Unexpected Delight: A Last-Minute Tea Ceremony in Kyoto
What a delightful surprise! Early in the morning, I received an email from an irish woman.
“The riverboat ride was unfortunately cancelled for us this morning … I understand this is very last minute but we would still love an opportunity to practice a tea ceremony while we have our last day in Kyoto, before we travel to Hakone in the late afternoon. I appreciate the time and effort that goes into each tea ceremony so we understand if there is no availability.”
Who would turn down such a wonderful offer? I was determined to make their last day in Kyoto a memorable and unforgettable one, with a strong desire to bring them joy.
It turned out that Sadhbh, who had participated in the workshop on the 28th, had recommended Komurasaki An to Eithne. I felt the small circle of recommendations gradually getting bigger, like a warm wave spreading out.
The six Irish people who visited were charming young men and women with beautiful smiles. They were bright, polite and very peaceful people. The workshop lasted about two hours, but the time flew by. Even though we had just met, I felt like they were friends I had known for a long time.
We are so grateful for the heartwarming review they wrote about our tea ceremony workshop. We appreciate their kind words and encouragement. We will continue to work hard to provide the best possible experience for our guests. Here is their review:
From the minute Aki and Naoko welcomed us into their beautiful home, we all felt at peace. Leaving the hustle and bustle of Arashiyama and entering the tranquil tea room made us all slow down and enjoy the present moment. They showed great hospitality and patiently walked through all the steps of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in perfect English. Watching Naoko go through the ceremony so gracefully and then getting to make our own tea was so special and fun! We could not recommend this experience more. Thank you Aki and Naoko for welcoming us into your home and showing us the significance of the Japanese tea ceremony – and reminding us how important it is in this hectic world to “slow down”. 🙂 It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity – ichi-go ich-e… Warmest regards, Eithne, David, Nifa, Benson, Emer and Cormac.
Thank you all so much for participating in the tea ceremony. I was so touched to read your kind words of appreciation and your feedback. I almost cried tears of joy when I read them. I miss you all so much already!
