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Portland International Tea Gathering October 15-20, 2025

You are invited to the Portland International Tea Gathering October 15-20, 2025.

We have an exciting line up for our program and are excited to host you in Portland.  The Portland Japanese Garden will be our highlight with 3 seki and a guided tour of the garden.  Please consider bringing a tea bowl for …

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Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/portland-international-tea-gathering/

Tanabata at Issoan

Earlier this year after doing a month of chabako for the transition from Ro to furo season, I gave the students an assignment to assemble their own chabako and fill it with found utensils.  It was a fun assignment and I also put together a chabako set.

I didn’t want to spend much money for …

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Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/tanabata-at-issoan/

Shoburo in Seattle

The students at Issoan were invited to Shoburo at the East West Chanoyu Center in Seattle Washington.  Bonnie Mitchell sensei is my sensei and I wanted my students to meet her.  5 students traveled from Portland to the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington where the East West Chanoyu Center has it Zuishin’an tea …

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Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/shoburo-in-seattle/

Kagetsu!

Kagetsu is one of the ensemble tea exercises (games) where 5 people make and drink 4 bowls of tea. Cards or fuda are drawn from a pouch called an orisue to determine who makes tea and who drinks tea.  Ka, or flower makes tea, and getsu or moon drinks tea. There are many rules of …

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Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/kagetsu/

Flowers flowers everywhere

It is truly spring here in the Pacific Northwest.  I have been planting flowers for chabana in my garden for about three years.  This year, I am quite happy to say I have been able to pick chabana from my garden every week for okeiko without stealing from my neighbor’s yards.

I used to be …

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Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/flowers-flowers-everywhere/