Every year, we present a tea ceremony demonstration at the request of students from the Washington University Kendo Club and the Japan Peer Network. This year, it was held on April 28th at Hillman Hall on the university campus. Due to the short preparation period, there were fewer participants than usual. However, more than 20 students enthusiastically listened to a lecture about the history and spirit of tea and watched the tea ceremony with great interest. After serving sweets and tea to all participants, there was a Q&A session.
For students who grew up in Western cultures and those from Asian countries other than Japan, the tea ceremony likely holds many mysteries. There were various questions, including where to buy matcha and what kind is best, indicating the recent matcha boom.
