Sparkling Korakuen: An Evening Tea Gathering Thursday, October 23 and Friday, October 24 At Korakuen, where the maple trees had turned crimson, a light-up and tea gathering took place. Inside the garden stands Korakutei, a tea room used several times a month for tea practice and tea gatherings for children. Still, many village residents had never stepped into Korakutei, and many had only viewed Korakuen’s garden from outside. For regular walkers and those who don’t usually go out alike, these two days provided an opportunity to visit Korakuen. Because the garden has almost no lighting, lights placed along the walking paths glittered in the darkness. A gentle, light rain fell that night. The softly sweet tea sweets and the warm, full-bodied tea warmed us through. Even without knowing tea ceremony etiquette, I found the tea room’s refined, comforting atmosphere soothing, and I visited many times. (Refills of tea were available 🧉) Despite the poor footing due to the weather, many people came—thank you very much. #Nishiokoppe Village #Hokkaido #Traditional Japanese garden #Korakuen #Autumn foliage light-up #Tea gathering #Night #Autumn