Tea Ceremony Experience Class
(Kolbe Catholic College in Perth, Western Australia)
On August 3rd, we had the privilege of performing a traditional tea ceremony for 1st and 3rd year high school students across two classes at Kolbe Catholic College?a local school associated with Father Kolbe, located approximately 45 minutes south of Perth, Australia. This marked the second consecutive year we've been invited, thanks to Mr. Futaki, who teaches Japanese at the school. Inspired by our connection, he began learning the tea ceremony himself and performed at the Perth Japan Festival on March 25th.
Our program incorporated a brief explanation of the tea ceremony, a live demonstration, an interactive segment where students could experience making tea, and a Q&A session. Reactions varied among students: while some found it bitter and couldn't finish their servings, others enthusiastically savored the matcha tea, exclaiming, "Delicious!". Regardless, it was evident that all enjoyed the hands-on experience of preparing their own matcha. Teachers commended "the elegance and fluidity of the tea ceremony movements". For us, successfully showcasing this slice of Japanese culture through the art of tea and conveying a hint of the Japanese spirit has been a profound source of joy.