Traditional cultural pursuits such as sado (Japanese tea ceremony) and ikebana (flower arrangement) are much more than simple pursuits in skills. They embody spiritual ways seeking the traditional values of wabi (elegant stillness) and sabi (antiquated elegance with calm).

Facilities abound which offer you the hands-on experience of the Japanese tea ceremony, flower arrangement and other cultural pursuits. There are even possibilities for you to learn dressing in a kimono all by yourself.

Tea Ceremony

Sado, the ceremony celebrating the Way of Tea, has been much favored by Japanese high society as an artistic ceremony. Today, it is popular as a means of training concentration of spirit and of learning manners. There are a number of schools in Japan, each presenting their own style of tea ceremony. Many hotels have a tea ceremony room on the grounds for the customers to enjoy a real tea ceremony.

Flower Arrangement

Ikebana originated as a means to display wild flowers in the tea ceremony room. There are more than 20 schools of ikebana, all differing in their stylistic rules and methods of presentation, and most have their own instruction center. You can enjoy the beauty of ikebana in a variety of places such as hotels, department stores and the lobbies of public buildings.