The Tea Ceremony お作法

As part of training as wedding staff, we are taking part in "etiquette training". The instructor is Hattori Kazuko, famous for starting the first kimono academy in Japan. (These are schools that teach how to wear kimono http://kimonomuseum.com/welcome/index.html.)
I was a bit nervous in the beginning, but Ms. Hattori's soft voice helped me relax and enjoy the lesson.  


We learned about the tea ceremony, also called "chato" or "chanoyu". Tea has been enjoyed for centuries in Japan, and there are many styles of performing the ceremony. But it's not just about enjoying tea, in the tea ceremony many traditional arts can be appreciated: art, pottery, flower arrangement, architecture and gardening, kaiseki cuisine and sweets. The tea ceremony is about letting visitors enjoy these various elements and each tea ceremony is set up to appreciate the seasons. Paintings, tea bowls and flowers are specifically selected by the host. 


KyotoWeddingsでは、スタッフ教育カリキュラムのひとつとして【お作法講座】をおこなっています。


講師はなんと！！！
日本に初めて着物の着付け教室や学院を創設された服部和子先生です！
http://kimonomuseum.com/welcome/index.html
最初は緊張しましたが。。。服部先生の優しい声のトーンや美しい話し方のおかげで楽しくわかりやすいレッスンになりました♬


茶道は『茶湯（ちゃとう）』や『茶の湯』とも呼ばれていて、古くからお茶を楽しむために、数多くの作法の元で行われています。また、お茶をいれて楽しむだけでなく美術、工芸、詩歌、生花茶室建築や造園、懐石料理、お菓子など幅広い分野にまたがる総合文化なのです！！！
季節や趣向、お客様に応じて道具や料理、お菓子、床にかける掛軸、茶室に飾る生花などを変えるため、お客様はその調和を楽しむことも茶道なのです。

Near the end of the lesson, all the staff showed grace in taking their tea.
レッスンが終わる頃にはスタッフ全員の作法が美しい！！！！

Thank you, Ms. Hattori! We look forward to the next lesson. 
さすが！！！
服部　和子先生♬
次回のレッスンも楽しみです。


ありがとうございました！！！