Konnichiwa!

Last month, JCC invited visitors to step into the world of chado, or the Way of Tea, as if stepping into a tearoom itself. I truly felt at peace and tranquil during this period, and I believe that everyone else felt the Zen spirit too. I was also delighted to see an overwhelming amount of interest in the subject and its related fields, be it during the guided tours of the exhibition, the ink painting workshops, or the tea ceremony demonstration. Chado is a traditional Japanese culture filled with various Japanese elements such as ceramics, flower arrangement, calligraphy and the spirit of hospitality...(Click here to read more)

Opening Ceremony of Chado ~ The Spirit of the Way of Tea ~

The opening ceremony of “Chado – The Spirit of the Way of Tea –“ exhibition was held at JCC (Japan Creative Centre) on 3 September. The ceremony started with speeches by H.E. Ambassador Jun Yamazaki, Mr. Tan Jong Lek, Vice President of Chado Urasenke Tankokai Singapore Association, and Mr. Stanley Chng, Founder of Water and Ink Singapore Pte Ltd. Following the speeches, Ms. Sochoku Nakabayashi...(Click here to read more)

Workshop: Viewing the Golden Wall with Imagination and the Eyes of a Child

A workshop on “Viewing the Golden Wall with Imagination and Eyes of a Child” was held last Saturday, 10 September 2022 as part of the “Chado: The Spirit of the Way of Tea” exhibition at JCC. Conducted by local artist Mr Stanley Chng in four sessions, participants consisting of both children and adults took part in the workshop and had immense fun learning and trying out spontaneous...(Click here to read more)

Tea Ceremony Demonstration

A tea ceremony demonstration by Chado Urasenke Tankokai Singapore Association was held on 17 September 2022 at Japan Creative Centre (JCC), as part of the “Chado ~ The Spirit of the Way of Tea ~” exhibition at JCC. Participants were able to watch the full demonstration with in-depth explanation by Mr Clarence Chua, and were also treated to tea. The session was followed by a Q&A session, as well as a guided tour of...(Click here to read more)

Singapore Sogetsu Association 56th Anniversary Charity Dinner

On 23 September, Singapore Sogetsu Association held its 56th Anniversary Charity Dinner at Shangri-la Hotel. H.E. Ambassador Jun Yamazaki attended the celebration as the Guest of Honour, together with Ms. Pandora Ip, President of Singapore Sogetsu Association and Ms. Latha Kutty, Executive Director of Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS). Mr. Sairin Mori, Master Instructor of Sogetsu Headquarters, demonstrated a...(Click here to read more)

Commendation Ceremony for Chado Urasenke Tankokai Singapore Association

On 24 September 2022, H.E. Ambassador Jun Yamazaki presented to the Chado Urasenke Tankokai Singapore Association (茶道裏千家淡交会シンガポール協会), the Japanese Foreign Minster’s Commendation for 2022 for the distinguished contribution in promoting Japanese culture in Singapore, through which the organisation had enhanced friendly relations between...(Click here to read more)

Visit by students of NUS

A group of National University of Singapore (NUS) students who are taking the Japanese Studies Module visited JCC for the exhibition, “Chado: The Spirit of the Way of Tea” to understand and learn more about Japanese tea culture and its utensils. The students had a guided tour around the exhibition and had the opportunity to experience a live demonstration of the Japanese tea ceremony...(Click here to read more)

Blessings from Ariake Sea

Surrounded by four prefectures including Saga Prefecture, the shallow Ariake Sea has many blessings to offer. Being Japan’s biggest tidal wetland, it accounts for about 40% of the country’s wetlands. Besides that, it has the largest tidal difference in Japan, with a difference as great as six metres when the tide flows out, revealing mudflats of approximately five to seven kilometres. You might imagine that Ariake Sea is not as clear as other seas...(Click here to read more)

The Simple Comfort of Ochazuke

The combination of rice with tea is simple yet comforting. It is a well-loved combination, as evident from its presence in different cultures. There are numerous types of tea flavoured with rice such as Japanese brown rice tea (genmaicha), Thai rice tea (cha hom khao mai), and Korean scorched rice tea (sungnyung). Singaporeans may also be familiar with Hakka thunder tea (lei cha) rice, which can be considered an acquired taste. Moreover, you may...(Click here to read more)

Sports Day

The second Monday of October is Taiiku no Hi, or Sports Day, a national holiday to foster healthy minds and bodies through physical activity. It was established to commemorate the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which were held from October 10 to 24. It was designated a national holiday two years later in 1966. Until 1999 the holiday was on October 10, but beginning in 2000 it has been changed to the second Monday of the month.

Why were the 1964 Games held in October, which is quite late for the Summer Games? The biggest reason...(Click here to read more)