Learning the Japanese Culture

Went to the Crosspal Niigata Friendship Center to learn about the Japanese Culture. My only regret was that I did not go there earlier. I had so much fun.

I started off learning about the basic Karate punches, its ethics and history. I am glad I didn't start with learning how to wear a yukata, or else it would all be soaked in sweat.

First time wearing a yukata

Then I proceeded to the yukata section where I learnt about the way to wear a Yukata (summer kimono). Wearing the yukata in itself is an art. The sensei who taught me about the ki-kata (着かた the way to wear/dress) caught me red-faced. As she was wrapping me up with the yukata, she told me that the yukata should be worn without anything inside except the underwear. I was staring blank at her, trying to gather the right Japanese phrase to clarify if she meant I need to strip in front of her!

I was dumbstrucked and freaked out. Cold sweat, I attempted to simply ask if I need to do it now, but before I could utter a word, she said it was ok for now because this is just a demonstration. For the record, the correct way of wearing a yukata is to have no underlying clothes except the underwear. However, the ki-kata for the females is more elaborate. And yes, the females have no choice but to strip to their underwears even for demonstration. Well, it is ok for them but not for a guy stripping in front of a female sensei who just knew each other a minute ago! I donned a yukata within 5 minutes. But even 5 minutes, that is really long. No one wears a t-shirt for more than 5 seconds!

Just sit and wait to be served

Now that I have gotten myself all dressed up, it was only appropriate to go for the Tea Ceremony (茶道 or chadou). The Tea Ceremony was a new and good experience for me. It is steep in custom and there are many rules to follow. The way to sit, receive, hold , drink from and return the cup has its own rules. The starter of the ceremony was a sweet dessert. As for me, I did not realise I was served dessert. The so-called dessert looked like a peach fruit or something. I didn't know what to do with it and my guide was looking at me waiting for me to eat it. I was only given a toothpick.

The dessert that got me fooled. No one would have expected that this is not a peach.

Well, everyone has to go through a phase where they have to admit about their stupidity. I did and so I asked my guide how I should to deal with that "peach fruit".

"Just slice it with the toothpick into the size of your choice", my guide said.

"With this? How?", as I pointed to the toothpick.

"Oh! Just cut it, you will know." And so I did. To my surprise, it was like our Malaysian mooncake texture with red bean paste inside. It was a very good fake and I was really fooled. No one would have expected it to be sooooo real!

Getting my hands on the chigeri, a sample of which is laid out in front.

After the Tea Ceremony, I proceeded to do Japanese Calligraphy and chigeri (ちげり). Both are paper art in short. I am sure I do not need to elaborate much on what calligraphy is but for chigeri, it is something like exploiting the existence of colorful special-type papers, and then using your hands, to tear the shape of your chigeri and make a beautiful picture out of myriad of combinations, depending on skills and imagination, of course.

Me trying out calligraphy

Just like calligraphy, a lot of patience is involved. As I am a person with very little or no patient at all, you can imagine how calligraphy and chigeri would turn out for me.