Japanese Tea Ceremony

Japanese Tea Cermemony

 

The tea ceremony involves preparing powdered tea for guests according to custom and enjoying its austere taste quietly and serenely. Influenced by Zen Buddhism, the tea ceremony seeks to purify the mind and attain oneness with nature.

 

 

 

This week, the Students enjoyed a Tea ceremony with Hara Sensei.　They learnt how to drink tea and the names of the objects needed to make green tea.

 

 

Ocha （おちゃ）

 

Ochashaku（おちゃしゃく）

 

fukusa（ふくさ）

 

Ochawan (おちゃわん）

 

 

 Ochasen （おちゃせん）

 

Did you know these items also have green tea in them???

 icecream

 

kit kat

 

drinks

 

mochi

 

 

coffee

 

 

Hinamatsuri

Hinamatsuri

(三月三日）

 

The Japanese Doll Festival (or Girls' Day) is held on March the 3rd. Platforms with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, attendance and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period.

 

Traditional, these dolls were believed to have the power to take bad spirits away. That is why they have to be taken down from the display soon after hinamatsuri ends. If the dolls are left up past March the 4th, it is said that it will result in a late marriage for the daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionally, girls in Japan invited their friends to a home party and had a good time. Many people still prepare a special meal for girls on this day. Common food for hina matsuri are chirashizushi, clam soup and sakura-mochi.

 

 

 

Hishimochi is a special kind of Mochi (rice cake) that is coloured pink, white and green. The pink is for chasing evil spirits away, the white is for purity and the green is for health.

 

Explanation of the dolls stand

 

 

 

Hinamatsuri

 

 

A Japanese pop song by Minimoni about Hinamatsuri

 

 

Traditional Song for Hinamatsuri

See if you can try and sing along with the lyrics.