Recommendation #2: 茶 (cha)

I love tea. 

Chinese tea.
English tea.

Japanese tea.

Love.  Tea.

Favorite flavor though?  Matcha (grounded green tea leaves)

The past three weeks I've been addicted to matcha everything: candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, mochi, pudding, parfait, and much much more.  I'm pretty sure I will go through a harsh matcha withdrawal when I return to the U.S.

On Sunday, I was invited by the neighbors to go to a Japanese Tea Ceremony. First, my host family and I traveled to Yokogawa Station and ate ramen for lunch.  Then we met up with Hiromi and Toshie and rode a taxi into the mountains to a tea dojo.

At the dojo, we walked through a small but tender garden.  Walking on a path of slightly crooked rocks, but neatly paved. 

The wooden gate was dark, entrance wide open, and the shoe room was dim. 

After taking off our shoes, we went into the paying area where an excited old lady greeted us.  I wrote my own name in Chinese (Kanji) into the guestbook. 

We then entered the waiting room where some people were dressed in their full kimono.  Gorgeous.  Everyone had to dress up.  Females had to wear kimonos, long dress/skirt with pass knee lenth, and absolutely no pants allowed.  Males can wear kimonos, but if not, they need to wear some form of casual dress cloths (khakis).

Prior to entering the main room, we had to be in seiza form and bow at the door.  Once I entered the room with everyone, I was invited to sit at the front.  I sat at the "2nd seat", second person served from the main tea maker.  It was pretty frightening because it was my first time.  I didn't even know where to start when they served it.  However, I ended up having a great time thanks to Hiromi guiding me through.

The process seemed like a long time only because my legs were numb from sitting in seiza form.  I was in pain before the tea came out.

When the lady with my matcha brought over my tea, I had to do the following.
1) Full out bow
2) Lady says a greeting
3) I thank her
4) Full out bow
5) Take the large cup
6) Place it on my left palm
7) Turn it clockwise twice
8) Using both hands bring it towards myself
9) Drink it once little, twice little, and third time all

When finished...
1) Turn it twice again on left palm
2) Place it slightly further in front of me
3) Lean over and use both hands to turn the bowl left and right
4) Take time to appreciate the beauty of the bowl
5) Place it down
6) When lady comes back, full out bow and thank her

I had two servings of fresh Matcha tea. 

Ingrid is a happy.