Traditional English Tea Ceremony?
Jul. 13th, 2007 08:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gurdymonkeyEDIT: Emailed this morning to info @ golakes.co.uk with minor changes:
Cumbria Tourism
Windermere Road
Stavely, Kendal
Cumbria LA8 9PL, UK
To whom it may concern:
This morning I read an article in the BBC's International Version internet site stating that Cumbria Tourism intended to attract Japanese visitors to Cumbria and the Lake District by hiring geisha to serve them tea. The link to the article may be accessed at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/6896121.stm
I read on with the horrified fascination of one witnessing a car wreck. My eyes could not tear themselves away from the hideous stereotyped bad-pantomime costume and make-up in the "Geisha Wanted" advertisement.
I quote the following from the article:
"Fully-trained geishas are a dying breed and would charge up to £7,000 to fly across from Japan, so the tourist organisation is hoping there might be some local expert keen to put their skills into practice."
"Geisha are highly trained, highly skilled professional artists whose services are in great demand. The organization wants to do this on the cheap. You get what you pay for." (Replaces "In other words, the organization wants to do this on the cheap. You get what you pay for.")
"Annie Swarbrick, owner of the Greystoke Cycle Cafe, and spokeswoman for the tea trail, said: 'We are certain those Japanese tourists who have been inspired to visit because of Miss Potter will be keen to drink in the Cumbrian landscape and experience good old Cumbrian hospitality.'
Well yes. Surely tourists, Japanese and non-Japanese alike, come to Cumbria and the Lake District to experience "good old Cumbrian hospitality." Please explain to me what the Japanese way of tea has to do with Cumbrian hospitality.
"We know we are experts at creating the quintessential English afternoon tea experience, but we need guidance when it comes to tea etiquette in Japan."
Nail on the head, Ms. Swarbrick. Go with your strong suit, I beg of you. As an American who has had the privilege of visiting the UK on several occasions, there is nothing like a cup of really good Darjeeling and some home bake after a day knocking about the countryside.
The Japanese have been pursuing the meditative rewards of the way of tea for over five hundred years. They are serious about it - that's why it's called tea ceremony. If a Japanese visitor wants to participate in a tea ceremony, he or she will be expecting it to be performed correctly. Anything less will be at best disappointing, at worst insulting.
"We don't think there are that many advertisements for geishas out there, so we hope to get some good applications."
"I repeat: you get what you pay for. You will insult the very visitors you intend to attract. In fact, you
already have." [Replaces "You get what you pay for. You will insult the very visitors you intend to attract."]
In closing, I am going to refer you to the website for Festival of Japan UK. http://www.festivalofjapan.co.uk/
I have heard excellent things about this organization and their efforts to present Japanese culture to the British public. If you are truly searching for local experts who are, in fact, experts, I suggest this might be a good place to start.
Sincerely,
Lisa Joseph
Amateur student of Japanese history and culture
Alameda, California
"Post script: Please be sure to compare the photographs of the geisha and maiko at
http://www.festivalofjapan.co.uk/ with the "Geisha Wanted" advertisement."
Windermere Road
Stavely, Kendal
Cumbria LA8 9PL, UK
To whom it may concern:
This morning I read an article in the BBC's International Version internet site stating that Cumbria Tourism intended to attract Japanese visitors to Cumbria and the Lake District by hiring geisha to serve them tea. The link to the article may be accessed at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/6896121.stm
I read on with the horrified fascination of one witnessing a car wreck. My eyes could not tear themselves away from the hideous stereotyped bad-pantomime costume and make-up in the "Geisha Wanted" advertisement.
I quote the following from the article:
"Fully-trained geishas are a dying breed and would charge up to £7,000 to fly across from Japan, so the tourist organisation is hoping there might be some local expert keen to put their skills into practice."
"Geisha are highly trained, highly skilled professional artists whose services are in great demand. The organization wants to do this on the cheap. You get what you pay for." (Replaces "In other words, the organization wants to do this on the cheap. You get what you pay for.")
"Annie Swarbrick, owner of the Greystoke Cycle Cafe, and spokeswoman for the tea trail, said: 'We are certain those Japanese tourists who have been inspired to visit because of Miss Potter will be keen to drink in the Cumbrian landscape and experience good old Cumbrian hospitality.'
Well yes. Surely tourists, Japanese and non-Japanese alike, come to Cumbria and the Lake District to experience "good old Cumbrian hospitality." Please explain to me what the Japanese way of tea has to do with Cumbrian hospitality.
"We know we are experts at creating the quintessential English afternoon tea experience, but we need guidance when it comes to tea etiquette in Japan."
Nail on the head, Ms. Swarbrick. Go with your strong suit, I beg of you. As an American who has had the privilege of visiting the UK on several occasions, there is nothing like a cup of really good Darjeeling and some home bake after a day knocking about the countryside.
The Japanese have been pursuing the meditative rewards of the way of tea for over five hundred years. They are serious about it - that's why it's called tea ceremony. If a Japanese visitor wants to participate in a tea ceremony, he or she will be expecting it to be performed correctly. Anything less will be at best disappointing, at worst insulting.
"We don't think there are that many advertisements for geishas out there, so we hope to get some good applications."
"I repeat: you get what you pay for. You will insult the very visitors you intend to attract. In fact, you
already have." [Replaces "You get what you pay for. You will insult the very visitors you intend to attract."]
In closing, I am going to refer you to the website for Festival of Japan UK. http://www.festivalofjapan.co.uk/
I have heard excellent things about this organization and their efforts to present Japanese culture to the British public. If you are truly searching for local experts who are, in fact, experts, I suggest this might be a good place to start.
Sincerely,
Lisa Joseph
Amateur student of Japanese history and culture
Alameda, California
"Post script: Please be sure to compare the photographs of the geisha and maiko at
http://www.festivalofjapan.co.uk/ with the "Geisha Wanted" advertisement."
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 11:05 am (UTC)Good Lord... I mean to say... Good Lord...
no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 11:17 am (UTC)Things like:
Japanese tourists don't come to UK to get a half-arsed version of their own culture; they come to have a goosie at yours.
Wouldn't Ms Swarbrick be less than amused if she visited another culture and was afflicted with stale Tetley's in (the horror) bags, served by a bloke in a bowler hat with an umbrella over his arm, mouthing greetings like, "'ere's yer tea, luv, me old chiner, pip pip, what?" The above "Japanese" scheme is equivalent.
Be yourself. Be Cumbrian. Be English.
Fucktrumpet.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 04:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 04:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 04:57 pm (UTC)I'll accept "fucktrumpet" as ample exchange for "asscactus"!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 05:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 05:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 05:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-14 05:34 pm (UTC)You know what just occured to me? I don't think I've ever seen a Geisha serve someone tea! They're not proper little tea mistresses. They're party girls! They keep your sake cup or beer glass topped up so you can't count how many you've had. And they so politely lift you off the floor when you "trip".
They also know the best post-disco noodle shops...
Party girl with skilz
Date: 2007-07-14 07:51 pm (UTC)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5lhDL8naIE
The role of geisha is so wrapped up in Japanese tourism, I guess one never knows what skill set the current clientele is going to want.
Re: Party girl with skilz
Date: 2007-07-14 07:55 pm (UTC)But... well... my experience of them is clearing tables at the noodle shop after we made the Haagen Daas stand stay open late for us. Translation: "You like Haagen Daas?!? I LOVE Haagen Daas!!! LET'S GO!!!!!"
I have to scan those pictures someday. Of course I look like unholy hell in them...