A Serendipitous Spring Ceremony on Shikoku

matcha ceremony shikoku japan

01 Aug A Serendipitous Spring Ceremony on Shikoku

Posted at 14:12h in Tales & Reflections by Don George 0 Comments
matcha ceremony shikoku japan

© Don George

One of the joys of a visit to Japan is the opportunity to experience a traditional green tea, or matcha, ceremony and tasting. On a spring visit to the island of Shikoku, my tour group was exploring the grounds of Matsuyama Castle when we came upon an impromptu outdoor tea ceremony, which had been set up in celebration of the flowering cherry trees, whose blossoms were at their peak that weekend. The tea master, an elegant silver-haired woman in a gorgeous purple kimono, welcomed us to the outdoor tea ceremony “room” that had been constructed for the occasion, where a young apprentice was preparing tea for two guests. After they had sipped and admired their servings, and bowed their thanks, the master bade us sit on benches covered in thick red cloth, and one of her older students, clad in a light blue kimono, appeared. Kneeling on the tea ceremony platform, she slowly, deliberately, prepared our tea, placing a tiny spoonful of powder into each bowl, pouring in steaming water using a bamboo ladle, then using a bamboo whisk to whip it into a frothy masterpiece. As she passed each delicate creation to us, bowing deeply, we bowed in return, lifted the bowl in both hands, turned it in respect so that the bowl’s “face” would appear toward her, then sipped and savored the full-bodied tea, which coursed through us like a liquid version of spring. In that moment, something inside us bloomed too, just like the cherry trees.

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Don George

Don George is the Adventure Collection’s Web Editor in Chief. A highly respected and pioneering travel journalist for more than three decades, Don is the author of "The Way of Wanderlust: The Best Travel Writing of Don George," and of "Lonely Planet's Guide to Travel Writing." Don is currently Editor at Large for National Geographic Traveler and Special Features Editor for BBC Travel. He has also been Global Travel Editor for Lonely Planet Publications, Travel Editor at the San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle, and founder and editor of Salon.com’s travel site, Wanderlust. In addition to authoring two books, Don has edited ten literary travel anthologies, including “The Kindness of Strangers,” “An Innocent Abroad," and "Better Than Fiction." He has won numerous awards for his writing and editing, and he speaks, teaches, and consults at campuses, conferences, and corporations around the world.
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