On Friday 23 September the Canberra Group performed a tea demonstration at the Embassy of Japan. The tea demonstration was part of a reception called “Spring Festival. The guests were greeted by the Spring cherry blossoms which are now at their best in garden of the Ambassador’s residents.
There were three sittings of 10 guests at each demonstration using misono tana. Our ceremonial scroll features a tanka from ‘Manyoshu’ which cerebrates the arrival of spring. Accordingly, the sweets prepared by our group members to serve on the day were called ‘haru no irodori’ (春の彩).
There were other activities inside and outside of the residents, with many people showing interest in the tea demonstration. Those people who could not find a place to sit on the 10 chairs, stood behind the chairs and watched with great interest. When each demonstration finished the guests and the other audience members spontaneously applauded. Among the guests was Ambassador Yamagami and his wife.
Each teish, hanto, the MCs and all the mizuya helpers did a wonderful job so that everything went very well.
