A Day of Culture

Yesterday, we spent a lot of time learning about the Japanese educational system. Today, we learned more about the Japanese culture through a tea ceremony and through a lesson on making chopsticks.


In Japan, a tea ceremony is normally a special occasion reserved for honored guests. Participants sit on a mat for the ceremony. In a traditional ceremony, kimonos are worn.




First, guests either eat a meal or a type of small desert. Then, guests drink a bowl of green tea. Tradition dictates that participants drink the tea in three and a half sips and rotate the bowl, so that they can be sure that they drink from the most beautiful side.



The tea is brewed in a special pot, and the beauty of all of the utensils is seen as an essential part of the event.



The purpose of the tea ceremony is to help participants acquire a peaceful mind and to teach them how to behave properly in society.

Later in the day, we met with the superintendent of the Tama City Board of Education. Once again, I was struck by the fact that Japan is experiencing some of the same educational problems that we have in the United States.

That being said, Japan has one of the most successful school systems in the world. When asked why, the superintendent says part of the credit lies with the fact that teachers, at all levels, are given a lot of support and training, especially new teachers.

We finished off the day by learning how to properly use chopsticks, and then we actually made and painted a pair of our own.

I think this colorful pair gets the "Best Chopsticks" award. They were made by one of the art teachers on our trip.




In a couple of weeks, all of the chopsticks will be lacquered and mailed to us in the United States.

Thanks for all of your posts. I hope you are enjoying my blog.