Autumn Friendship Tea Gathering at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden

On October 16th, we held an autumn friendship tea gathering for the first time in three years at the California State University, Long Beach’s Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden.

On this occasion, and for the first time, we invited high school and university students to experience the tea ceremony. A total of 142 people, including 38 students and 104 invited guests, general guests, and members, gathered.

The day before it had rained, which is rare in Los Angeles, making the trees in the garden even more vibrant and natural.

The tea house at CSULB consists of a four-and-a-half tatami mat tearoom reminiscent of a hermitage in the mountains. Considering the situation of covid19, we made and served using koicha, one bowl at a time. The tea utensils were arranged under the theme of “nature.” There was a bamboo hedge near the guest seating area, like a bamboo grove, and the guests drank tea in the refreshing autumn breeze.

The ryurei-seki is set up on the bank of a pond where Nishikigoi swim gracefully, and usucha was served to everyone with autumn-themed utensils. Most of the large pond could be seen from the seats, and under the blue sky of California, the guests enjoyed a bowl of matcha in a relaxed atmosphere, forgetting the passage of time and the hustle and bustle of the city.