Serendipity

[joelbct]

There is, apparently, a Japanese Garden and temple right in the town I happened to move to in Florida:

Morikami Museum and Park

They even have tea ceremonies... what were the odds?

[chamekke]

Very cool! You are so fortunate. You'll have to go and report back

[ABx]

I actually wonder how common these are. Portland has a Japanese Gardens (that's the name; imaginative huh?) and they do tea ceremonies as well. Too bad I don't care for Japanese tea

[chamekke]

Not all that common. In general, the odds of there being a Japanese garden with authentic tearoom are vastly improved if the city is large and there is a Japanese community of at least moderate size. (The latter often implies that the city is on the west coast.)

[hop_goblin]

The best Japanese garden I have ever seen was Mr. Miyagi's.

[Victoria]

I want to live there.

[joelbct]

Not all that common. In general, the odds of there being a Japanese garden with authentic tearoom are vastly improved if the city is large and there is a Japanese community of at least moderate size. (The latter often implies that the city is on the west coast.)

Not much of a Japanese Community here, I asked around to find an Asian Grocery for Miso, but no luck. I'm sure there are a few Japanese expats in Boca or Palm Beach, but apparently, the Garden was created in memory of a long-defunct Japanese Farming Colony started in the area at the turn of the century, by a Japanese graduate of NYU...

and ABX, how can u not care for Japanese Tea ? [drains cup of kago shincha]

[chamekke]

The availability of tea ceremony demonstrations may have something to do with the fact that Jim Massey-sensei of Omotesenke of Florida lives in the region (I see that the group who performs demos at Morikami is of that school). He hosts a tea ceremony discussion group on Yahoo!Groups, and is a very delightful individual - virtually, at least, and I trust in real life too

[Mary R]

lucky lucky lucky lucky lucky

Between the photos of your surroundings and this place, I'm ready to transfer my PhD work to the University of Miami.

[joelbct]

lucky lucky lucky lucky lucky

Between the photos of your surroundings and this place, I'm ready to transfer my PhD work to the University of Miami.

Yah, I had an uncle who went there-

I haven't been yet, but from what I hear, Miami-Dade county is not as nice or serene as Palm Beach County- it's overpopulated, more like NY or LA, and one of the crime/homicide capitals of the country...

[brandon]

Was not especially intrigued by Miami. Too hot (in October), and most of South Beach is just a giant tourist trap. The food is decent but overpriced.

[ABx]

lucky lucky lucky lucky lucky

Between the photos of your surroundings and this place, I'm ready to transfer my PhD work to the University of Miami.

Or you could just take a trip to Portland I don't know the names, but you can find details here: http://www.japanesegarden.com/events/tea-ceremony

Regarding the Japanese Gardens being in places with a strong Japanese community - ironically the only Asian faces I've ever seen there are the Buddhist monks that go to meditate. There are usually a few there, but everyone else is usually white.

[chamekke]

I said that the odds of there being a tea garden with an authentic chashitsu (tea room) are improved when a Japanese community is present - not that it's impossible otherwise

If you have a university with a significant Japanese studies program, for example, that probably increases the odds too.

Or, a single influential/moneyed individual with a love of all things Japanese

[hop_goblin]

lucky lucky lucky lucky lucky

Between the photos of your surroundings and this place, I'm ready to transfer my PhD work to the University of Miami.

Mary, you are in a PhD program?

[joelbct]

Or, a single influential/moneyed individual with a love of all things Japanese

I think something along those lines funded this one... prob a couple individuals with ties to the Japan Society in NY happen to summer in Palm Beach or something