Canadian Spirit Holiday Services: Japanese Performing Artists Blog, Penticton, Canada - Japanese Tea Ceremony in Penticton, Canada

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Japanese Tea Ceremony in Penticton, Canada:

In the spring of 2008 our agent told us we had a homestay guest who performed the Japanese Tea Ceremony. After performing the koto at different events in Penticton, Atsuko thought it would be a great idea if our guest also performed the tea ceremony before a Canadian audience. She thought it would be a unique opportunity for our guest to show off her cultural skills and for Canadians to get another taste of traditional Japanese culture. By chance 2008 was the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Japan, and the Japanese Consulate in Vancouver agreed to lend us their logo and be our sponsor for the tea ceremony.

We contacted the South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services and they suggested we hold the tea ceremony at the Japanese Gardens in Penticton. Immigrant and Community Services designed the posters for us and also contacted the media, and Atsuko and our guest dressed up in their kimonos and went to the local downtown businesses promoting the upcoming event. One of the businesses - Time for Tea - offered to provide green tea and other supplies for the event and the Multicultural Society organized volunteers to help us put on the ceremony. Our guest had the rare chance to be interviewed by the local media, and her photo and interview were printed in the local newspaper (I was interviewed by a local radio station too!). Atsuko and I also thought the children would enjoy learning origami and calligraphy so we contacted friends of ours who volunteered to teach these cultural skills during the ceremony.

On May 3, 2008 the Japanese Tea Ceremony was held at the Penticton Gardens. While our guest performed the tea ceremony, Atsuko and Angela played the koto and nearby our friends put on origami and calligraphy workshops. I gave a brief description and historical account of the tea ceremony to the visitors, and we estimated over 100 people attended the ceremony. It was a huge success and visitors had the opportunity to drink the "matcha" (Japanese tea) and sample the tea ceremony cakes and sweets. Atsuko and I donated all proceeds to the South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services.

Both Atsuko and I were amazed by the overwhelming response to the tea ceremony, and Atsuko suggested we bring more Japanese performing artists to Penticton and put on similar events. I thought this was a great idea and so began our mission to promote traditional Japanese culture in Canada.

Canadian Media Coverage of the Tea Ceremony:

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