Step Inside The Tea House Built In Japan And Shipped To Denver Decades Ago
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsAt the heart of the Denver Botanic Gardens' Shofu-en Japanese Garden is a tea house built in Japan, shipped to Colorado and reassembled here.
As the Shofu-en garden turns 40 (shofu-en means "garden of pine and wind"), here's a rare look at the tea ceremony.
Guests can choose to pass through the Nakakuguri, a gateway that leads to the Ella Mullen Weckbaugh Tea House.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsIn front of the tea house, host Hazuki Tochihara, of Denver, explains what her guests can expect in the hours to come.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsTochihara demonstrates the ritual hand-washing that precedes entry to the tea house.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsBehind the scenes, tea and snacks are prepared in the small kitchen.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsA tea kettle and decorative bowl sit on a tatami mat inside the tea house.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsGuests make sure to remove their footwear before stepping onto the tatami mat.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsThe ceremony begins.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsTochihara explains the tea ceremony before participants are invited to join in. Tea was brought to Japan from China around the time of Zen Buddhism's birth.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsCeremonial bowls are filled with matcha green tea. Guests are encouraged to slurp the final drops to reveal the decoration at the bottom of the bowl.
Ryan Warner/CPR NewsGuests take part in the tea ceremony, which is about much more than drinking tea. It's about quieting the mind, being in the present moment and appreciating beauty.
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