How a Simple Email Sparked a Memorable Cultural Exchange
I received a tea ceremony booking at the beginning of March. I sent a thank you email for the booking, and a reply came back almost immediately. The attached photo was surprisingly of a woman in a kimono standing in a traditional Japanese room. Let me share the email I received from her.
I am so happy to hear from you. I am looking forward to learning the tea ceremony ways with you.
I’m from Los Angeles and have been to Japan at least 20 times. I have been to Arashiyama many times, but only for short day visits. This time, I will be staying two nights and can enjoy my time there.
Normally, I travel with my husband. Two years ago, we even brought our kids (16 and 12 years old). They loved Japan too!
I have begun studying Urasenke tea ceremony in Los Angeles. I have taken only 4 classes (maybe 8 by the time I meet you). I am very new to tea ceremony, so I look forward to watching and learning from you.
Naoko and I have been hosting tea ceremony workshops for foreign tourists since last January, but this was the first time we would be performing the ceremony with someone who is also studying the way of tea. Although Naoko and I were a little nervous, the excitement of sharing the tea ceremony with someone experienced in it far outweighed our apprehension, and we couldn’t wait.
As I waited at Hankyu Arashiyama Station holding a print with the American flag, a woman approached me and said in fluent Japanese, ‘Aki-san, hajimemashite. I’m Garin.’ It was Garin. Having visited Japan over 20 times, I immediately sensed that she probably knew more about Japan than I did. When I mentioned that I had studied English in an English course at Ohio Wesleyan University when I was 25, she widened her eyes and exclaimed, ‘Oh really? I’ve never been to Ohio!’ At that moment, I secretly thought that perhaps I might know more about America than she did.
Garin was considerate and spoke to Naoko and me in English, choosing her words carefully and using easy-to-understand expressions. I felt this was similar to the spirit of Omotenashi in the tea ceremony, where the host strives to make the guests feel comfortable and at ease. She mentioned that she plans to continue studying the way of tea even after returning to the United States.
She’s on the plane heading back home now. It was only a week-long trip to Japan, I wonder how it was for her? I hope she thoroughly enjoyed the tea ceremony workshop. Right now, she’s probably experiencing a mix of emotions – the sadness of leaving Japan and the excitement of seeing her husband and two sons waiting for her in LA. I sincerely hope she cherishes our meeting and keeps it somewhere special in her heart.
Naoko and I savored the chocolate from LA that Garin gave us. I felt like it was the first time I had ever tasted chocolate so sweet and delicious.
