AN authentic Japanese tea ceremony celebrating the star festival Tanabata will be held at the Bahrain National Museum today.
Held as part of a series of events to introduce Japanese culture to the Middle East, the event will showcase the way of Japanese tea to the public.
Those attending the event will learn to make paper decorations to hang on bamboo trees, enjoy folk tales and take part in a traditional tea gathering, known as chado, during which guests will be served matcha and traditional Japanese sweets.
The ceremony will be led by Chawan Authentic Tea House founder Budoor Steele who, during her six years in Japan, studied Japanese humanities at the Kyushu University in Fukuoka, attended a professional kimono school and practised ‘The Way of Tea’ under Urasenke school.
Ms Steele is also a certified tea master professional, tea sommelier, and tea blending professional – credentials she earned from the International Tea Institute, where she is also a faculty member.
She aims to spread Japanese culture in the Middle East, starting in Bahrain, by hosting cultural activities and workshops, such as kimono dressing, Japanese calligraphy (shodo), and the way of tea (chado).
Founded in 2012, Chawan aims to raise awareness about tea by offering professional training to the hospitality sector and supplying teas imported directly from Japan, making it the first registered organic Bahraini tea brand.
The special event will be held at the museum’s Darseen Café at 4pm.
To register for the event and for more details, visit www.chawanbh.com and follow @chawanbh on Instagram.