Season's Greetings

Season's Greetings to all of my students and followers and families.  Here's to a peaceful Christmas, end of the year celebrations and prosperity in the new year.

Month of Teacher's Running

December is a busy time for teacher and it is nicknamed the month of teacher's running.  That is the truth for me this year.  Not only am I preparing for the holidays, hatsugama and tea lessons, but am also sewing and making bags for the SweetPersimmon store.  More about that later.

Hatsugama invitations should be in the mail soon.  Please mark your calendars for Saturday January 14th.

Don't forget this coming Sunday the 18th is Kagetsu study at 1:30 at Mieko sensei's house.   New introduction and tray style classes are forming for January.  Please let me know if you have friends who may be interested.  I'll post and send emails soon.

In the meantime, some of my students are looking at acquiring a kama. It is a big commitment to purchase one, but when you see the work that goes into making one, it is well worth the price. Each Kama is one of a kind since they break the mold after casting. It normally takes 3 months to go through the process and compltete a kama. If you take care of your kama, it will last a lifetime.  We are fortunate to have on loan from Tim-sensei in Seattle a beautiful Ro kama made by the famous Keitan Takahashi. This kama was made in the early 1960s before he was named a living national treasure in Japan. He passed away in 1999.   

The process for making a kama:

 Step 1 : Making a sketch of the body
 Step 2 : Making designs on the Washi paper
 Step 3 : Making mold by sands
 Step 4 : Making designs on the mold
 Step 5 : Cast iron into the mold
 Step 6 : Polish the surface of the Kama

Below are videos showing the work that goes into making a kama and some of the beautiful work by Keitan Takahashi.  Please enjoy.

 

 

For my regular readers, I apologize for not blogging in a long, long time. 

I dressed the students in my introduction class in kimono and we went into the tea room to have tea.  Don't they look great?

We only have two more classes left and it has really gone fast. 

New classes are forming now for January.  Another introduction class, a beginner class, and continuing class for advanced students.   Don't forget, we have a monthy kagetsu class this Sunday, November 20.  Stay tuned for the kaiskei cooking class and other workshops including altering kimono, kobukusa making and sweets making class.

Drinking the Moon

New Intro to Chado classes forming now

New Introduction to Chado, the way of tea classes forming now.

Students will learn the etiquette of how to be a guest at a tea ceremony, the basic order of the tea ceremony and how to whisk green powdered ceremonial tea. Students will also participate in 4 Japanese tea ceremonies from informal to semi-formal tea gatherings.  An overview of Japanese aesthetics and how tea has influenced Japanese culture will be presented.  Students will also be introduced to tea ceramics, calligraphy, kimono dressing, and incense ceremony. They will also be introduced to zazen meditation and discuss how to put tea practice into every day life.

When: Wednesday evenings, from 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Where: Ryokusuido Tea Room 3826 NE Glisan St. Portland, OR
Dates:10 weeks beginning September 28 - Dec. 7 (no class November 23rd for Thanksgiving holiday) 

When: Sunday morning from 10:00-11:30 pm
Where: Issoan Tea Room, 17761 NW Marylhurst Ct., Portland, OR (near Rock Creek PCC)
Dates: 10 weeks beginning October 2 - Dec. 4

Space is limited.  Please call Margie to register, 503-645-7058. or email me sweetpersimmon1@gmail.com