Dr. Graham and her students visited at Sanseian last June. They observed the inside of Sanseian Compound and practiced rituals of Sencha tea ceremony.
　
The experience of being served tea and learning to serve tea at the Ogawa School was a highlight of my time in Japan. I cannot think of anything in America that practices the patience, grace, and skill of serving tea, and I was truly impressed by what I saw. I'm grateful to the Ogawa School for their hospitality, generosity, and for sharing with me their beautiful art.
I was extremely impressed by the rigorous concentration and attention to detail that is required in the sencha tea ceremony. I had expected some ceremony rules, but not to the depth of how to place your hand on your knee while you pour, or in what direction to wipe the teacup with the cloth, or even the intricacies of folding the cloth!
I was surprised by the small amount of tea that is actually prepared -- I saw the little drops in my teacup and thought, surely there must be more! But the sencha lesson taught me that the tea ceremony is more about the cleansing and comforting rituals of making the tea than it is about having a large quantity to drink from.
I very much enjoyed trying to make my own tea ceremony; I can appreciate how one can study this process for years-- there is so much to remember!
Overall, I felt grateful to the sencha school for taking us novices in and being patient with us and our foreign culture. Our guide was extremely friendly and helpful, and I was able to learn a lot.
It is my understanding now that very few have the privilege to participate in
a tea lesson the way the Kansas Asia scholars were able to. It is amazing how
every movement is choreographed like a dance. I can't thank you enough for
this wonderful opportunity to participate in something so important to the
Japanese culture.
　 In a beautifully simple room I grimaced as my body's weight sunk onto my
cotton covered heels. As the tingling feeling crept into my toes, I avoided
the sense to feel and tried to focus more on sight. The room was filled with
beautiful Japanese women in silk. Their consistently refined poise created a
stark contrast to the buttoned-down Americans. I struggled and shifted in an
effort to mimic the teachers before me. How do they do it? How do these
beautiful women make this position look so eloquent and poised that is so
awkward for me? It didn't take long to lose the feeling in my calves. By the
time the pain subsided I was too intrigued to fidget.
I wasn't the first to demonstrate what I had learned so I took advantage of my
position in line to note every detail of the process. The patience in each teacher's eyes, the softness of their motions struck a chord with me. The traditions of the sencha tea ceremony seemed so significant in this country that I wanted nothing less than perfection when it came time for me to demonstrate. The tea was used so sparingly. I felt shameful as I was reminded of the heaping scoops of coffee I helped myself to daily back in the states. (mo tai nai). No heaping spoonful at home could compare to the few drops that touched my lips that day. It was my desire for patience and education on the process
that made that tea better than any tea I had ever tasted. I would like to say thank you for the opportunity to learn and the chance to witness a certain level of patience that I have yet to see elsewhere.
Experiencing the sencha tea ceremony was definitely one of the highlights of my time in Japan. I was so impressed by the attention to detail and patience the ceremony requires, and the great care and dedication shown by the tea masters. The school itself and the gardens are so beautiful, and they really added to the peaceful atmosphere of our visit. I was very grateful -- although frightened at the time! -- for the opportunity to try preparing the tea myself. Going through each step firsthand gave me a much deeper appreciation for the great skill of the accomplished tea masters.
　 In addition to the deep honor I felt at being invited into the tea house of
so renowned a master, I was struck by the intricacy of the movements of the
preparation and serving of the tea. Being guided through the motions of tea
preparation gave me a concrete sense of the physical and mental discipline
needed to successfully and gracefully carry out the tea ceremony.
　Observing and participating in the sencha tea ceremony provided a wonderful opportunity to truly experience Japanese culture and tradition. The tea quality was superb, and like nothing I had tasted before. I felt so welcome and comfortable during our morning visit, it was a fantastic educational opportunity. It was most certainly a highlight of my trip.
　The sencha tea ceremony was in many ways a difficult experience. Sitting seiza-style throughout the ceremony was challenging for someone who is not used to sitting in such a manner. The tea itself was complex and very strong. the sencha tea tasted nothing like regular green tea. Finally, attempting to perform the tea ceremony myself was very difficult and required a great deal of concentration. However, despite the difficulty of the experience, I found it to be very worthwhile. The exactness of the tea ceremony is inspiring. The atmosphere was amazing. And the sencha tea, while it was a strange new taste, was actually quite good.
I really enjoyed learning about the different types of tea rooms. I was not aware of the different types of rooms and their different functions. I also enjoyed watching a tea master make and serve us tea. To me this shows the Japanese patience and persistence. I felt very honored to be a part of skill that they had practiced and perfected in such an immaculate way. Also, honored to meet the master of the school he was very hospitable and welcoming to our group. My favorite part was learning how to perform a tea ceremony, because I felt that I was taking in parts of their culture and understanding how their arts work. I really think it was a great experience that anyone would love and respect.