Category: blog post

End of May — a Midorikai interlude

May 19

We had our first chashaku carving practicum today. The guy who taught it made it look so easy. We got out our blades and began slowly shaving away small pieces of the bamboo strips to make the bent tea scoop that we use when we lift tea from the tea container and put …

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We have a winner!

It gives me great pleasure to announce the winner of the furo and kama set. It includes the kan (rings) and shiki ita (board under the furo).  Congratulations to Ana Martinez who answered all of the questions correctly in the contest.  I hope you use it and enjoy your studies for many years to come. …

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Mid-May update, a Midorikai interlude

May 10 We had the annual tea plantation and manufacturing process field trip to Uji today. All the Midorikai students and second-year Japanese students woke up early to catch the train from Kuramaguchi station to Uji. We started at Marukyu Koyama-en for a tea plantation tour and fresh tea tasting. I’ve had their koicha before …

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Ichigo ichie and farewell

My heart is heavy from this past weekend as I learned that a friend of mine passed away. There were three of us who studied together with Minako sensei every Thursday night for many, many years, and now he is gone, and Minako sensei is gone.

It seems like we grew up together and now …

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Golden Week, a Midorikai interlude

May 7 We have had some days off several public holidays on Friday April 29 and May 3-5. Since last I wrote I’ve done quite a lot. Some of us on Saturday, April 30 went to an Art of Zen exhibit at the Kyoto National Art Museum. I learned the story of Daruma (the little …

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