Workshops in Japanese traditional arts Flower Arrangement, Kado, and Tea Ceremony, Sado, were held at iCLA as part of the iEXPerience Program. In this final program of the Spring Semester 2024, respected masters based in Kofu were invited to iCLA to teach beginner lessons in the two classical arts of Japanese refinement.
The iEXPerience Program, which is organized semesterly by iCLA, typically includes visits to culturally or historically important spots around the prefecture with the aim for students to deepen their understanding of Yamanashi Prefecture and Japan. Students have the opportunity to experience arts or cultural activities with guidance from local experts in the field or iCLA’s professors specializing in the subject. For this occasion, the program was held at iCLA.
The program started with the Tea Ceremony or Sado workshop, which was held in iCLA’s Japanese-style tea room. Students learned tea ceremony etiquette such as handling fukusa (small silk cloth), bowing, receiving sweets and matcha, and observing decorative elements inside the tea room. Japanese-style sweets or wagashi in the shape of “Aoume”, an unripe Japanese plum, was chosen for this occasion to represent the summer season.
The second workshop of the iEXPerience Program was Flower Arrangement or Kado. Students tried the Sansaiike arrangement using spring/summer flowers like varieties of lilies, chrysanthemum, and dogwood, emphasizing the importance of seasonality in Kado. The Sansaiike arrangement represents heaven, earth, and people, and it is the most elementary of the arrangements in Kado.
After each of the sessions, the participating students of the workshops had question-and-answer time with the instructors on their experience, about Sado and Kado, and so forth.
This iEXPerience Program was the concluding program of Spring Semester 2024. Previous iEXPerience Programs in the semester included a cultural visit to Zenkoji Temple with a Haiku workshop led by Professor William Reed at Tokoji Temple, and a delightful Wadaiko Experience with Nirasaki Technical High School and Professor Mike Blow.
Students can look forward to more iEXPerience Programs in Fall Semester 2024. The program is open to all iCLA students to join.
Links
iEXPerience: Wadaiko with Nirasaki Technical High School
iEXPerience: Local Temple Tour and Haiku Workshop
iEXPerience: Visit to Lumiere Winery to Learn about Yamanashi Wine Industry
iEXPerience: iCLA Students Visit Erinji Temple
iEXPerience: Erinji Temple for Tea Ceremony and Calligraphy Experience