🗺️ Nishida Family Garden, Gyokusen-en, Tea Ceremony Experience加賀藩高級武家庭園 西田家庭園 玉泉園 茶道体験

While samurai honed their martial skills, they also learned the indispensable tea ceremony for socializing and entertaining, gradually developing it into a hobby. The "Gyokusen-en" located at the Nishida family estate has a history of 400 years and is an even older garden than Kenroku-en. The garden's name comes from Gyokusen-in, the wife of the first lord of the Kaga domain, Maeda Toshinaga, and it has a deep connection with the Kaga domain. Even today, the water source for the garden's waterfall and pond still comes from the Kasumi Pond in the center of Kenroku-en, and from the oldest tea room in Kanazawa, "Sasetsutei," one can enjoy a view of the trees borrowed from Kenroku-en. It is likely that the feudal lord or his wife also enjoyed tea in "Sasetsutei" in ancient times. The tea ceremony experience at the Nishida family estate allows participants to appreciate the seasonal decorations in the tea room and learn the basic etiquette for tasting sweets and tea. There is also a ritual where participants personally prepare tea, known as "Jisaku." In principle, the experience is conducted in the seiza position, but considering that "one cannot fully appreciate the taste of tea and sweets when their legs are numb," chairs are also provided for relaxation, allowing participants to enjoy the pleasure of tea tasting. English-speaking staff provide detailed explanations, making it easy for visitors to engage with Kanazawa's tea culture.

In the tea ceremony experience course at the Nishida family, there is a "self-service" experience where participants can brew tea themselves. The experience is primarily conducted in a seiza (traditional Japanese sitting posture), but chairs are also available for those who prefer to relax their legs and enjoy the pleasure of tea tasting. English-speaking staff provide detailed explanations, allowing visitors to easily engage with the tea ceremony culture of Kanazawa.