Yesterday, my Japanese class had the opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, called “Sadou” (written 茶道) – and they allowed me to take pictures as they performed it for us! I took over 50 photos, and they are uploaded to this gallery on my Flickr for those who are interested, along with some cultural notes. The entire ceremony is extremely orchestrated and highly symbolic; every move is calculated and practiced. Here are some of my favorite shots. The woman in the lavender kimono is the “principle guest”, and the woman in the blue kimono is the host.

Slurping as you finish your tea is a sign of satisfaction, and is considered very polite in Japanese culture.

Continue reading  Sadou – Way of Tea  →

Tags: japan, tea