Osaka 'Sakai Richo-no-mori' Tea Ceremony Experience

Japanese Tea Ceremony,
Isn't it Difficult?

Tea ceremony, a culture unfamiliar to us, may seem difficult. But, there's no need to worry. When you visit the tea room, a kind tea ceremony teacher will explain everything in detail for you.

Tea ceremony is a culture in Japan where tea is carefully prepared and served to guests. The etiquette of tea ceremony consists of the host brewing good tea in an elegant teacup and serving it, and the guest's attitude in receiving it. It is a principle to pay close attention to the preparation of kaiseki cuisine, a simple dish that comes with tea, and tea utensils, but the most important thing is the attitude of serving guests with sincerity. Experience the tea ceremony and learn a new mindset!

Make Matcha with Your Own Hands

Do you know the difference between matcha and green tea? There are many differences, such as cultivation method and nutrition, but the biggest difference is the 'form of tea'. Green tea is leaf tea that uses green tea leaves as they are, and matcha is powdered tea in powder form. Unlike green tea, which is brewed in hot water, it is made by dissolving powder directly in water.

The tea that is the center of Japanese tea ceremony is this matcha. After scooping matcha powder with a tea spoon, mix it with hot water and stir it with a tea whisk until it foams. This foam is called an emulsion, and since the emulsion determines the taste of matcha, you can adjust the amount of emulsion to your liking. First, learn how to make matcha from the teacher, and then make your own matcha!

Hwagwaja, a Perfect Match for Matcha

Hwagwaja is a fantastic combination when served with matcha. Hwagwaja, like Korean traditional sweets, refers to Japanese traditional sweets. As the ornate and well-decorated appearance is a characteristic, there is even a saying that 'the first taste is enjoyed with the eyes, and the last taste is enjoyed with the tongue'. It is sweet, so it is mainly served with matcha.

If you take a bite of sweet hwagwaja and take a sip of matcha with a bitter charm, you can feel the harmony between the two. Finally, if you drink matcha and make a 'slurp' sound, you can finish the tea time politely.

Have Fun Even After the Experience!

So far, we've learned about the tea ceremony experience. For those who are sad after the experience, I'll introduce what else you can do here. Sakai Richo-no-mori is full of the charm of the Sakai area. If you watch 'Time Trip Sakai', where you can watch the three-dimensionally recreated medieval Sakai street scenery from a free angle, you will feel like you are traveling through time. Don't worry, because there are pamphlets in Korean.