SBY attends Japanese tea ceremony

Desy Nurhayati ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 06/21/2008 12:22 PM  |  National

Understanding the hallowed Japanese tea tradition is the perfect way to enhance cultural ties between Indonesia and Japan as they mark 50 year of cooperation, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Friday.

Yudhoyono was speaking at a tea ceremony he attended with First Lady Kristiani Yudhoyono. They were served Japanese green tea prepared by Genshitsu Sen, the grand master of Uransenke, a foundation dedicated to preserving the tradition of the tea ceremony.

The event was held as part of celebrations for the Indonesia-Japan Golden Year of Friendship and was also attended by Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Kojiro Shiojiri.

Shiojiri, a recent arrival to the country, said he expected such an event to help improve bilateral ties.

Before serving the tea, Genshitsu explained the philosophy behind the ceremony.

"The key values are to respect and be attentive to one another. And before drinking, guests usually bow to the person serving the tea and those around them as a sign of respect and gratitude," he said.

Yudhoyono and the first lady were then served the tea, followed by Shiojiri and his wife.

"It is an honor for me to learn about this tea ceremony because it is one of the great Japanese traditions. I believe Indonesia and Japan can build a closer relationship through cultural cooperation," Yudhoyono said.

"What's more, this year is special for both countries because we are celebrating our 50th year of friendship with a determination to establish stronger cooperation in the future, not only in the fields of economy and technology, but also in people-to-people contact."

Genshitsu also invited the first lady to prepare a cup of tea for Yudhoyono.

"It's delicious. And I'm glad my wife can also make that kind of tea because it's healthy," Yudhoyono said before leaving the event.

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