Kneeling on the floor, Patrick Knobloch tried to understand the rituals of the Japanese tea ceremony taking place in front of him. Attention to detail is a must, but Knobloch couldn’t ignore the pain in his knees. Neither could the seven other students huddled next to him in an elevated tea room above a garage on Ohio Street.

When instructed that the hour-long ceremony was finished and that they could stand, a sigh of relief filled the small room.

“It killed my knees,” Knobloch said. “I used to be a catcher in high school, but that was nothing compared to sitting like that.”

Knobloch, St. Louis senior, is one of nine students who spent yesterday learning about formal Japanese tea ceremonies. The students are preparing to travel to Japan this summer as part of the Kansas/Asia Scholars program and the Center for East Asian Studies.

The tea ceremony was one of several meetings they will attend this semester to learn about Japanese culture and Lawrence history.

“We think it’s important that they consider themselves ambassadors of the city and of KU,” said Pat Graham, professor at the Center for East Asian Studies and director of the program.

That means several crash courses in Japanese food, conduct and dress, Graham said.

The tea ceremony was the students’ first real immersion in Japanese culture, said Dale Slusser, a local instructor of the Urasenke school of tea. Slusser said he was helping the students experience an important part of Japanese culture so they would have a better idea of what to expect. At least one student has gone step further in preparation than the organized meetings.

Knobloch said he was drinking green tea and eating new vegetables each week because these items are served so often in Japan. But that didn’t quite prepare him for the tea ceremony, he said.

“It was a lot different from the stuff I’ve been drinking,” Knobloch said. “I don’t think I could ever get used to that.”

In addition to lessons about Japan, students will learn about broader issues, such as sustainability.

Sustainability is defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development as “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This is an especially important concept in Japan, where space and natural resources are limited, Graham said.

During their three-week trip, students will present ideas on sustainability and eco-friendly products to an organization called Japan for Sustainability. They will spend a day at a formal tea school and for three days will live with families in Lawrence’s sister city of Hiratsuka, Japan.

They will also visit schools, orphanages and museums, Graham said.

Graham said the trip was more than just a sightseeing tour, which was why so much preparation was needed.

“The people love to teach people who are interested in what they do,” Graham said. “But students have to be receptive to what they’re doing, and this is how we teach them that.”