Fiji, Oct. 13 -- Five visiting journalists from the Pacific and Caribbean got a taste of Japanese culture through a traditional tea ceremony in Asakusa, Tokyo Monday.
But it was more than just drinking tea. It was a lesson in patience, respect, trust and the simple beauty of doing things together.
Our tea ceremony was led by a well-renowned female Japanese tea master known as 'sensei, Rie Takeda,who spoke excellent English and made us feel relaxed from the moment we arrived.
We began by watching a short video about the history of Japanese tea and the meaning behind the ceremony. We then ground our own matcha, a finely powdered green tea, before entering a traditional Japanese tea room.
There were delicious and colourful Japanese sweets ...