December Fun at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

Delray Beach, FL – This December, Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach invites the community to explore a rich lineup of cultural workshops, art classes, lectures, and hands-on demonstrations celebrating the traditions of Japan.

From floral arts and kokedama to tea ceremony programs and family-friendly storytelling, guests of all ages can immerse themselves in the beauty and meaning of Japanese culture throughout the month.

December workshops, classes, and demonstrations:

Tuesdays, December 2, 9, 16

Ikebana Flower Arrangement – Ikenobo School

Time: Beginners - 11am – 1pm

Intermediate - 1:15pm – 3:15pm*

Cost: $67.50 (Morikami Members $60)

Flower arranging, ikebana, is a traditional Japanese art form spanning centuries. Ikebana has various different schools of study, each with unique philosophies and aesthetics. Dating back to the 15th century, the Ikenobo School is the oldest and most traditional. Students in this course learn the basic principles and style of Ikenobo, creating fresh flower arrangements each week to take home and enjoy.

Wednesdays, December 3, 10, 17

Ikebana Flower Arrangement – Sogetsu School

Time: Beginners - 10:30am –12:30pm

Intermediate - 1:30pm – 3:30pm*

Cost: $67.50 (Morikami Members $60)

Flower arranging, ikebana, is a traditional Japanese art form spanning centuries. Ikebana has various different schools of study, each with unique philosophies and aesthetics. The Sogetsu School is a contemporary school which focuses on the creativity and individuality of ikebana. The idea is that ikebana can be done by anyone, anywhere, with almost anything. Students will learn the basics of Sogetsu and create pieces each week to take home and enjoy. *Intermediate courses are for students with prior experience.

Saturday, December 6

The Art of Kokedama

Time: 10am – 12:30pm or 2pm – 4:30pm

Cost: $65

Kokedama is the Japanese art of growing plants in a moss-covered ball of soil. It is wrapped with string and contains an ornamental plant growing inside. These beautiful and decorative plants, bring an organic and natural touch to planting orchids, succulents, and other ornamental plants. Learn the plant's mechanics then create three kokedama of your very own.

Sundays, December 7, 21

Sado: Tea Ceremony

Time: Beginners - 10:15am – 12:15pm

Intermediate - 1pm – 3pm

Cost: $60 (Morikami Members $55)

Expand upon your knowledge of Japanese tea ceremony in this hands-on class. Perform a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, with its ever-evolving seasonal subtleties, in the authentic Seishin-an Tea House under the guidance of instructor Yoshiko Hardick. The tea ceremony changes from month to month and from season to season. Intermediate course requires approval by the instructor before registering.

Thursdays, December 11, 18

Sado: Tea Ceremony

Time: Beginners - 10:15am – 12:15pm

Intermediate - 1pm – 3pm

Cost: $60 (Morikami Members $55)

Expand upon your knowledge of Japanese tea ceremony in this hands-on class. Perform a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, with its ever-evolving seasonal subtleties, in the authentic Seishin-an Tea House under the guidance of instructor Yoshiko Hardick. The tea ceremony changes from month to month and from season to season.

Saturday, December 13

Tea Day

Time: 10am – 5pm

Cost: FREE (with paid museum admission)

Tea Day programming:

Tea Vendors

10am – 4:30pm

Lobby

Shop and learn about tea culture! Learn about the variety of flavors and types of tea at Morikami.

Tea Lecture with Rona Tison

12pm

Morikami Theater

Free

Go on a journey to learn about tea culture in Japan with Rona Tison, the Tea Ambassador & Executive Advisor to ITO EN (North America) INC.

Tea Ceremony Demonstration

2pm

Morikami Theater

$5 with paid museum admission

Observe Japanese sado, an ever-changing demonstration rich in seasonal subtleties. Your involvement in the true spirit of sado — harmony (wa), reverence (kei), purity (sei), tranquility (jaku) — along with a sip of green tea and a sweet will help bring a calm perspective to one’s busy life.

Family Fun: “Magic Tea Kettle” Kamishibai Storytelling

12pm, 1pm, 2pm

Kamiya Room

Kamishibai is “paper-theater” and is said to have started in Japan in the early 1900s but is a part of a long tradition of picture storytelling. Today’s story is a Japanese folktale about a magical tanuki (raccoon dog), his new friend and the making of their friendship. Join us for story time on the hour of 12pm, 1pm, and 2pm. A craft activity will follow each story reading.

Saturday, December 13

Lecture: What’s All The Fuss: The Global Enthusiasm for Japanese Green Tea & Matcha

Time: 12pm

Cost: FREE (with paid museum admission)

Matcha, sencha, gyokuro, hojicha — how many kinds of Japanese green tea do you know? Rona Tison, tea ambassador & executive advisor of ITO EN - North America, will take guests through the fundamentals of this time honored beverage. Learn how to best brew and drink the teas, health benefits, and the new trends in the world of tea.

A tea industry connoisseur with a refined approach to the U.S. Japanese culture, Rona Tison is the Tea Ambassador & Executive Advisor to ITO EN (North America) INC., Japan’s premiere green tea brand and global leaders of premium and sustainably grown green tea, matcha and healthy beverages. Pioneering the groundbreaking innovation of the first unsweetened bottled green tea, Oi Ocha today has earned international acclaim and is enjoyed in 40 countries worldwide. The company has received numerous awards to include recognition as one of “50 Companies Changing the World” by FORTUNE for its commitment to sustainability and the revitalization of tea farms through its Tea Region Development Project, and its proprietary tea leaf recycling program. Tison also serves on the Board of the Tea Association of the USA, the Advisory Board of the Global Tea Initiative at University of California, Davis and the U.S.-Japan Council and member of the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada. She has been a speaker at the World Tea Expo, the United Nations, Shizuoka World Tea Festival, James Beard House, and Smithsonian Lecture Series. She received the 2017 John Harney Lifetime Achievement Award for her educational contributions to the tea industry, the first woman to ever receive this award.

Saturday, December 13

Sado: The Way of Tea

Time: 2pm

Cost: $5 with paid museum admission.

Observe Japanese sadō, an ever-changing demonstration rich in seasonal subtleties. Your involvement in the true spirit of sadō — harmony (wa), reverence (kei), purity (sei), tranquility (jaku) — along with a sip of matcha green tea and a sweet will help you bring a calm perspective into your busy life.

Saturday, December 13

The Art of Japanese Gift Presentation

Time: 10am – 12pm or 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Cost: $35

Learn the customs and art of Japanese gift presentation in this hands-on workshop. Combining tradition with contemporary aesthetics, participants are introduced to the beauty of Japanese packaging and design, oftentimes incorporating natural and unconventional materials. Learn to wrap with washi (Japanese traditional handmade paper), create uniquely designed boxes, and other techniques to give your gift an Asian-inspired elegance. Workshop tools and materials will be provided for the participants to use.

Thursday, December 18

Karesansui: Raking Demonstration

Time: 10:30am

Cost: FREE with paid museum admission.

Karesansui, or dry landscape garden, is founded on Zen ideology using carefully composed rock arrangements and gravel or sand. A karesansui is carefully raked to represent characteristics of water such as currents and waves while boulder arrangements may be interpreted as islands. Learn about the museum’s Late Rock Garden and observe how raking can be a practice in mindfulness and meditation.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is located at 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. For more information, call (561) 495-0233 or visit morikami.org.