Prepare a Traditional Tea Ceremony with Appropriate Snacks.

“Once I actually started learning, even the smallest actions felt difficult. How to fold the tea cloth. How to hold the bamboo whisk. How to wipe the tea bowl. How to place each item without awkwardness. I am still a complete beginner, and at home my practice often feels like little more than imitation. From the outside, tea ceremony can look smooth and serene. From the inside, at least for me, it is full of hesitation, clumsy hands, and small corrections.”

“I was never especially fond of wagashi before. I did not dislike them, but I was not someone who looked forward to them. Since starting tea ceremony, though, I have begun to notice them differently. Some reflect the season so delicately. A sweet can carry spring in its color, shape, or texture. That way of bringing the season into even a small thing feels very Japanese to me. Now, wagashi is becoming one of the quiet pleasures of learning.”

“I was nervous making my way to the address in Tokyo. Experiencing a formal tea ceremony in Japan had been on my travel wish list for years, and now that the moment had finally arrived, I almost didn’t want to go through with it. I understood the Japanese tea ceremony in principle, but having never experienced it before, I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew it was highly structured and guided by precise rules, which was why I was overcome with anxiety. I’ve had matcha and wagashi many times at Japanese gardens before, but I never knew that the sweets are traditionally eaten before sipping the tea. Because matcha has a strong, grassy flavor, starting with the sweet wagashi helps prepare your palate and softens the tea’s natural bitterness.”