On October 19, 2025, 28 educators from kindergarten to high school gathered at the Shoseian Whispering Pine Japanese Teahouse in Glendale for Teaching Through Chanoyu, a unique workshop connecting the art of Japanese tea practice with classroom learning.
The event was supported by the City of Glendale, the Japan Past & Present Project, and the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia (NCTA). The tranquil setting of the teahouse provided the perfect environment for teachers to slow down, observe, and reflect on the mindful traditions of chanoyu, which literally means “hot water for tea.”
Special guest Keiko Nakata “Sokei”, a long-term practitioner of chanoyu, guided participants through the subtle and deliberate gestures that define the practice. Teachers learned not only how to prepare and serve tea, but also how to accept, return the bow, and communicate through non-verbal exchange.
Throughout the session, participants discussed how chanoyu is not bound by a single school or method. There is no absolute right or wrong way, only different traditions and interpretations that together form a living cultural practice. This openness encouraged teachers to think critically about how mindfulness, awareness, and cultural expression can shape classroom experiences.
Dr. Rebecca Corbett, Associate University Librarian and Senior Lecturer in History at USC, offered historical and global perspectives on tea culture. From the evolution of Japanese tea traditions to their influence on contemporary global trends, Dr. Corbett illustrated how tea connects art, history, and cultural exchange.
Teachers were served mochi (Japanese sweets) and matcha tea, and had the opportunity to practice receiving tea bowls, further immersing themselves in the sensory and aesthetic experience of chanoyu.
The workshop concluded with a reflection on how chanoyu can inspire classroom activities: mindful observation routines, object-based inquiry, and lessons in etiquette and empathy. Teachers left with curated resources and new perspectives on how to integrate Japanese culture into everyday teaching.
Special thanks to the Shoseian Whispering Pine Japanese Teahouse for providing such a beautiful and peaceful space for this program!
Resources for Educators:
🌿 Media Articles & Interviews on the Global Matcha Boom
Rebecca Corbett, “Green gruel? Pea soup? What Westerners thought of matcha when they tried it for the first time”
The Conversation, September 3, 2025
🔗 https://doi.org/10.64628/AAI.k3j9xqt53“Matcha’s popularity has skyrocketed, but it was initially met with skepticism in the West”
Republished by PBS News, September 13, 2025
🔗 PBS Article“labubu matcha dubai chocolate”
Today, Explained by Vox News, September 26, 2025
🔗 Vox Episode
🍵 Tea Culture & Reflection
Every Day a Good Day: Fifteen Lessons I Learned About Happiness from Japanese Tea Culture
Book by Noriko Miyashita, translated by Eleanor Goldsmith
📖 Goodreads Link
Film adaptation (with English subtitles)
🎬 Watch on Dailymotion
🍶 Videos: Japanese Tea Ceremony Procedures (Urasenke School)
Instructional videos on thick (koicha) and thin (usucha) tea-making procedures.
🎥 Watch Here