Date & Time: August 19 and 20 (during breaktime of ACD congress)
Spots: PACIFICO Yokohama Exhibition Hall
Participants: 9 ACD delegates from India, Malaysia, and Thailand
Hostesses of tea ceremony: Kozue, Fusako, Hikari, and Fumie, KSGG members
Languages: English and Japanese
Report by Fumie
The 8th Asian Congress of Dietetics (ACD 2022) was held from 19 Aug to 21 Aug. During the breaktime of the congress, KSGG members demonstrated Japanese tea ceremony and served powdered green tea called “matcha” to the delegates during 30 minutes break. At the exhibition hall, a portable tea room was installed. The portable room utilizes the Miya-daiku (carpentry) techniques that is registered as a UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in the field of carpentry. The Miya-daiku techniques are especially used for the building of shrines and temples. The space of two tatami mats (3.24 square meters) made from thinned wood is an attractive space with a lattice-shaped round window. The portable tea room fascinates all visitors. The purpose of the portable tea room is to pass on the Miya-daiku techniques to future generation and to spread the tradition of Japanese culture around the world. So a team of Miya-daiku carpenters built a Japanese-style room that effectively uses thinned wood from the local Kanagawa prefecture.
The tea ceremonies began on time. The hostess of the tea ceremony started to prepare for powdered green tea and explained the procedure of tea serving. All the participants listened to her explanation. The hostess sat in Temaeza (servers’ seat), and served tea in ceramic bowls to the first and second guests, then “the portable tea room” was introduced in English and Japanese. Other guests had tea that was served from Mizuya (backyard kitchen）.
The tea ceremony is organized thoroughly to prevent COVID-19. Disposable cooking gloves were used for preparation and serving tea sets. Also, all of the hostesses always disinfected their hands at the tea-room entrance, before sitting the Temaeza.
During this three-time event, a total of 64 guests including nine ACD delegates joined in the tea ceremony. All of the delegates enjoyed themselves talking and taking photos with KSGG members afterwards. Some of them have already experienced tea ceremony and wanted to learn its element: harmony, respect, purity and tranquility in Japan. The other delegates were very pleased with the first try of the green tea.
Many people participated, from Japanese people familiar with the tea ceremony to foreigners visiting Japan for the first time, joined the tea ceremony, so it ended with great success.
