Reflections from an Intensive Tea Ceremony Seminar in Belgium

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend an intensive tea ceremony seminar organized by Tankokai Belgium.

The seminar took place in Saint-Hubert, a remote and quiet place in Belgium, surrounded by nature and far away from everyday routines. Held between the end of May and the beginning of June, the seminar lasted five days, with tea ceremony practice every day and a chakai on the final day.

It was a rare experience to spend several days fully immersed in tea.

Usually, my tea practice is something I fit into daily life. I go to okeiko, I practise what I can, and then I return to my usual responsibilities. But during this seminar, the rhythm was different. Each day was centered around tea — preparing, observing, practising, making mistakes, learning, and trying again.

Because it was so intensive, I also became very aware of how much I still do not know.

There were many temae I was not familiar with yet, especially koicha. I realized again that tea ceremony is not something that can be understood quickly. Each movement has meaning, each utensil has its place, and even the smallest detail can change the feeling of the whole room.

At times, it felt humbling. I noticed my own lack of knowledge, my hesitation, and the parts where my body still does not move naturally. But at the same time, this feeling was not discouraging. It made me want to practise more.

The more I learn tea ceremony, the more I understand how deep it is.

Other members prepared beautiful wagashi for us during the seminar. Sharing sweets and tea together after practice made the days feel warm and connected. Even though everyone came with different levels of experience, we were all there to learn, to support each other, and to spend time with tea.

Since I did not have a keikogi, I wore kimono throughout the seminar. I chose mostly washable summer pieces, thinking they would be practical for several days of practice. Still, it was much hotter than I expected. Practising in kimono for many hours reminded me again how important comfort, movement, and preparation are.

On the last day, we held a chakai. After five days of practice, the atmosphere felt different. There was a quiet sense of focus, but also appreciation. I felt grateful to be part of this gathering, to learn from teachers and senior members, and to experience tea in such a concentrated way.

This seminar reminded me that learning tea ceremony is not only about memorizing procedures. It is also about patience, awareness, humility, and continuing even when you realize how far you still have to go.

I came home tired, but also motivated.

There is still so much I need to learn.
So I will keep practising, little by little.