Tea Talks Yokai

Katie Clark is coming to the Japanese Friendship Garden on Saturday, October 31, for a Tea Talk on Japanese ghost and monster folklore. It's an afternoon of stories told and discussed around a pot of tea, and the timing—Halloween—fits the theme of yokai and spirits perfectly.

Clark is a San Diego native, born and raised in Encinitas, and she's spent a good deal of time living and studying in Japan. Her interest started while she was studying Global Cultures at UC Irvine, which took her to Doshisha University in Kyoto. From there, she went on to a master's degree at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, where she focused on the tengu—the mischievous, long-nosed creatures of Japanese folklore—and their connection to the yamabushi, the mountain ascetics of the tradition. She also spent time as a writer and researcher for a Japanese tea company, working on the history and culture of tea in Japan. Now she's back in San Diego, sharing that background with the local community.

The talk is part of the garden's Tea Talks series, so the tea isn't just a side note—it's served as part of the experience. You'll get the stories, the discussion, and the tea all in one go. The session runs from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM at the Education Center within the garden. Registration is required, and the fee is $5, though it doesn't include admission to the garden itself, so you'll want to account for that if you're planning to spend the rest of the afternoon walking the grounds.