Japanese Dance and Tea Ceremony （住吉社中による鹿児島のおもてなし）

Guests are welcomed to this 170-year-old Japanese house with traditional sencha tea and Japanese dancing. 
This experience is limited to a maximum of 10 people, providing a luxurious moment. You are free to take commemorative photos with the members of the Sumiyoshi Shachu Troupe.

Story of Sumiyoshi Shachu Troupe
In the old days in Kagoshima, women in every household would master elements of etiquette through practicing tea, shamisen (three-stringed instrument), and dancing as part of their education before marriage. 
Throughout the prefecture, each region had its own gathering troupe called ‘Shachu’ who performed songs, dances, and shamisen music at festivals and other events such as cherry blossom viewing and roof-raising ceremonies. 
The Sumiyoshi Shachu Troupe, based in Ichiki-Kushikino City, is the only entity in Kagoshima Prefecture that has continued these traditional performing arts, which were begun in the Meiji era (around 1870).
Guests are entertained with a sencha green tea ceremony and a Japanese dance in this traditional Japanese venue.

Details of the experience
"Ozashiki Japanese Dance" and "Sencha Tea Ceremony" (with traditional sweets)

What is "Ozashiki Japanese Dance" ?
It is a song and dance that has been enjoyed as entertainment for the common people since ancient times. Accompanied by the shamisen and taiko drums, it is cheerful and lovely, typical of the southern Kyushu of Japan. The movements cultivated through daily practice are very elegant and attract the audience.

What is Osencha Kai "Sencha Tea Ceremony" ?
We performe a tea ceremony using Sencha, a type of tea that Japanese people enjoy on a daily basis. This is a traditional method using Sencha tea utensils. Japanese tea ceremony can be broadly divided into Sencha-do and Matcha-do. Sencha-do allows you to enjoy tea more casually. It is a traditional culture that spread during the Edo period (1603-1868) and is the most commonly drunk tea in Japan.
Kagoshima Prefecture, the second largest tea producer in Japan, has beautiful tea fields all over the prefecture. Visitors can enjoy our carefully selected seasonal sencha teas with seasonal wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets).

Highlight
In the traditional house, you can catch a glimpse of the lifestyle and customs of Japanese people. 
There is an external corridor facing the garden, the low dining table placed in the tatami room, and the Buddhist altar that reflects the Japanese reverence for their ancestors, all contribute to the retro atmosphere of good old Japan. 
Free-range chickens roam the garden while colorful goldfish swim in a small pond. Inside, four cats and two dogs can be seen relaxing, making for a peaceful experience for visitors.
*The above photos are not the experience room of the old folk house.