Tsurigama - the hanging kettle

I have the privilege of belonging to  Kashintei Kai a tea group that holds a once a month chakai at the tea house in the Portland Japanese Garden. It was my turn to host in March and I decided to use the tsurigama, or hanging kettle.  This is a very special kettle because it belonged to my sensei, Minako, along with the special chain, large kan (kettle loops) and bridge.

We are fortunate to have had a wonderful spring in Portland and now there is an abundance of flowers.  So the theme for this chakai is flowers. 

The shikishi reads "hana zoku zoku, nishiki zoku zoku"  flowers everywhere, brocade everywhere by Harada Shodo Roshi.

The bronze vase with an exquisite single red camellia bud in the tokonoma.

Natsume is sakura and momiji with a moon -- Yamanaka lacquer.

The chashaku is made by Zuiho of sesame bamboo with black lacquer sakura. Gomei: hana goromo, robe of flowers.

The main bowl is a Genji guruma (cart) filled with flowers both inside and out.

While making tea the kettle sways slightly as if in a spring breeze.

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.

Hatsugama 2015

Hatsugama at Issoan Tea room started on Saturday January 3 with teachers and experienced tea people.  Sunday January 4, there were  three seki for students.

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

My First Chakai

I'd like to introduce to you a guest blogger, Stephanie.  She is a student and has been studying for more than 2 1/2 years.  Earlier this year, she put on her first chakai:

Earlier this year I hosted my first chakai (tea gathering) for a fellow student who was returning to Japan. It was fitting that she be shokyakyu (first guest) and I teishu (host) since we had studied together for several months. My senpai (senior students) helped me plan and even agreed to be hanto (serving the tea in the tea room) and mizuya-cho (preparing everything outside of the tea room). One of my senpai painted the artistic work on the front of the invitation! I am so fortunate that Margie sensei encourages us to host chakai and for generous senpai!

 

Margie Sensei and Honored Guest

One of the best things about planning a chakai is that it's an integrative learning experience. It allowed me to take the individual learnings from my lessons and bring them together in a whole. Part of the learning, for me, was figuring out what needed to be done and when. For example, I needed to decide upon the guest list; select a theme; make and send the invitations; purchase fresh tea, whisk and chakin (linen cloth for purification); select the utensils and appropriate poetic names; write up the kaiki (a list of the utensils with names); decide upon and make/procure sweets and much more.

 

Tea Bowl Name: Haru Gasumi, Spring Mist, named by First Guest

I also wanted to honor my friend and teachers by doing my best at making tea and so I practiced the temae (tea procedure) many times at home, until I could more or less complete it without egregious error. I aspired to a place of familiarity so that I could also speak during the tea-making. This can be a challenge, but an important one as much of the theme is revealed through the stories told. I believe that practice is always a worthy path and it has paid off for me in multiples, as my comfort with the basic procedure has grown tremendously through the experience.

The day of the chakai, my senpai and I arrived early. They were so wonderful, I can't say thanks enough! They helped me clean, wipe the tatami, hang the scroll, arrange the flowers, set up the utensils, etc. We even had time for a dry run which helped me feel much more at ease. One of my senpai dressed me in kimono (so that it would go faster than my 2.5 hour process!), and then the guests arrived. 

 

Stephanie (host, center) and Senpai

From this point onward, things unfolded in their natural order and I believe the experience was meaningful to everyone involved. My hands shook visibly as I placed the chashaku (tea scoop) onto the natsume (tea container) and I forgot to open the lid to the mizusashi (cold water jar) at the right time, among numerous other minor blunders. Margie sensei had trained me well to make my mistakes as beautifully as possible and carry on. My heart was filled with warmth to honor my friend and the other guests. The tea was made and served, the stories were told and the conversations were lovely, making for a once-in-a-lifetime tea gathering.

Summer chakai

The students from Issoan Tea put on their summer chakai last weekend.  I am going to post photos and kaiki.  It was a playful twist to the theme.

Here is a photo of the invitation:

"Stretches for light years,

Satellites transmitting

A mass of pitch black."

by James, published by NASA's Going to Mars Campaign 2013,
collected for the MAVEN Spacecraft launch

Front artwork by Michelle Kottwitz

MAKE IT SO

To celebrate friendship and a sci-fi classic, please join us for a light snack, usucha and sweets

Issoan Tea school

Sunday, August 24th

RSVP to Karla Tomanka or Margie Yap

Kimono not required. Being a trekkie not required.

Scroll

Flowers

Temaeza

Snack

Sake

Haiken 

Natsume

Futaoki

Chawan

Edited to add sweets, Tribbles made of an, communicators made of yokan

Star Trek Chakai 2014 Kaiki

Osayu:  Earl Grey tea, hot
Meal:  Three dish rice, miso and raw dish
Scroll: Shikishi "Engage" by Margie Yap
Hana: Seasonal
Hanaire: Bizen hyotan hanging vase
Temae: Arai jakin
Mizusashi:  Found object, metal box
Chashaku: "Live long and prosper"  carved metal family heirloom by George Takei, named by Leonard Nimoy
Futaoki: Cactus skeleton, by Randy Burks
Kensui: Hammered copper
Chamei: "Far point"  local blend
Sweets: Tribbles made of an, communicators made of yokan
Natsume: Black lacquer Rikyu-gata, medium size with stars
Chawan: Glass bowl "Amanogawa" (The Milky Way) by Kunihiko Hirohata
Kaejawan: Gold leaf bowl "Snow storm" by Hirota
Gift: Fish tile