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 room. It is a lovely space with an 8 mat room and a 4 1/2 mat room using the materials from Lynn Moser’s tea room.
We were treated to koicha made by Bonnie sensei herself and then our group got to do kagetsu in the 8 mat room. For me it was an opportunity to see old friends, as I used to study in Seattle, as well as meet many of the enthusiastic tea students.
I am sorry I do not have photos from the gathering. I was too excited to talk with Bonnie sensei and participate in kagetsu that I forgot about taking photos.
After the chakai we went to the Panama hotel for lunch and spent the afternoon at New Century Tea Gallery tasting Chinese teas in the international district.
We were also invited to celebrate Shoburo by Christopher Ezzell at the Tea House of the Winter Moon on Vashon Island. We got up early and took the ferry to Vashon. We got a lot of strange looks wearing kimono on the ferry.
We spent a lovely time admiring the beautiful tea house built of native woods by John Burke. There is also an exquisite tea garden and koshikake machiai, or waiting bench.
Christopher was a cordial host, with luxurious tea sweets made by Tokara. Afterwards, we did a little shopping at gift shop with many Japanese themed gifts and ate lunch before taking the ferry and heading back home.