Did you know that there is a beautiful Japanese garden in the Washington Park Arboretum?

It is a 3.5-acre formal garden designed and built under the supervision of world-renowned Japanese garden designer Juki Iida in 1960. On the weekends, you can experience Japanese tea culture, or chado (茶道 the Way of Tea), in the tranquil Shoseian（松声庵）teahouse inside the garden.

The simple yet elegant teahouse constructed of Western red cedar and mud walls is approached by granite stepping-stones that wind through a deep carpet of moss beneath mature Japanese maples. For a moment, you might feel like you had walked into Kyoto. At the door, you will be greeted warmly by , dressed in traditional Japanese garb. She apprenticed under the renowned tea master Daisosho Sen Genshitsu, 15th generation head of the Urasenke tradition of chado, from 1975 to 1981 in Kyoto. After her training, and at Dr. Sen’s behest, she returned to Seattle to teach a course in chado and Japanese aesthetics at the University of Washington and serve as the director of the Seattle branch of the Urasenke Foundation, one of the main schools of the Japanese tea ceremony. Visitors can can participate in chado tea gatherings and introductory demonstrations hosted by Mitchell and her staff.

Shoseian visitors are served powdered green tea and seasonal Japanese confections in the 6-tatami-mat room while they learn about the principles of chado — (和wa) harmony, (敬kei) respect, (清sei) purity and (寂jyaku) tranquility — and about Ichi-go Ichi-ei (一期一会), which literally means “one time, one meeting,” but more importantly signifies the appreciation of every encounter, each of which will come but once. This is expressed in the elements in the tearoom as well from the hanging scrolls and tea bowls, to the flowers and confections that harmonize with the season for each occasion. After splashing some water in the garden, Mitchell waits for visitors for the 40-minute ceremony. A warm offering for the winter and a cool one for the summer are simple principles of hospitality and the ultimate show of respect toward the guests.

Urasenke Foundation Seattle Branch
www.urasenkeseattle.org