Following the direction of Prof. Dr. Le Quan, Director of VNU, Vietnam Japan University has organized a program to experience the art of Japanese Tea Ceremony in collaboration with Hanoi Urasenke Tankokai Club and Urasenke USSH Tea Ceremony Club (University of Social Sciences and Humanities).
Mr. Machita Soryu, Vice Head of the Urasenke Tea Ceremony, presided over the tea offering ceremony to the leaders of VNU, Vietnam-Japan University, University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam. In a friendly and open atmosphere, Mr. Machita shared the basic principles of the Urasenke tea ceremony as well as the appearance of the tea bowl originating from Vietnam, called Annam yaki as a symbol of cultural exchange between the two countries in the tea ceremony. He added that the round tea bowl and the green tea symbolize the Earth and the prosperity bestowed by nature, we need to preserve that peace. And that is why, at the center of the event space, we placed the calligraphy with the word PEACE between the national flags of Vietnam and Japan.
Mr. Machita Soryu, Vice Head of the Urasenke Tea Ceremony School, offers tea and explains the meaning of Tea Ceremony.
Mr. Machita Soryu performs the tea ceremony
Mr. Watanabe Shige (Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Japan) delivered a welcoming speech.
Associate Professor Dr. Pham Bao Son, Vice President of VNU, shared that he had also attended a tea party in Japan and felt very moved to enjoy Japanese tea ceremony but with the flavor of Vietnamese tea and right at Hoa Lac University Urban Area. At the same time, Vice President Nguyen Hoang Hai discussed the idea of building a tea brand in the 500-hectare raw material area in Hoa Lac, including matcha products in tea ceremony.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Bao Son, Vice President of VNU Hanoi enjoys tea
Speaking at the event, Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, also expressed his admiration for Japanese culture in general and the peaceful spirit of Japanese tea ceremony in particular. At the same time, Rector Hoang Anh Tuan also shared his pride in establishing the Urasenke USSH Tea Ceremony Club with many meaningful activities, especially the small contribution of students of the Urasenke USSH Tea Ceremony Club in this important event. Mr. Machita wished the Professor good health and invited the guests to enjoy the tea making and tea offering performances by the students.
Principal Hoang Anh Tuan took a souvenir photo with leaders, lecturers of the Faculty of Oriental Studies and students of the Department of Japanese Studies, members of the USSH Urasenke Tea Ceremony Club
A student member of the USSH Urasenke Tea Ceremony Club performs the tea ceremony for guests.
Urasenke USSH Tea Ceremony Club members rejoice before the performance
The event ended but left a very good impression in the hearts of the delegates attending. For many people, this was the first time they had directly experienced a long-standing, unique traditional cultural feature of Japanese culture right in the modern university urban area, an open space of Hanoi National University, and using Vietnamese tea as the main ingredient. And another interesting thing is that the quintessence of the art of tea ceremony was not only performed by famous artists from Japan but also by students from the Department of Japanese Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities. That shows the exchange and blending of traditional cultures of the two countries and is a meaningful event in the series of practical activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.
