On Jan. 30, we hosted a Japanese Tea Experience in Oimachi.

Among the four participants were guests from Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S., now living in Japan.

The experience was conducted bilingually in English and Japanese, encouraging warm cross-cultural exchange.

We began in the main room, where participants enjoyed a seasonal sweet, “Setchu no Ume” (Plum Blossoms in the Snow). Afterward, they purified their hands at the tsukubai stone basin and entered the small tearoom through the nijiriguchi, the low entrance.

In the tearoom, we displayed a narcissus flower, one of the earliest blossoms of winter. As the room filled with the rich aroma of matcha, participants quietly observed the thick tea preparation. Led by the main guest, we shared a warm bilingual conversation about the scroll, flowers, tea and sweets, utensils, and the tearoom.

After returning to the main room, participants enjoyed usucha (thin tea) with higashi dry sweets: “Yukiwa” (Snow Ring) and “Uguisu” (Japanese bush warbler), made by Sasama in Jimbocho.

A question—“Is the uguisu a winter bird?”—sparked a conversation about Japan’s fondness for being a little ahead of the season. During this exchange, the participant from Trinidad and Tobago shared a lovely observation:

“I think Japanese people are very thoughtful about what others might want or need, and they prepare in advance better than anyone else in the world.” Thoughtfulness and consideration for others lie at the heart of chanoyu, and we were deeply honored that this sensibility was felt through everyday life in Japan.

The scroll displayed read “Kissako” (Have a cup of tea), calligraphy by a monk of Daitoku-ji Temple. Participants also shared memories of a previous visit to the temple in Kyoto.

The flowers were camellia “Sukiya Wabisuke” and sanshuyu (cornelian cherry). We also introduced the susudake (smoked bamboo) used for the flower container and tea scoop, and participants expressed keen interest in these natural materials.

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