Audrey King's trip to Japan Diary

Sapporo Cultural Events - DAY FIVE

The Sapporo Guest House
Today we discovered even more about Japanese culture and tradition at the Sapporo Guest House. The gardens there were beautiful but it was a little difficult to get around on the flagstone paths.


Siberian Irises.


A Traditional Japanese Garden.


Japanese Tea Ceremony.


Using the Bamboo Scoop.

A Japanese Tea Ceremony
We watched a Japanese Tea Ceremony (called SADO in Japanese). This special ceremony first started about 500 hundred years ago. It takes a long time because everything must be done in a certain way. For example, special teacups without handles are used. They must be wiped with a special cloth that is folded in a certain way and the cups must be turned so the patterns face the guests.

A special bamboo scoop is used to put hot water in the cups and a bamboo whisk is used to froth the green tea powder (MACCHA) into foam, which is then presented to the guests, along with some special sweet candies.

  • Can you remember what the ladies dresses are called?
  • See if you can spot the bamboo scoop.


George and Martha drinking Japanese tea.
Frothing up the tea with a bamboo whisk.

After the ladies served us, it was our turn to make tea for them. My tea must have tasted pretty good because one of the ladies gave me a lovely present after she tasted the tea I made for her. It was a beautiful orange silk pad to sit a hot teapot on.

  • Have you ever tasted "green" tea?
  • Did you like it?


"Hmmm... Audrey’s tea tastes pretty good".


Being presented with a gift.

Learning to write Japanese

In another room a SHODO master showed us how to write "person" and "friend" in KANJI symbols. These symbols came from China hundreds and hundred of years ago. I practiced a lot with the black ink and SUMI brush he gave us but I couldn’t do it very well. So, after a while I just made my own design! The teacher also showed us how to write our own names in Japanese KANJI and everybody got to take their work home as a souvenir. Can YOU make the Japanese symbol for friend? Use the yellow card in the picture as a model).


"That’s definitely NOT the KANJI symbol for "friend"!".

All Japanese children learn to write KANJI at school from a very young age. Noriko told us she loves doing this kind of art and has some of her work hanging in her apartment. Then she asked, "Will you come to my apartment this afternoon for Japanese tea and ice cream? I’d love to show you my Japanese home."

WHAT A SILLY QUESTION! OF COURSE WE WILL COME!

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