jubako, a Japanese picnic box, so the participants may imagine to look at the moon while having an outdoor picnic.

After the tea ceremony dishes, the participants cleaned their hands and mouths at tsukubai, a stone water basin, and entered a small tea ceremony room when they heard the sound of a gong. Inside, under candle light, the participants thoroughly enjoyed a weak infusion of powdered tea together with Japanese rice cakes and listened to the chirping of insects from outside the building.

After the class, one of the participants said she was very happy to attend and enjoy such a nice culture class.

Lerning a special way to return the tray after the dinner with thank to the host.

Waitng the sound of a gong.

Listening to the chirping of insects after drinking tea.

Cleaning hands and mouth at tsukubai.

The host serves a cup of tea for the participants

Group photo of the participants and the teacher.