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By NAOKO KURAMOCHI, Staff writer

There’s nothing sweeter than being introduced to a foreign culture than through tea and confectionary.

And screenings of films about the beverage and traditional sweets in Kyoto next week are aimed at introducing these and other aspects of Japanese culture. In collaboration with the Kyoto City International Foundation, the Japan Foundation will screen two films with English narration on Aug. 26.

The first film, the 47-minute “The Spirit of Tea: Sen no Rikyu” (1988) portrays the life of legendary tea master Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591) and shows how his tea utensils exemplified his sense of tea ceremony aesthetics.

Another film, the 22-minute “Wagashi: The Beauty and Spirit of Japanese Confections” (1991) explains the tradition and roots of wagashi confectionary. These sweets are often served with green tea and have become popular overseas.

Kyoto International Community House