Kurashiki City is home to a former port of call for Kitamaebune ships, and is a city recognized as part of the Japan Heritage site “A different world entwined with the dreams of men who overcame the stormy seas: Kitamaebune ports of call and shipowner settlements.”
As a result, merchants gathered around the port towns, and tea culture became popular as a refined pastime.
Even today, Kurashiki City is a region where school tea ceremony is especially popular nationwide, and many people are said to enjoy tea ceremony as part of their junior high and high school clubs.
The Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering, which draws around 1,000 residents each year, is held as a place where people can casually experience tea ceremony, even if they “can’t prepare tea themselves but would like to drink authentic matcha.”
We spoke with an organizing committee member about how to enjoy the 19th Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering, scheduled to be held on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
The information presented is as of the article’s publication in September 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is the 19th Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering?
The 19th Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering is a tea gathering to be held on Sunday, September 29, 2024, at the Aichi Theater in Kurashiki Geibunkan Hall and in the Japanese-style room on the fourth floor of its annex.
Although it has been canceled in some years to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is held every year with the hope of letting residents enjoy tea, including those who do not usually study tea ceremony.
In 2024, the Omotesenke and Urasenke schools will each host one tea session, so visitors can enjoy two sessions in total.
Differences between the Omotesenke and Urasenke schools
Omotesenke is a school of tea ceremony founded by Sen Sosa, a great-grandson of Rikyu.
Popular in Kyoto and Kishu (present-day Wakayama Prefecture), Omotesenke is characterized by whisking matcha lightly, so that the foam forms a crescent-moon shape.
Meanwhile, Urasenke is a school of tea ceremony founded by Sen Soshitsu, a great-grandson of Rikyu.
Urasenke is a major school said to account for half of Japan’s three million tea ceremony practitioners, and its matcha is whisked into a fluffy foam.
What to wear and bring on the day
You may imagine that people attend tea gatherings wearing kimono, but the Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering allows participants to wear regular clothes.
It is still quite hot at the end of September, and it is also a time of year when it can be hard to decide whether to wear a summer or winter kimono. For this reason, even people who usually study tea ceremony reportedly attend the Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering in regular clothes.
You also do not need to bring kaishi (paper napkins used during tea ceremony) or a sweets pick, which are needed for drinking tea. Since this is a casual tea gathering, these items will be provided at the tea session.
So, on the day, you can simply come in regular clothes with your tea-session ticket and take part.
- Kaishi: Japanese paper used to hold Japanese sweets during a tea ceremony
- Sweets pick: A utensil used to cut sweets. A toothpick, small fork, or kuromoji twig may also be used
Interview with an organizer
We spoke with Oguma Kazutoyo, a member of the Citizens’ Tea Gathering organizing committee, about how to enjoy the “19th Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering.”
The “Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering” is celebrating its 19th year this year (2024).
Oguma (honorific omitted)
The Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering began with the aim of letting residents enjoy tea.
It was canceled in some years to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but this year marks its 19th edition.
We hold it so that residents can enjoy tea casually, whether or not they study tea ceremony, which is why tickets are an affordable 1,000 yen. Of course, you are welcome to come in regular clothes.
About how many people attend each year?
Oguma
Each school hosts its own tea session, and around 1,000 people attend in total.
Recently, I feel that more young people want to try authentic matcha. As a result, many of the tea gathering’s visitors are either older people like us or young people. There are fewer people in their 40s and 50s.
The same is true of those who perform the tea ceremony. Young people are still in the middle of their training, so we rarely entrust them with hosting a tea session. As a result, those preparing the tea tend to be older people. Since young people have shown an interest, I would be happy if the Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering helped increase the number of people who enjoy tea.
Could you tell us about the tea and sweets served at this Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering?
Oguma
At this Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering, both the Omotesenke and Urasenke schools will serve usucha (thin tea) only. Usucha is often served at cafes, too, so it should be easy to enjoy even for first-timers.
The Omotesenke and Urasenke schools use different teas. Their preparation methods also differ: Omotesenke does not create much foam, while Urasenke produces a creamy foam, so I think each school chooses a tea that suits its style. One ticket lets you enjoy two sessions, so please enjoy comparing the teas.
We have asked Kikkodo to provide the sweets. For both tea sessions, the person serving as host (the person who prepares the tea) consults with Kikkodo on a design suited to the Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering. The sweets served on the day are original creations available only at the Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering, so we hope you enjoy both their appearance and taste.
I’ve heard that tea can be enjoyed not only for its taste but also with your eyes.
Oguma
That’s right.
In the world of tea, we look ahead to the seasons. The end of September is a little early for autumn leaves, but you should see autumn-themed kimono patterns, sweets, and flowers.
It will still be hot, but I hope you’ll enjoy autumn a little early.
Can beginners attend on their own?
Oguma
Of course!
The first time slot in the morning is usually attended by many people experienced in tea ceremony who come to the Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering every year, so it may feel quite formal. In particular, the first three or so people to enter a tea session have roles to play as guests, such as interacting with the host and one another in front of the other guests. So I recommend entering around the middle or toward the end. People around you who have experience can show you how to drink the tea, and you can follow their example and observe what others are doing.
If you come as a group, we can arrange for you to attend the same tea session, so please feel free to let us know.
Do you have a message for our readers?
Oguma
Above all, I hope you’ll come casually and enjoy the feeling of autumn while drinking tea. Enjoy delicious tea and autumn-themed sweets, and spend a relaxing time together.
From the Writer
I started studying tea ceremony through school tea ceremony and continue to study it today. Before moving to Kurashiki in December 2023, I lived in the Kanto region, where I had the impression that tea gatherings were exclusive events that only people introduced by a teacher could attend.
However, after moving to Kurashiki, I got the impression that there are many places where even beginners can casually enjoy authentic tea gatherings.
Matcha sweets and similar treats have become popular recently, and, like Oguma, I hope more people will take an interest in tea through gatherings like the Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering, which are authentic yet easy to attend.
Why not enjoy comparing delicious teas and savoring autumn-themed sweets at Kurashiki Geibunkan Hall on Sunday, September 29?
19th Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering Information
| Name | 19th Kurashiki Citizens’ Tea Gathering |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, September 29, 2024, 9:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m. ※Reception hours |
| Location | 1-18-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City |
| Admission (tax included) | 1,000 yen |
| Website | Kurashiki City Cultural Promotion Division |
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