茶道 - Tea Ceremony

 

こんにちは！

Yesterday, I had the privilege to watch Kawamura-sensei and Andrea perform a  茶道（ちゃどう）, a tea ceremony. The Japanese tea ceremony is a carefully crafted ritual where the host, through a bowl of tea, infuses meaning into the time she and her guest spend together. 

The philosophies of 一期一会 (いちごいちえ) and 和敬清寂 (わけいせいじゃく) lie at the heart of this tradition. 一期一会 is literally "one time, one meeting" and conveys the idea that this moment will only happen once during your life, so you should savor it. 和敬清寂 means "harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility." By preparing a bowl of matcha with purpose and elegance, the tea ceremony conveys both of these ideas.

Here is a short video of a beautiful 茶道:

Experiencing this Japanese tradition in-person by one of our very own senseis cultivated in me a deeper enthusiasm for Japanese. I am excited for my next years at Notre Dame so I can learn more Japanese and help with events like this one!

ありがとございます！