2019 / Los Angeles: Full time Japanese school presents grand opening ceremony of “Tea Room” in its Lomita campus, Dec. 8, 2019

Tea ceremony at the tea room in Nishiyamato Academy of California in Lomita near Los Angeles. (Cultural News Photo)

The only full time Japanese school in California, Nishiyamato Academy of California, presented the grand opening ceremony of “Tea Room” at its Lomita campus in southern suburb of Los Angeles on Sunday, December 8, 2019.

Nishiyamato Academy of California opened in 1996 and currently serves 170 students in grades from prekindergarten through 9th.

Two years ago, Sado (Way of Tea) club was established with supports by a Urasenke Association group led by Mme. Yasuko “Sosei” Ogawa of Rancho Palos Verdes. One year ago, Sokyo Arai of Edo Senke School of Tea in Long Beach donated a tea room to the Nishiyamato Academy.

The tea room has been installed at a library-culture center facility dubbed the Nishiyamato Academy of California Innovation Culture Center in the campus. The Sado Club currently has seven members and practices every two weeks with instructions by Mme. Ogawa and her assistants.

In the grand opening ceremony, Ms. Natsuko Tanose, director of the Nishiyamato Academy, played a host role, and Mr. Sosuke Amasuga, graduate of the Nishiyamato Academy, took a part of Hanto host. As guests of the day, Mme. Mari “Soshin” Robinson, Chief in Administration of the Urasenke Tankokai Los Aangeles; Mr. Joe Mizuno, vice chairman of the Urasenke Konnichi Kai; Mr. Kiichi Nakajima, President of the Japan Business Association of Southern California; Mr. Yoshinobu Fukushima, executive director of the JBA; and Mr. Happy Mizutani of Southern California Prefectural Association were attended. A group of parents who are supporting the Sado Club also attended and observed the tea ceremony.

After the grand opening ceremony, all attendants enjoyed Japanese meals prepared by Sushi Chef Institute in Torrance.