Tea and Japanese Culture Events

This summer we had planned to have a Tanabata tea in the Senshin'an Tearoom and a display of bamboo with Tanabata decorations on the first floor of Leyburn library. Due to Covid 19 we had to make this a virtual event with the wish that we might be able to reschedule these events next summer.

The Opening of the Watson Pavilion Tea Room took place February 2, 2007 in conjunction with a meeting of the Board of Trustees. Minister Akitaka Saiki, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C. joined President Ruscio and Rector Phillip Norwood in giving the opening remarks to celebrate this momentous occasion. Tearoom builder, Seiji Suzuki, joined tea instructors Larry Tiscornia and Glenn Pereira in a formal tea demonstration for the opening ceremony.

In October 2015 Mr. Toshio Ohi, now Ohi Chozaemon, 11th generation of the tradition of Ohi-yaki of Kanazawa, visited W&L. He gave a public lecture on "The Cultural Importance of the Japanese Tea Bowl, A Venerated Tradition in Japan" and a private lecture for students.

In October 2011 Larry Sokyo Tiscornia and Kimika Soko Takechi, two tea ceremony instructors from San Francisco, visited Washington and Lee University. Mr. Tiscornia gave a lecture on Wednesday, October 19th, which was free and open to the public.

In winter term of 2010, Tea Instructor Glenn Pereira of Boston gave a lecture about traditional Japanese sweets, and held a hands-on sweet making workshop for W&L students.

Masataka Hata, President of Shoyeido Incense Company in Kyoto, and Professor Kiyoshi Ota visited W&L along with several members of the Kyoto company's staff to perform a traditional incense competition with students and members of the community.