Monday, July 21, 2008

Three Turns for Tea, 1000 for Coffee


My friend's parents took me to a temple for a tea ceremony, or chadoh, in Kamakura yesterday. At left, you can see the woman who served me matcha, a bitter and frothy drink made whisking green tea powder in a special ceramic bowl, or chawan. To drink tea properly, I was told, you must turn the bowl three times so that you do not drink from the front of the bowl. My friend Hisayo is now studying tea ceremony at age 52. She likely will give me more tips on how to practice tea ceremony as I am staying with her for a few days in Ena.

Drinking coffee is a little easier in Japan -- usually. For the past three days, while staying in Fujisawa City with my friend's parents, I got to help out with the coffee making. Sumire's father likes doing things the old-fashioned way, so we cranked a coffee grinder by hand 1,000 times to prepare the beans.

Tonight, the coffee drinking was easier. My friend Kosaka San treated Hisayo and me to hotto koohi (hot coffee) at a kissaten (cafe) in Ena. Totemo tanoshikatta desu!

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