October 20, 1953 The Tea Ceremony, The Museum and The Zoo

"Tea drinking in Japan is so important that their tea ceremony is considered an art.  There are schools for teaching tea ceremony and the tea masters are usually men.  The tea ceremony takes about two hours and has special rules for those who take part.  The host must make the thick tea in a certain way and the guests must drink it in a certain way.

As the tea ceremony became important through the centuries pottery and porcelain became important to the Japanese.  Part of the tea ceremony is for guests to admire the utensils used.  The right kind of clay and good potters have made Japanese porcelain, or Chinaware, acceptable everywhere."

(Dragon-fly Land:  Japan, by Bonnie Belshe, 1955)

Diary Entry:  Oct. 20, 1953

"B went into Osaka to bank & was gone all morning.  Call from Tokyo Embassy came in.  Wanted B to talk in Shikoku.  B couldn't call back after going to Takarazuka to make call.  Sent wire.  Took children to zoo at Takarazuka while I went to museum with Women's Club.  Museum built & owned by sake manufacturers.  Full of Buddhist treasures.
  

On to Mrs. Inoue's home for tea and tea ceremony.  Saw tea rooms, lovely garden.  Took off shoes.  Miss Kessler lives here.  She told me stories of being lost week after typhoon. Man & mother took her home. Told of being served a live lobster. 

Met Myrtle Benton's sister at Women's Club.  New china came.  Bob's bike came. Telegram answer to B's wire.  Man coming tomorrow to talk to him.  Paid 100 yen for tea--is given to charity."