Tea Gathering at the Residence of the Ambassador of Japan in Cameroon 2018

On the third day of my stay in Cameroon, I had the honor of conducting a tea ceremony at the official residence of the Ambassador of Japan, hosted by His Excellency Ambassador Okamura.

It was a truly significant diplomatic occasion. Among the 25 members of the Cameroonian Cabinet, seven Ministers were in attendance, together with the Ambassadors of Gabon and the Holy See, as well as ambassadors representing more than a dozen countries.

Performing temae in such a distinguished diplomatic setting, I could not help but feel the weight of the occasion. My hand trembled as I lowered the tea scoop into the nakatsugi tea caddy.

I also had the privilege of displaying a framed calligraphy entrusted to me by the Grand Master of Urasenke.

It bore the words:

松無古今色
Matsu ni kokon no iro nashi

“The pine knows neither past nor present in its color.”

Just as the evergreen pine remains unchanged in its color throughout the ages, these words carry a message of hope that the friendship between Japan and Cameroon may likewise remain constant, transcending time and generations.