Demonstration and workshop by Omotesenke style Chanoyu Club at Penn State

Event Date: 4/11/2023

Three teachers, Keiko Kitazawa from New Jersey, Hiroko Tamanaha from Maryland, and Stephanie Benefield from Virginia, traveled to Penn State University on Tuesday, the 11th of April, to meet Domonkai and Tea Institute at Penn State (TIPS) Member Mathew Koch and his fellow TIPS members for the fourth and last Japanese tea lesson of the semester. The TIPS club opened this lesson which focused on the theme of “chaji,” a meal followed by thick and thin tea, to guests from the University. From about 6:00 to 8:30 pm, Mathew gave a “chaji” PowerPoint presentation. Then, two TIPS Members dressed in kimonos acted as guests in the tatami room, demonstrating the procedures for enjoying the meal, followed by thin tea prepared by Mathew. While answering questions from the floor, the teachers and TIPS Members served tea and sweets to the 13 University guests who joined for the evening.

今学期最後のクラスということで、お茶事をしました。最初にPPTで茶事について表千家同門会会員のMatthew君に説明をして頂き、その後、着物を着た学生にお客様と半東をして頂き、茶懐石の頂き方のお稽古をしました。参加された学生たちは、懐石料理のサンプルを試食し、多数の”美味しかった”の感想を頂きました。又、主菓子・干菓子と薄茶も味わって頂きました。Q＆Aでは、お茶事について”何時間かかるのか”、などの質問がありました。皆さん、お茶だけではなく、お茶事に興味を持って下さったようで、次のお茶事のお稽古がとても楽しみです。