Category: blog post

Working together

I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge one of my huge supporters, Barbara Walker.  Barbara and I have shared our love for the way of tea  for more than 30 years. She and I studied with Minako sensei for 20 years, before she passed away. We help each other with Chado presentations, classes and …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/working-together/

Obonfest at Oregon Buddhist Temple

Obon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one’s ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors’ spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.

Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the ancestors’ spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are performed, graves are visited and food …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/obonfest-at-oregon-buddhist-temple/

Presentation at Portland Japanese Garden

Issoan Tea School will be presenting Chado, the Way of  Tea at the Portland Japanese Garden this Saturday, July 21st at 1 and 2 pm.

Please join us for a presentation of the Tea Ceremony at Kashintei, the “Flower heart arbor” tea house at the Portland Japanese Garden.  The presentation is free with admission to …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/presentation-at-portland-japanese-garden/

Tanabata Chakai

A wonderful day of tea Saturday at the Issoan Tea School.  Students celebrated the Star Festival with a chakai put on the advanced class who invited the new students who had never attended a chakai before.

We went through the planning process from choosing a theme, utensils, poetic names, hand made invitations to making sweets.

Continue reading

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

Meibutsu-gire – the famous named fabrics

We have most often seen the meibutsu-gire, or famous named fabrics as kobukusa, the small patterned cloth, mounting for scrolls, and as shifuku or bags made to contain utensils.  During the haiken or appreciation dialog, the guests ask about the shifuku fabric.

While there is a close relationship between Tea and meibutsu-gire, not all fabrics …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/meibutsu-gire-the-famous-named-fabrics/