Photos: Christina Cecconi
Immersive Tea Ceremony Experience of the Ichibōan Tea House and Roji Path at Nitobe Memorial Garden
Dates: On the Second Sundays of the Month:
June 8th, July 13th, August 10th, and September 14th, 2025
Session One: 11:30 am / Session Two: 1:00 pm / Session Three: 2:30 pm
Max Capacity: 5 people per session
Length: 75 minutes each
Location: Nitobe Memorial Garden, UBC
Price: $55 - includes matcha tea service & admission to the garden
Join Maiko Behr, Founder and Executive Director of Dōjin Arts and tea instructor in the Omotesenke tradition, on a guided experience through the teahouse garden (roji) as guests would traditionally use the space -- slipping into "garden sandals" to navigate the stepping stones, sitting in the "waiting arbor," rinsing hands at the tsukubai stone basin, and entering the tea room through the nijiriguchi “crawling entrance.” As Maiko shares insights into the design and cultural significance of the tea garden and the tea house structure itself, feel yourself leaving the outside world behind as you proceed along the path and prepare to enter the tea room. Once inside, enjoy a matcha tea service with a special seasonal wagashi sweet.
Each 75-minute session will accommodate a maximum of 5 participants to ensure an intimate, interactive learning experience.
*Please Note: The sweet may contain sugar, rice, beans, wheat, eggs, or other potential allergens. We can advise you of all ingredients in advance, but regret that substitutions may not be possible.
About the Educator:
Maiko Behr has worked as a Japanese to English translator, curator, and consultant specializing in Japanese arts for over twenty years. She is the owner of SaBi Tea Arts, where she teaches chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony) in the Omotesenke tradition and kōdō (Japanese incense ceremony) in the Senzan Goryū tradition. In the non-profit sector, Maiko has served locally on the board of directors of the Tomoe Arts Society for over ten years, and has worked and volunteered for various Japanese and Asian arts-related non-profit associations and museums in Canada and the US.
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Presented in partnership with UBC Botanical Garden and Nitobe Memorial Garden.