Temples, Gardens, and Tea Ceremony

As we are approaching the end of our Japan adventure, I find myself reflecting on what I have learned and experienced.  Is it possible to articulate what has been the essence of our experience, the uniqueness of Japan? I previously described our love of the food, and our appreciation of the friendship and generosity of the people we have met. But what feels so particularly Japanese are the beautiful shrines and gardens and the peaceful and spiritual experience of the tea ceremony.

Tokyo is a city of 20 millions people, with a  gigantic urban landscape. At the same time, it is a city full of many gardens and shrines, beautifully tucked in the midst of glass and concrete. Walking in Tokyo is full of surprises. In the last 10 days, we visited many gardens, and enjoyed the vibrancy of the Fall colours. Red maple trees, yellow ginko trees. The photo above was taken at night in a beautifully hauntingly lit garden, Rikugoen. We also ventured out of Tokyo, to visit 2 world heritage sites, Nikko and Kamakura, both places are famous for their nature and multitude of temples and shrines.

Experiencing the Japanese culture cannot be completed without highlighting the importance of the Tea  Ceremony:

Tea was first transmitted to Japan from China around the ninth century. In the 14th century tea spread from monasteries to warrior and aristocratic society as an "art of play". "The five sensory pleasures of Tea are as follows: the pleasure of viewing the arts and crafts of the tea utensils; the warmth of the tea bowl in your hand and its softness as you bring it to your lips; the taste of the tea and food; the smell of incense smoldering in the tea room and the sound of water as it is ladled from the kettle, and of the gentle ringing of the gong"

My own introduction to the tea ceremony took place in an apartment, on the outskirts of Tokyo. Our friend, Nahoko, who heard about my interest in the tea ceremony, spoke about me to her mother , who have been learning and conducting tea ceremonies for many years. On this first occasion, I attended without Marcel, since "men need more care and attention when it comes to learning about the tea ceremony". So on one Saturday morning I met Nahoko at a bus station and off we went to visit her mother. Our host looked so regal and gracious in her kimono. Before the ceremony, we were treated to a special lunch, brought to the table on lacquered trays,  served in beautiful lacquered boxes and plates purchased by the family 400 years ago! What a privilege for me! After lunch, we went to our hostess' tea room. I must say I was a bit nervous at the beginning about my clumsiness, but the serenity of the environment, the soothing voice of my hostess, the beauty of the tea bowls (Over 100 years old): all contributed to a deep sense of calm and well being. Only then did I start to understand the notion of staying in the moment, deeply experience it with all 5 senses.

Another important symbol of Japan: The snow capped Mount Fuji. We were so lucky, we were able to see mount Fuji on our visit to Kamakura and share this with all our friends.

Oyasoominesai

Pnina