Tea Demonstration Performed at Nisei Week Event

Chanoyu demonstrations were performed by Omotesenke on August 13th and 14th,2022 at the tea room of JACCC (Japanese American Cultural Community Center) in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, as part of Nisei Week.

Despite a two-year absence and concern for the pandemic still looming, total participants over the two days were about 220, an increase over the last presentation.

The audience was captivated by the demonstrators’ every movement, while a narrator explained in detail what the significance of what they were observing – guests viewing kakejiku and the seasonal flowers at the tokonoma, Teishu focusing on preparing tea for each guest, etiquette being exchanged between host and guests, and how the spirit of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility are valued throughout.
Each presentation was followed by the serving of tea and sweets.

Guests ranged from families with children, young people in yukata, people reacquainting with a bowl of matcha, and those with no previous experience but genuinely wanting to have a glimpse of chanoyu.

The sweets were from Fugetsudo, a family-owned Japanese confectionery shop which has been serving several generations of customers in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo for almost 120 years.