Matcha Tea Making: From Leaf to Bowl
Thursday, January 8 | 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Matcha Tea Making: From Leaf to Bowl
Explore the world of matcha—from how it’s grown and processed to the graceful rituals of the Japanese tea ceremony and its history in our city. Josh Haynes, chef at Alloy Thai, will demonstrate traditional techniques for preparing matcha alongside Ritsuko Asano, who has been teaching Urasenke tea for over 20 years. Participants will enjoy a mindful, hands-on experience with the opportunity to whisk their own bowl of tea.
INSTRUCTOR: Ritsuko Asano
Raised in Tokyo among tearooms and gardens, Ritsuko Asano is a third-generation tea teacher, as both her mother and grandmother taught Urasenke tea. She graduated from Keio University majoring in Japanese modern history and later moved to Birmingham. She has been teaching Urasenke tea for more than 20 years and educates Gardens’ visitors about Japanese tea ceremony.
INSTRUCTOR: Josh Haynes
Josh Haynes helps to offer tea ceremonies at the Gardens alongside Ritsuko Asano. A Birmingham native, as a teenager he was inspired by a tea demonstration at the Gardens’ Cherry Blossom Festival. He began to study the tea ceremony with Ritsuko, who has been teaching Urasenke tea for over 20 years. After earning an Asian studies degree from UAB and Thammasat University in Bangkok, he received the Midorikai scholarship to study the Way of Tea intensively in Kyoto in 2011. In addition to teaching tea, Josh is owner and chef of Alloy Thai, a local restaurant.
Location: Adventure Classroom
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Cancellation & Refund Policy
Refunds (minus a $15 processing fee) will be given for Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens programs priced at $25 or more if notification is made at least 10 business days prior to class start date. (You are always welcome to send another person under your registration if you cannot attend.) Transfers may be made to programs of equal value at no additional fee. We reserve the right to cancel classes due to lack of participation or other unforeseen circumstances. Please note that programs are held rain or shine; in extreme weather conditions, programs may be canceled for your safety and the safety of staff and volunteers. If we cancel a program for any of these reasons, we will issue a full refund.
