The 100th Tokyo Tower Morning Tea Gathering

On August 24, “Asa Cha no Yu,” the morning tea gathering at Tokyo Tower, reached its 100th edition.

To commemorate this milestone, with the generous cooperation of Morihachi, a long-established confectionery house in Kanazawa, we held a live demonstration and hands-on experience of making traditional Japanese sweets at the observation deck, followed, as always, by our morning tea gathering.

It has been almost five years since September 26, 2019, when the very first gathering was held, with the great honor of welcoming Grand Master Hōunsai, Ōtani Sōyū, Rōbun Ida, and, from the Mori family, Yūji Kuroda, representing the Kuroda family, lords of the Kururi Domain.

Over the course of 59 months, we have welcomed approximately 3,900 guests and held 99 tea gatherings.

Somehow, we were also able to make it through the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of unprecedented hardship for people throughout the world.

This year, Ishikawa Prefecture was struck by a devastating earthquake, and we were especially grateful to collaborate with Morihachi, who traveled to Tokyo from a region still requiring support for its recovery.

The commemorative event filled to capacity very quickly. From the second session onward, we moved the gathering to the Reception Room of Tokyo Tower, creating a more intimate setting with a smaller number of guests.

To be honest, I am not particularly good at keeping things going for a long time.

When we first began this project, I imagined it would probably last only two or three years. Thanks to the encouragement and support of so many people, however, something I could never have imagined has now reached its 100th gathering.

Alongside our regular guests, we have recently begun to welcome an increasing number of international visitors. In this way, the morning tea gathering at Tokyo Tower is gradually beginning to fulfill the role it was always meant to play, sharing Japanese tea culture with people from around the world in one of Tokyo’s most recognizable landmarks.

I will continue to devote myself to making the gathering better with each occasion.

I sincerely hope for your continued support of Tokyo Tower Morning Tea Gathering, Asa Cha no Yu.