Traditional Japanese Tea Gathering

As a student of the Japanese language program at Duke, I've always enjoyed the chances for deeper cultural enrichment that my professors and the AMES department has provided. When I heard about the opportunity to participate in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, I couldn't pass it up. The gathering took place in the Duke Gardens' teahouse on a sunny autumn day, and upon arrival I was immediately struck by the uniqueness of the teahouse itself. With only three walls, the tea house is like a cross-section that made it both easy for spectators to watch and allowed volunteers to experience the ambiance of the Asiatic Arboretum as we were guided through the ceremony by Ms. Chizuko Sueyoshi and the members of the Japanese Tea Practitioners of Durham. Every step that we were instructed to perform, from the purification prior to entering the tea house to where we knelt on our tatami squares seemed to hold some sort of significance. Ms. Sueyoshi graciously explained the history of the Japanese tea ceremony, dating back to over a millennium ago, as our host Kyoko served us confections and thin tea made from matcha powder. Her movements were incredibly precise and well-practiced--they were mesmerizing to watch as she prepared the tea, which ended up being incredibly delicious. I left entirely satisfied as a guest and as a student, feeling that I had gained a deeper understanding of Japanese culture via firsthand experience of longstanding tradition, and I highly encourage any and all to participate in these opportunities, if possible.