On 2/7 Anne and I went to the Okura Hotel to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The experience starts with viewing a traditional Japanese rock garden (basically just looking out the window at it to see if it is still there – and yep it still was). Following which we washed our hands and took a small drink from a stone fountain
while kneeling on a flat rock (more comfortable then it sounds). We then entered the tea room. We were served 2 hard sugar candies (they tasted kind of like sugar cubes). After the tea candies we were served a red bean dessert. Following which we watched as the Tea Master (not to be mistaken with Dr. Tea – see previous blog entries) methodically made the tea. Actually I
have no Idea what her name or title was since her English was not great (but still infinitely better than my Japanese). We where then served the tea and had to methodically drink it according to the Tea Masters directions. After we finished our tea we moved to a tatami style room (mimicking a traditional tea room in a small Japanese
home). This resulted in us having to remove our shoes before entering which is common in Japan. It is actually very rude to leave your shoes on. We then enjoyed another cup of tea and when the Tea Master stepped out of the room commented on how small the traditional room was (my head was an inch from the ceiling). Once our tea was finished the ceremony ended.
On 2/7 Anne and I went to the Okura Hotel to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The experience starts with viewing a traditional Japanese rock garden (basically just looking out the window at it to see if it is still there – and yep it still was). Following which we washed our hands and took a small drink from a stone fountain
while kneeling on a flat rock (more comfortable then it sounds). We then entered the tea room. We were served 2 hard sugar candies (they tasted kind of like sugar cubes). After the tea candies we were served a red bean dessert. Following which we watched as the Tea Master (not to be mistaken with Dr. Tea – see previous blog entries) methodically made the tea. Actually I 
have no Idea what her name or title was since her English was not great (but still infinitely better than my Japanese). We where then served the tea and had to methodically drink it according to the Tea Masters directions. After we finished our tea we moved to a tatami style room (mimicking a traditional tea room in a small Japanese
home). This resulted in us having to remove our shoes before entering which is common in Japan. It is actually very rude to leave your shoes on. We then enjoyed another cup of tea and when the Tea Master stepped out of the room commented on how small the traditional room was (my head was an inch from the ceiling). Once our tea was finished the ceremony ended.
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