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Tea ceremony takes centre stage at new Japanese club

Dubai Otemae Club performed a tea ceremony and other Japanese traditions to UAE residents and expats on their launch at Fujiya restaurant in Dubai. (Supplied)
Dubai Otemae Club performed a tea ceremony and other Japanese traditions to UAE residents and expats on their launch at Fujiya restaurant in Dubai. (Supplied)
Dubai Otemae Club performed a tea ceremony and other Japanese traditions to UAE residents and expats on their launch at Fujiya restaurant in Dubai. (Supplied)
Dubai Otemae Club performed a tea ceremony and other Japanese traditions to UAE residents and expats on their launch at Fujiya restaurant in Dubai. (Supplied)
Dubai Otemae Club performed a tea ceremony and other Japanese traditions to UAE residents and expats on their launch at Fujiya restaurant in Dubai. (Supplied)
Dubai Otemae Club performed a tea ceremony and other Japanese traditions to UAE residents and expats on their launch at Fujiya restaurant in Dubai. (Supplied)
Dubai Otemae Club performed a tea ceremony and other Japanese traditions to UAE residents and expats on their launch at Fujiya restaurant in Dubai. (Supplied)
Dubai Otemae Club performed a tea ceremony and other Japanese traditions to UAE residents and expats on their launch at Fujiya restaurant in Dubai. (Supplied)
19 Nov 2019 02:11:01 GMT9
19 Nov 2019 02:11:01 GMT9

Diana Farah, Dubai

The growing interest in Japanese culture and traditions was evident at the launch of a Japanese club in Dubai earlier this week.

When the Dubai Otemae Club opened on Nov. 16, it was accompanied by an elaborate tea ceremony at Fujiya, a Japanese restaurant in Dubai, where around 200 guests were gathered.

Kakuko Sugawara, a member of the new Japanese club, said that the organization was founded by four members, including the owner of Dubai’s Japanese cafe Sakura, Michiyo Chiba, and some volunteers keen to promote the Japanese culture in the UAE.

They also presented cultural activities such as Ikebana, a flower arrangement demonstration, and Origami.

The center of attraction, though, was a tea ceremony, which Sugawara said has its origins in the 8th century.

“It is a ceremonial way of preparing and drinking green tea. Beyond just serving and receiving tea, one of the main purposes of the tea ceremony is for the guests to enjoy the hospitality of the host in an atmosphere distinct from the fast pace of everyday life,” she said.

Tea master Mariko Ando, with 20 years of teaching and learning the sacred tradition behind her, took charge of the ceremony.

Sugawara said that the movements involved in making the tea eventually become one fascinating process of virtue and art.

“The more you learn the meaning of movement, the more you become conscious of making your movements to be smoother and elegant. In the end, the discipline will also appear in your daily life once you start the practice,” she said.

Tea ceremonies over centuries

Sugarawa explained that during the 16th century, a more refined version of tea parties developed with Zen-inspired simplicity and a greater emphasis on spirituality. It was from these gatherings that the tea ceremony started as a Japanese tradition.

Among the wealthy members of Japanese society, tea drinking parties became a popular event in which participants would show off their exquisite tea bowls and display their knowledge of tea, she said.

The director of Fujiya, Akio Hayakawa, said he was excited to provide an opportunity to promote the Dubai Otemae Club.

“I am always looking for an occasion to showcase Japanese culture,” he said. “I spoke to [Kakuko] Sugarawa about a month ago, and we both agreed this would be something fun, even for Japanese expats in the UAE.”

Hayakawa explained that the tea tradition is a mindset and a way of disciplining oneself.

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