Kanazawa has gained even more attention lately, thanks to the easy access made possible by the new Hokuriku bullet train route. Coming up next, cultra will conduct a premium tour that delves into the rich history of tea and art abounding in this city.
Bringing together up-and-coming “food artist” Ayako Suwa, and Soukyu Nara, a respected tea master who practices the Urasenke Konnichi-An style, we bring you an unprecedented experience revolving around the tradition of tea. Taste the ultimate world of “wabicha” created by Nara’s tea with Suwa’s original plot which will harmonize with the D.T. Suzuki Museum, a place meant to experience and celebrate Zen. The journey will impress and surprise you with amazing experience and taste. We invite you to experience this special tea ceremony with us in Kanazawa, an extraordinary place where the traditional customs of the Kaga region still thrive.
On the first day, you will experience authentic formal tea ceremony. We will make a visit to the Ohi Museum, Nara’s parents’ home, and enjoy appreciating the beauty of tea potteries that retain an essence of traditional culture of Kanazawa. Every one of Ohi wares is hand-formed by skilled craftsperson. Their beautiful amber gloss brings out the vivid color of ceremonial green tea. With an explanatory guide by Nara as a curator of the museum to learn about essential tea utensils, we walk into the world of the tea and enrich our view of tradition. After the visit at the museum, we will move to Nara’s Kouko-An and experience his tea. The school is located at the place where Soshitsu Senso, who established Urasenke style, had lived which was granted by Tsunanori Maeda, the 5th lord of Kaga clan. Soshitsu Senso was the great-grandchild of Sen no Rikyu, and as his grandfather who had been an iconic figure of Toyotomi clan, Soshitsu Senso had also been very famous tea master of Maeda clan. It would be a memorable experience of tea ceremony held in a special place that is normally withheld from public view to get a glimpse of history of Kanazawa and the tea.
On the second day, we will appreciate “new taste” provided by Ayako Suwa with the theme of tea ceremony, which would be a new attempt even for Suwa. She will create an unique tea ceremony under the concept of “one’s own sensation derived by tasting the tea”, which will no doubt be a brand-new experience for those who have “tasted” her works before.
The concept of “finding a new self with the questions of how to confront oneself filled with invisible yet common human sensations, emotions and desires” is a primary source of Suwa’s various activities, which resembles and is associated with the idea of Zen. This distinct experience of tasting will be held at D.T. Suzuki Museum, which was established as a place for contemplation to allow visitors to deepen their understanding of the ideas of a Buddhist philosopher, Daisetz Suzuki. D.T. Suzuki Museum will serve as a place to offer extraordinary experience where philosophy of Zen and Daisetz Suzuki interact and resonate with eating. We hope you won’t miss this rare opportunity to engage deeply with the tea to this extent, and enjoy the world of the tea created from Suwa’s unique perspective as contrasted to the value of traditional Japanese art of tea ceremony.
If you are interested, please contact us using the following e-mail address:
A spacious, purely Japanese style room will welcome you with quality interior such as a Japanese lattice window and tatami that convey good old tradition of Kanazawa. Enjoy relaxing and pleasant time in this luxurious yet quaint room. A room is provided for 3~4 persons in general, but if you’d like to stay as a single customer in a room, please consult us.
