This happened a long time ago. I’m sorry I never managed to write about it, but I was only given the CD with the photographs on recently. Along with the Thai students, we were given the opportunity to try Japanese tea ceremony. However, before I start on that, I feel I should explain the worst pain in the world, ever;

During a formal event where you sit on the floor, Japanese tradition dictates you should sit in Seiza. To do this, “one first kneels on the floor, and then rests the buttocks on the heels, with the tops of the feet flat on the floor. The hands are sometimes folded modestly in the lap and sometimes placed palm down on the upper thighs with the fingers close together.” (Thanks Wikipedia)

What this little explanation does not explain is that unless you’ve been doing it for a few years, it’s incredibly painful. Especially if you have quite muscular legs and thin ankles, like me. In Thailand too they don’t sit in Seiza, so as a result everyone looked to be in varying degrees of pain. Here I am desperately trying to rearrange my legs into a less painful position. I actually have to sit like this during Shorinji Kempo so it wasn’t so bad for me, but I still tried to sneak in an easier sitting position.

Subtle like a bulldozer!

The actual ceremony itself involves everyone eating this really sweet, sugary kind of blob called Mochi, and drinking the green tea that was handed around having been brewed in a traditional manner. The reason for this is the tea itself is so bitter it could bring about the end of the world if left unchecked, which is where the sugary Mochi comes in. I don’t know, something tells me if people in England were told they have to spend 40 minutes to make a cup of tea, builders would take four times as long to get anything done.

I had a go at the actual ceremony itself, and although from afar it looks like you just pick up the big spoon thing and fill the bowl thing, there is a million different rules that I broke all at the same time. Notice the excellent Seiza in the above photograph. You couldn’t fit a piece of paper in between my legs there. Beautiful.

So, that was the tea ceremony taken care of. The Thai Students told me they all had a great time, which was nice, and I have to admit I too enjoyed the day, even just to try to understand Japanese history and culture a little more, although I think it only served to confuse me, and damage my ankles.

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