Student Blog

2min read

Tea was introduced to Japan from China about 1,000 years ago. Japan then developed into the tea ceremony. The tea ceremony has been continued not only to enjoy the taste of tea, but also to train the mind in the art of creating a space for entertaining guests and creating beautiful movements.

The beauty of the motion of the host pouring hot water into the "matcha (powdered green tea) " and making it is a must-see.
They entertain guests by taking care of various things such as tea bowls and sweets, depending on the season and the guests' needs.

During the Tenku Festival, the multicultural APU Tea Ceremony Club created the opportunity to manage a tea party event, it was a pleasure to join in!

In this event, participants were able to experience making their own tea. Each participant was given a tea bowl with green tea powder, a Japanese sweets called “ocha gashi” as the perfect pair for the green tea’s bitterness, and a traditional Japanese whisker. Then, one member performed the ceremony with a serene background. Afterward, the participants had the chance to whisk their cups with the guidance of the member and spend some time enjoying the drink alongside the snack.

Following the ceremony, I had the chance to talk with one of the members about the purpose of establishing the Tea Ceremony club. They are eager in raising awareness of the traditional tea ceremony values among more people, and what better way to promote it in APU where the students are diverse? They welcome everyone and hope that more international students will experience this new culture through their circle!

Lee Yukyung, a second-year student at the College of Asia Pacific Studies from South Korea,
spoke about tea ceremony as one of the members of the club.

As someone who has never participated in a tea ceremony before, I was amazed to see that the members were able to carry out the tradition thoroughly, and it was such a delightful experience for me.

Special thanks to Lee Yukyung for sharing her insight as a member of the Tea Ceremony circle. Tea Ceremony is a traditional Japanese culture that should be experienced by everyone and joining the circle is one of the great ways to enjoy this endeavour! Please look forward to the Tea Ceremony circle’s events in the future!

More information on the Tea Ceremony Instagram page: @apu_tea_ceremony_club

Members at the venue of the event “TENKU Tea Party”.
Usually on Tuesdays to Thursdays in the tea ceremony room on the second floor of the APU cafeteria!

Armadina Rifa

Hi everyone! You can call me Arma or Rifa, and I’m an APM student from Indonesia. My hobbies include strolling around the park while listening to music, trying new recipes, and binge-watching dramas. I hope that I can share my interesting experiences in APU with you!