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 the assignment, but I wanted a functional set that could be used to serve tea to guests.  I got a metal box from the dollar store, a cardboard tube for the chasen, a little metal hinged trinket box for the chakin,  a plastic makeup jar for natsume and a little sample jelly jar for the furidashi.  The usuita is a piece of cardboard covered in shelf contact paper and a small bowl fit perfectly inside the metal box.  I cut a bamboo chashaku so it would fit as well.

I was impressed with the chabako that students put together.  creative use of objects used for tea utensils, boxes made of wood, even a basket was used to carry the utensils.

For the Monday evening class we all sat around in a circle on the deck and simultaneously made tea for each other passing our bowls of tea to the right.

After tea, everyone got to tell the story of their chabako set and we could get up and haiken the utensils.  Some were very clever, indeed.  Ryan even made ice tea with his set!

Later we toasted with saké and wrote our wishes and hung them from the tree. What a beautiful night to celebrate Tanabata!

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 how to do this and it emphasizes teamwork and footwork.  Often kagetsu will be done at Tankokai events.

There are many types of kagetsu.  Sumi tsuki kagetsu where the sumi is laid and thee bowls of usucha are made.  Koicha tsuki kagetsu where the host makes koicha for everyone and also drinks as the last guest and then three bowls of usucha are made.  Koh tsuki kagetsu where everyone listens to incense, writes a short poem and three bowls of usucha are made. There are many other types of kagetsu.

Beginners to kagetsu are often totally confused. The rules seem arbitray, and they say that after doing kagetsu 100 times, it becomes clear as the misty moon.  Once you get the hang of it however, kagetsu can be addicting.  We did kagetsu every other Friday when I was at Midorikai and I have come to love it.

A year ago we started a monthly kagetsu class, and the students are becoming more proficient.  It has become more enjoyable as we have become more familiar with the form, the rules, and how the sequences flow.  We have been doing hira kagetsu, the most basic form, but this coming year we will attempt more complicated forms.  If you have a chance to do kagetsu, please try it!

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 driving around and stop and pick flowers by the side of the road or in shopping parking lots, or on the side of industrial parks.  I also picked flowers from the sidewalk or in the suburban wilderness park near my home.   I still look for flowers in all of these places, but I am enjoying the blooms much closer to home.

The Portland International Tea Gathering will take place October 15-20, 2025 in Portland, Oregon, USA.

For those making travel plans, we have reserved a discount block of  rooms at the Cedar Tree Hotel, the site of the Tea Gathering. The link can be found here.

We are working to finalize the program, booking speakers and events.  We have confirmed Thursday October 16 for the Welcome Chakai and Banquet. Friday October 17 is confirmed for our day at the Portland Japanese Garden.

There will be a tea bowl exchange, so please consider bringing a tea bowl to exchange with your fellow chajin.  More details will be coming.

When we have the program finalized, we will be sending out the registration information. Please register as soon as you can as we will limit the participation to 40 members.

For updates you can check the website:

SweetPersimmon.com

We are looking forward to hosting you.