It is no easy task mastering anything. Tea is no different.
Here in Nagoya's L'o-vu tea house a special weekend lesson on tea from China is conducted by tea master Sensei Iwasaki. He not only teaches how to brew the different types of tea but also the history behind that particular tea and so on. Attention to detail is typical of Japan. As is the culture of learning and utmost respect for the teacher.
Each student practises each step many times; keeps notes of the colour, aroma, flavour and so on of the brew; learns how to place the tea bowl and pour the water and decant the brew and so on and so forth. There are no shortcuts to achieve perfection even in the most mundane thing as making a bowl of tea. Ah! Correction. Nothing is mundane. Ichi-go ichi-e (一期一会) after all. Each step is one chance in a lifetime.
The entire experience leaves me shaking my head in wonder. Can we duplicate this sort of dedication? Ever?
Here in Nagoya's L'o-vu tea house a special weekend lesson on tea from China is conducted by tea master Sensei Iwasaki. He not only teaches how to brew the different types of tea but also the history behind that particular tea and so on. Attention to detail is typical of Japan. As is the culture of learning and utmost respect for the teacher.
Each student practises each step many times; keeps notes of the colour, aroma, flavour and so on of the brew; learns how to place the tea bowl and pour the water and decant the brew and so on and so forth. There are no shortcuts to achieve perfection even in the most mundane thing as making a bowl of tea. Ah! Correction. Nothing is mundane. Ichi-go ichi-e (一期一会) after all. Each step is one chance in a lifetime.
The entire experience leaves me shaking my head in wonder. Can we duplicate this sort of dedication? Ever?
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