My children (22 and 23) and I attended one of the monthly formal tea ceremonies at the Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House and Gardens of Saginaw. We were served green matcha tea in bowls, because whisking the hot water with powder can’t be done well in a cup, plus traditional Japanese sweets. The triangle is made of sweet red bean paste and agar agar; the circle of hazelnut and crumbly sugar. Most people attending the tea ceremony sat on cushioned benches at low tables, but this porcelain chair and table set was next to us.

The ceramic tea set used including hot water at the far right, a flowerlike whisk made from a single piece of bamboo, a tea holder and at left, cold water for rinsing and for altering temperature if needed. The log at right came from Japan. The tea house sits on land deeded to Japan and was built using joinery; there is only one nail in it.

The tea room interior was finished by traditional Japanese craftsmen, who wove the wooden ceiling. The walls look like stucco but are naturally dyed; there is no paint or stain anywhere.

A scroll in an alcove, where a family typically would place objects of great importance. This one outlines the tea ceremony principles of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. It is off a traditional tea ceremony space that measures eight tatami mats, much larger than the usual three.

A kimono on display outside the tea room, which is down a short hallway from the entrance. Even so, during formal tea ceremonies, a sign is placed outside the building requesting that visitors not enter or even knock so as not to disturb the participants.

My daughter taking a picture of the gazebo from back by a rock garden. Designer Yataro Suzue said in 1971, “Beauty is not trickery, not illusion … but arranging elements like trees, water and rocks in a way that there is no crowding, no competition for attention.”

The gardens are open five days a week. There also are classes in calligraphy and flower arranging, as well as an annual festival (Sept. 11 this year) that features live traditional music.