Tea Ceremony Club (3): Camp, Yukata, and Long Days

What Happens at a Tea Ceremony Club Camp?
During high school summer holidays, our tea ceremony club held a training camp.

Yes—a camp, just for the tea ceremony!

School Camps in Japan
In Japan, many clubs in high schools hold training camps lasting several days to focus on practice. Our school had a dormitory-style facility, so we stayed on campus for two nights.

We slept together in a large tatami room, laid out futons, and bathed in a large communal bath. The meals were probably prepared by school staff, though I barely remember—our days were full.

Learning to Wear Yukata
The first lesson of camp was learning how to wear a yukata, a light cotton kimono.

Even 25 years ago, most teenagers had never worn traditional clothing by themselves. We learned how to wrap the large piece of clothes, tie obi, the belt, and fold the garment properly afterward.

In regular club practice, we were in school uniforms. During the camp, Yukata were used because they are simpler and less formal than kimono, making them suitable for students and summer practice.

Long, Slow Practice
Then came practice. All day.

A single tea procedure takes about 20 minutes. Even using two kettles, only a few students could practice each hour. Almost all watched. Spending time watching was an important part of the training.

By the end of camp, many students felt, for the first time, that something had truly changed. Movements became smoother. Fear faded slightly. Understanding grew quietly.

After the summer holidays, our high school had its cultural festival in the autumn. Our tea ceremony club would serve tea to guests here. This training camp was also an intensive training session for that purpose.
I will write about the cultural festival in the next blog.