The annual Japanese Festival took place at the Missouri Botanical Garden on August 30, 31, and September 1.
We couldn’t have asked for better weather this year—unusually mild for this time of year, with lower temperatures and humidity that made the days feel so refreshing.
According to the Garden, the total attendance over the three days was just under 55,000 visitors—the largest crowd in the history of the festival!
Our tea group was fortunate to present tea demonstrations using the Misono-dana tea table. Every session was packed with guests, and we were so happy to share tea with so many people.
Each year, we try to improve our presentation a little bit—adding slides, using cameras, and finding new ways to help the audience connect. I think this year, people were able to experience not just the beauty of tea, but also something of the depth of Japanese culture through it.
