Oh How Sweet the Tea

I did not expect the serenity when I walked in to Urasenke Tea Center. I was a little bit nervous if I was going to be late. But, after knowing that the Japanese tea masters aren’t that strict about the timing, I was relieved.

What the tea master said to us before we entered the ceremony impacted me. When he asked us to empty our minds and forget about “who we are.” There are so many titles i have in my life: A son, a student, an older brother, a grandson, a boyfriend, and a church member. But, to forget about all of them was such a good experience. I could really think about who I am.

Also, the sweets were so delicious that I wanted to take it home. Oh my goodness. I’ve never tasted something so delicious in my life.

The interior of the tea house was authentic in a way that it preserved the original architecture from Kyoto, Japan. When I saw the garden, I felt like I flew to Japan in that moment. I could experience something that I would only be able to encounter in Japan.

The tea really calmed me down. It gave me a short relaxing moment in the midst of one of the fastest and busiest cities in the world.