Gokashō

After the whole group got ready, we shipped our large suitcases to our hotel to Tokyo, checked-out and stored the small ones at the hotel reception to pickup later in the day. We headed to the Kyoto station, stopped for some breakfast and then went to the platform to catch our train to Obaku where the tea ceremony was supposed to happen. Now, even though we reached the platform on time, it was practically impossible to get on the train because of how packed it was. We had to just wait for the next train and be late for the ceremony. Thankfully, on reaching the venue (which was a temple), our host was very gracious and invited us in. The ceremony itself was pretty good, peaceful and a fascinating cultural experience. We were told about the history of the tea ceremony and its significance for the Japanese people particularly the elites in the past, and how it has changed over the centuries. We then followed our host in following the precise rituals and hand movements to first have Japanese Mochi sweets and then prepare and drink Matcha tea. It was interesting to see the sheer number of rules and steps involved in making and drinking a simple cup of tea. Our host also took time to guide us through each stage, the whole activity lasting two hours instead of the planned one. Everyone left the venue feeling enriched.Read more