| Urasenke Presents Program for "Japan Festival 2001" in Egypt |
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On November 6 and 7, 2001, Urasenke presented a chado program in Cairo, as a part of
the "Japan Festival 2001. " This Festival was organized by the Embassy of Japan in
Egypt and the Japan Foundation Cairo Office, on the occasion of the inauguration of
the new Suez Canal Bridge, which was constructed as a joint financial project between
Japan and Egypt. The Festival is aimed at introducing Japanese traditional and modern
culture to the people of Egypt, and is being held in response to the "Egypt Year
in Japan" held in 2000. For the two-day chado program, the Urasenke headquarters dispatched an 8-member delegation to Cairo, led by Konnichian tea master KANAZAWA Soi. On the first day, they conducted a chado workshop at the Information & Culture Center within the Japanese Embassy. Thirty people signed up for this workshop. The itinerary included a viewing of an introductory video, a demonstration and explanation of the tea-making procedure, and hands-on practice by the participants. Among the participants, there were the ambassador of Myanmar, and the wives of the ambassadors of the Republic of Korea, Bolivia, and Cote D'Ivoire. |
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| At the November 6 workshop, the participants learn how to fold a fukusa.
After this, they tried using a teawhisk to make a bowl of tea. |
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On the second day, they presented a chado demonstration at the Semiramis Inter-Continental Hotel Teeba Ballroom, before an audience of 150 invited guests. Japanese Ambassador SUTO Takaya, who led the initiative in organizing the "Japan Festival 2001," was in attendance together with his wife, and presented the welcoming address. Then, KANAZAWA Soi delivered a talk in which he explained about the history and spirit of the Japanese Way of Tea. Tarek MOHAMED, who is manager of the Urasenke Tankokai Egypt Association, served as translator. After the demonstration that was performed on the specially built stage, there was a lively question-and-answer period. Throughout the two days, the members of the Urasenke Tankokai Egypt Association, as well as of the Japan-Egypt Friendship Association, provided much assistance. |
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| Scene of the chado program on November 7 at the Semiramis Inter-Continental Hotel |
KANAZAWA Soi (right) explains about chado, and Tarek MOHAMAD (left) provides the translation |
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