The art of the thank you note

As a child, my mother sat me down when I received any gift or attended any event to write a thank you note.  It was drilled into me that I MUST acknowledge what someone else had done for me by a hand-written thank you note.  That training has stood me in good stead.   It is very seldom these days that we receive a thank you note from anyone.  It is so unusual that I have received thank you notes for sending a thank you note.

As part of the etiquette of attending a chakai, the thank you note from the guest to the host after the event is essential.  I have written and received many, many thank you notes and there is an art to writing a thank you note.

As you can see from the example above, the thank you note doesn't have to be very long.  This example is very sophisticated and perfect for the occasion.

After the greeting, there is an acknowledgement of what the person is thanking you for.  The next sentence is making a specific comment about what the person enjoyed, and how they enjoyed it. The next comment is something that they learned that they didn't know before, and finally how the event affected them.  Closing we have another expression of thank you (in Japanese!) and a simple sincere closing with signature.

As  you can see, it is a handmade card. If you have an appropriate card, please use it.  A handmade card will do just fine.  A blank paper will do as well.  You just need to take the time, and address it, put a stamp on it and send it off.

Here is another example of a thank you note I received for Hatsugama:

Dear Margie
It was such a wonderful Hatsugama chakai this afternoon., and I feel calmness settling in my heart as I reflect on the gathering.  I'm fortunate to be surrounded by treasures of tea friends and wonderful tea utensils.  The Spring Bulb bears much energy to grow, I look forward to pursuing Chado together and growing further.  Thank you for setting a springboard, gracefully prepared, for me take the great first step of the new year.
Best regards,

The author of this thank you note incorporated the theme and names of the utensils into the thank you note.  Spring bulb was the shape of the chaire, and "first step" was the gomei of the chashaku. It shows that the guest was paying attention and how it affected them.

Please do not waste time in sending your thank you note.  Sit right down after the event (as the author above did right after the event. I received this in the mail the very next day).   If you have procrastinated more than a week in writing your thank you note, do not just forget about it. Sit down and write it now.

Finally, for those who struggle for words on paper,  it is the thought that counts. Write what is in your heart. A sincere thank you is the most appreciated.

Robiraki 2014

Marujoku Tana

On November 9, 2014 Issoan Tea School celebrated the opening of the winter hearth with Robiraki. There were 3 seki of 4 people each.  A real charcoal fire was laid to heat the water.  Because charcoal is so hard to import from Japan, and is so very expensive, we seldom get to see the fire laid.

Everyone got a chance to come close to see how the fire was built

Cold wet kettle is put on when the guests arrive

Shitabi the starter charcoals

First Seki

Second Seki

Third Seki

And then a light meal was served.

After the meal, the traditional sweet, zenzai (bean soup) was served.  Guests then took a break before koicha and usucha were served. 

Tsukubai

Meal Preparation

Mizuya

Kan ryu seki jo isshu no matsu

Chatsubo and Sumitori display

Seasonal flowers in a ceramic bamboo vase

Nicely burning fire

Robiraki 2014 Kaiki

 秋たつや川瀬にまじにる風の音

Aki tatsu ya kawase ni majiru kaze no oto
Autumn has begun;
the sound of the wind
mingles with the river shallows
~Dakotsu

Scroll:

寒流石上一種の松

kan ryu seki jo isshu no matsu

Chill flowing water, above the rock a single pine stands, by Harada Shodo Roshi
Tana: Marujoku, Sotan konomi
Sumitori: Gourd and pine needle by local Seattle artist
Haboki: Black crane feathers
Kan: Iron
Haiki: Unge by Kyoto artist
Hibashi: Kuwa (mulberry)
Kama: Kashiwa (oak leaf) uba guchi (hag mouth) by Keitan Takahashi
Kogo: Hakuji, white celadon, Kotaro Ono
Ko: Umegaka by Shoyeido

Kaiseki: Seasonal foods
Sweets: Zenzai with mochi

Chaire: Daikai, with Rikyubai kando shoha donsu
Chashaku: Gift from Minako Sensei, gomei “michi” the way
Chawan: Black Raku. Sasaki Shoraku, gomei “issei” one voice
Mizusashi- Korean Celadon, by Renkyu Ri
Kensui: Bronze efugo, hawk feeding bag
Futaoki: Bridge to four directions, by Richard Milgrim
Tea: Matsukaze no mukashi from Kambayashi
Natsume: Black Hakeme (brush stroke) lacquer with red maple leaves, by Nakamura Shokka
Omojawan: Red raku, “Kengyo” utsushi, copy of Chojiro's referring to high ranking blind priest
Kaejawan: Shino clay with rice straw glaze from the Imperial Palace grounds, by Tacy Apostolik, gomei “Aibukai” the caressing sea.
Tea: Hana no shiro from Kambayashi
Sweets tray: by Zohiko, gift from Mori sensei
Higashi: Oike Senbei, gift from Sean Toyooka

White Clouds

When choosing the toriawase, the arrangement of utensils for a chakai, or chaji the first thing you should consider is the scroll.  It sets the theme for your event and gives the guests something to think about.  Most scrolls displayed in the tea room are zen phrases written by Zen priests, monks, or abbots.  They can also be written by Zen scholars, spiritual leaders or person of inspiration.

When we enter and bow before the scroll, we are not bowing to the scroll itself.  We are bowing to the person and the spirit of the person who wrote it.  We look at the writing, which may not be the most readable, nor the most classical of script, but embodies the person who wrote it at the time they wrote it.  Observe the darkness or lightness of the ink, the wetness or dryness of the brushstrokes.  Are the strokes bold or delicate?  Do they convey movement or stability? All of these things and more can be observed by just looking at the calligraphy.  And of course you can admire it as a work of art.

The scroll hung at Hatsugama this year was written by Eido Shimano Roshi of Daibosatsu.

It reads:  Haku un onozukara kyoraisu

The English translation may be:
White clouds come and go of their own accord, or White clouds of themselves come and go

Like all Zen phrases, it may have many and deep meanings, so as a host, it would be good not only to read it when the first guest asks you to, but also to talk a little bit of what it may mean to you.  For example,
"White clouds come and go by themselves may mean that we cannot stop nature from doing what it wants, and in my life, trying to control everything is not productive, we have to let the white clouds come and go of their own accord."

In the gomei discussions, (also this post) I suggested that Zen phrases are good places to look for gomei.  "White clouds" or "come and go" can be used for gomei, and then you can recite the phrase from which the gomei is taken.

There is also a companion phrase to go with this one:  Seizan moto fudoo

The English translation may be:
Blue mountains by nature are immoveable, or blue mountains are steadfast

So if you hang the scroll haku un onozukara kyoraisu,  a very good gomei for the chashaku may be "seizan" blue mountains from the companion phrase, and then you can look like a sophisticated scholar.

As a reward for those of you who have read all the way to the bottom of this long post, I have a bonus for you.  Not all scrolls you may purchase on eBay have a scroll box.  To protect your scroll from damage and also to show some reverence for the spirit of the person who wrote it, here is a project plan for making a a scroll box of cardboard.  You can make it any size to fit your scroll perfectly. Then you can come and go as you please.

Hatsugama preparations

We are lucky this time of year to be able to participate in Hatsugama, the first kettle of the year.  It is one of the biggest events of the year, and I have been preparing for this since early November.   I have developed over the years a countdown checklist that starts about 2 months out from the event.  In planning, I have tried to take into consideration everything for my guests.  What they see on the day of the chakai or chaji is effortless ease, but experienced chajin know what is involved.

We are getting down to it as Hatsugama is this Saturday, and the menu and shopping for the meal is done.  As is planning the toriawase, selection of utensils.  The tea has been ordered, the house cleaned (although in my checklist, I will be cleaning at least twice more).  The cooking won’t happen until Friday evening, and Saturday morning.  Sweets will be made Friday night and a thousand of things need to be done.

I have a fellow teacher helping me this year, and have planned for her to help students dress in kimono.  The anticipation is building and I hope the guests will appreciate wha

t I have planned for them.

The seven types of chaji

As my classes are preparing to host a chakai this summer, I thought that I would talk a little about tea gatherings.  

Chakai are rather informal tea gatherings.  Sweets and usucha are usually served, and usually no meal is served at a chakai.  I have been to chakai in Japan where there were hundreds of participants.  Everyone was seated in a very large tatami room.  In one corner, near the first guest the temaeza is set up and a few bowls of tea are made.  Then the rest of the guests are served tatedashi, from the kitchen.  There is an efficiency and order to this type of gathering.  I have worked in the mizuya whisking tea. -- with 3 people, we whisked 300 bowls of tea for a chakai one time. 

Chaji are a more formal type of gathering and there are 7 types of chaji.  There are 3 timed chaji

1. Shojo no chaji - this is the most formal and the standard type of chaji.  It can be held in the ro or the furo season.  The start time is 11 or 12 o'clock. The order for shogo no chaji is shozumi, full kaiseki, nakadachi, koicha, gozumi and usucha.  This is the most difficult to pull off and challenging for the guests to sit through.
2. Asa chaji - takes place in the morning at 5-6 am. Furo season only. It is short and quick and ends by 7 or 8 . It is a way to beat the heat in the summer time, so tsuzukiusucha (usucha following directly after koicha) no gozumi, an abbreviated kaiseki.  No raw fish or yakimono (grilled dish).
3. Yobanashi chaji -  takes place in the evening about 4-5 pm and in the ro season only.  Serve tsuzukiusucha, and abbreviated kaiseki.  No gozumi, but  tomezumi or tachizumi (charcoal at the end).  No raw fish or yakimono.  Plan to use lights (candles and lanterns) and heat sources such as teaburi (handwarmers) and hibachi.
4. Hango chaji -- takes place after meal times.  10 am or 2 pm or 7 pm, can take place in furo or ro season.  VERY abbreviated kaiseki to no kaiseki - the food can be tenshin (one plate meal) noodles or snack, or just nimono, and hassun.  The order is lay sumi, food, serve sweet, break, and koicha.  Usucha can be skipped. This is a good chaji for less dogu or time.
5.  Rinji chaji -- emergency or spontaneous, unexpected. Contains the basics of rice, soup charcoal sweets and tea.  Can do tsuzukiusucha.  Other than that, no real rules, no set times.  Because it is so informal, it should have a very formal feeling.
6. Atomi chaji-- viewing the remains.  This takes place after another chaji.  The host's very best friends basically invite themselves to view the utensils.  The host will rehang the scroll and move the flowers to the floor.  Order, food, koicha tsuzukiusucha. no nakadachi.   Food is something different for than what was served for the first chaji guests, may even be just noodles or rice soup.(I always thought this was rather rude to invite yourself over and make the host do double duty when the first chaji was probably exhausting enough).
7. Akatsuki chaji - Dawn chaji. This is the expert's tea. It starts at 4 am and always in the ro season.  You need a ceiling window.  The illumination turns to sunlight in the tea room as it  moves from dark to light.  There is a bit of drama as the windows open and light streams in just at the hassun is served.  (timing is critical here).  Oil lamps or candles naturally guttter out as the light comes in.  Sumi first, food is variable, hassun must be served, sweets, koicha tsuzukiusucha.

Here is hoping that you will be hosting a chaji soon.

Telling Stories

One of the pleasures of attending a tea gathering are the stories told at the gathering.   Putting together how the meaning of the scroll and the choices of the utensils along with the poetic names of the sweets and chashaku make for an interesting time. 

Some of my students are beginnning to study the kazari mono where the scroll, the teabowl, the chashaku or other utensil is featured in the temae.  In class we practice telling the stories of the utensils.  Just because you purchased the bowl cheap on eBay does not make a good story for the tea gathering.  Neither does I liked this bowl, but I know nothing about it.  There should be something about it. Be thoughtful about what utensils you are using for your tea gatherings.

If you do purchase a utensil and you don't know anything about it,  use it in a chakai.  Maybe it was not the featured utensil, but you can begin to build a history for it.   "This chawan was used in a going away chakai at the Issoan Tea Room last January when my sempai was leaving for Japan. Because it was un-named, he called it Bunri, or separation."

Perhaps you know something about the artist, his history or your relationship with him.  Perhaps it was given to you by someone the both of you know.   Perhaps you have featured something else by this particular artist in another chakai

That is why I am judicious in acquiring tea utensils.  It seems if I wait,  tea utensils come to me, and always there seems to be an interesting story about how it came to me.  

Please, no more eBay yaki stories.

Hatsugama - The Year of the Dragon

We just concluded Hatsugama for 2012.   These events take considerable planning, but it does make it one of the most spectacular tea events of the year.  Everyone dressed in their finest kimono and brought their most harmonious attitude.  Here are a few photos from the event:

Just unpacking and washing the utensils needed for the event seemed like a lot of work.  Plus cleaning and sweeping, cooking and cleaning, arranging and cleaning and finally cleaning and once final cleaning.  

In the display area

The knotted willow and scroll that reads "Yume" or dream

Tea room before guests arrive

Kama by the famous Keitan Takahashi

Temaeza with Yamazato dana, Oimatsu natsume, and mizusashi by Rob Fornell

Here is the Kaiki (tea record for Hatsugama)

Machiai – Seasonal New Year Display
Ko: Kyo no ume, plum of Kyoto
Kogo: Celedon Plumeria by John Nakai
Kamakamishiki: White Hoshogami
Scroll:  Yume “Dream” by  Tajima Soko Daisojo of Koyasan Temple, Japan
Traditional knotted willow

Seasonal New Years food
Fuchidaka: Black kakiawase
Sweet: White kinton with gold flakes "Yukima no kusa" (spouts under the snow)
Tana: Yamazato dana: Mountain Village stand
Mizusashi:  Rob Fornell, Seattle Potter
Kama: Kashiwa (oak leaf) ubaguchi (hag’s mouth) by Keitan Takahashi
Okiro: Mulberry wood
Kensui: Bronze efugo style
Futaoki: Kakehashi – four bridges, four directions, four decades by Richard Milgrim
Koicha: Ha muro no mukashi by Yamamasa Koyamaen
Chaire: Daikai from Seto
Shifuku: Rikyubai shoha donsu
Chashaku: “Michi” gift from Minako Sensei
Chawan: Red Raku with silver lining from Shimadai set by Waraku

Natsume:  Oimatsu with hinged lid. Lacquer by Soetsu
Omojawan: “Aibukai,” the caressing shore by Tacy Apostolik
Higashi: Oike senbei and yuzu peel
Higashi bon:  Orange lacquer from Urasenke made by Zohiko
Mizutsugi: Blue and White Sometsuke
Usucha:  Kirisame by Aoi tea company

It's the water -- and a lot more

My apologies to Olympia Beer, that was their slogan for many years.   I just returned from a trip to the Southwest, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.  It made me appreciate the good fortune that I live in a place with really good tasting water right out of the tap.  I tried to make tea with the water from the tap and my tea really tasted yucky.   Sometimes it tasted soapy, sometimes salty, depending if it had gone through water softeners.    

This reminds me that good tasting tea starts with the water.   Even though I live in a place with good tasting water, I use purified water because the pipes that the water runs in also make a difference in the taste. I am reminded again that my sensei told me not to use distilled water for tea, because it was too flat.   The best water comes from spring or well water.  We are fortunate here in the Pacific Northwest to have an abundance of springs, wells and very good tasting water, even out of the tap.

There are some famous wells in Kyoto for good tasting water. The well at Urasenke is called Ume no I, the plum well. Other places famous for good tasting water are the Ocha no I (tea well)  located in the garden of the Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion once was a source for water for the Ashikaga Youshimasa;  the Kikusui no I (chrysanthemum well) located at the Kongo family of Noh masters and used by Takeno Joo.  Also Nashinoka shrine is supposed to have very good tasting water.  And there is a spot on the Uji bridge called the Uji Bashi San no Ma where there is a special platform that extends out from the third piling from the Western end.  The water that flows from beneath this platform is said to  to originate from an underwater palace beneath the Karahashi bridge which spans the river in nearby Otsu City, or from an spring at Benziten Shrine in Chikubu Island in Lake Biwa.  Hideyoshi used this water for tea when he resided in his castle in Fushimi.

When I did my chaji in Kyoto, we used the water from the well at Kitano Temangu shrine. The best time to get water is between 4 and 6 am.  So we got up early and went to the shrine to fill our plastic containers for the chaji and hauled them up to Toinseki for the chaji.  This makes you very careful with water as there was no running water in the mizuya so what you brought from the well was all you had to use.

There is even a procedure called Meisuidate for the preparation of tea with famous water that uses an unfinished well bucket made of hinoki cypress with special paper decorations.  Before koicha is made, the guests get to taste the water from the well bucket.

Iced matcha

The summer months of July and August are the most challenging for tea people.  Asa chaji held in the early morning to beat the heat for this time of year is considerate of guests.  Images of water, waterfalls, rivers, streams and water dripping on moss project coolness.  A larger room with reeds instead of shoji to let in any cool breeze can be used.  Sunlight in the tea room is to be avoided, so a darker room will seem cooler. White flowers, unfinished wood utensils and images of water birds also add to the illusion of coolness.

I have also made iced matcha tea in the tea room at this time of year. When bringing in kensui, also bring in a chawan of ice cubes with a porcelain spoon.  Put the bowl of ice near the wall with your left hand. Make tea as usual but use a little less water.  Before putting out the teabowl for the guest, take the bowl of ice in your left hand and with your right hand scoop one or two ice cubes and gently float them in the matcha.  The hot water will melt the ice, and the tea will be cooled without disturbing the foam on the top.

I'll be in Hawaii for the next two weeks, family business and then I'll be attending the Midorikai reunion and the Hawaii Chado Seminar.  In the meantime, Karla will be posting and I have a few things that will  show up from time to time. When I get back I'll have a lot to blog about.