We are lucky this time of year to be able to participate in Hatsugama, the first kettle of the year. It is one of the biggest events of the year, and I have been preparing for this since early November. I have developed over the years a countdown checklist that starts about 2 months out from the event. In planning, I have tried to take into consideration everything for my guests. What they see on the day of the chakai or chaji is effortless ease, but experienced chajin know what is involved.
We are getting down to it as Hatsugama is this Saturday, and the menu and shopping for the meal is done. As is planning the toriawase, selection of utensils. The tea has been ordered, the house cleaned (although in my checklist, I will be cleaning at least twice more). The cooking won’t happen until Friday evening, and Saturday morning. Sweets will be made Friday night and a thousand of things need to be done.
I have a fellow teacher helping me this year, and have planned for her to help students dress in kimono. The anticipation is building and I hope the guests will appreciate what I have planned for them.
Hatsugama preparations
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Chokudai 2014 Shizuka
Every year, the Emperor of Japan chooses a theme, or Chokudai for the year. Many artists create works of art, tea utensils commemorating the theme for the year. For 2014, the theme is shizuka. It will be interesting to see what artists come up with for shizuka.
My dictionary defines the word as calm, quiet, still, tranquil, placid, silent, peaceful, serene, gentle, and soft. Like many Japanese words, it is hard to find an English equivalent word that conveys the sentiment and meaning of it. Especially in our culture, which seems to favor action words. The more contemplative words seem to get a more negative connotation, such as “placid,” which is defined as serenely free of interruption or disturbance.
In the modern world, we live in a “noisy” environment. Smart phones, TV , radio, telephones, youtube; everything seems to be tugging at our attention. We need to be up to the minute in monitoring what is trending on Twitter, or what is posted on facebook, instagram, pinterest. There is an ever increasing cacophony in our lives.
Without constant distraction, we begin to see what our lives are really about. Without distraction, we have the time to reflect and think deeply about things. Without distraction we can face ourselves honestly. Perhaps that is why there is a rise in popularity of things like yoga and meditation, where we pay attention to our bodies and our thoughts.
For this year, shizuka is a good theme for me. A reminder this year to spend time calm, quiet, still. To bring tranquility, peacefulness and serenity into my life more consciously everyday.
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The joy of tea
Today I had the lucky opportunity of hosting a chakai for people that I had never met. However these two people had traveled many thousands of miles from North and East of here to be my guests. They were graduates of the Midorikai program in Kyoto and attended about 5 years before I had gone myself.
One of my guests had not done tea for about 20 years and the other one had kept in practice even though there were few tea people to share tea where he lived.
I started preparations earlier in the week cleaning my house top to bottom. I cleaned, swept and vacuumed. I dusted, wiped and washed. This morning in the quiet, I zokined the tatami and put the fresh kettle on. As it heated, I prepared my utensils: Unrolled the scroll and hung it carefully. I sifted the tea and rinsed and dried the teabowl, mizusashi, and kensui. I soaked the new chakin and opened a new chasen. I arranged the utensils just outside the tea room.
Then I went to make the sweets: White kinton with green interior. Gomei – yukima no kusa
I cleaned the toilet, put out the tsukubai, picked and arranged the flowers. Then I filled the natsume, arranged the sweets and went to put on my kimono. As I dressed, I thought how lucky I was to be able to host two experienced tea people who were hungry for the experience!
I went to check the kettle and it was beginning to sing. My student came to assist, and he once more zokined the tea room,. put on his kimono and went out to wait for the guests. He greeted them outside and assisted them inside to take off their shoes and hang up their outer garments.
Surprise, one guest wore his kimono! Up in the tea room, the incense was lit and wafted down to greet the guests. They entered the tea room and we made them comfortable. What a joy to make tea for these guests who appreciated everything and noticed the smallest details. The conversation was easy and natural, the tea was made and drank. They even had two bowls of tea each.
After everyone got feeling back in their feet we sat just outside the tea room and visited, but like very good guests, they didn’t stay long because they knew we had things to do.
My student and I had a bowl of tea and then cleaned up, closed the tea room and said goodbye. It was a very satisfying and fulfilling experience. This is why we study the way of tea.
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Kumihimo: Braid obsessions
Since the kumihimo workshop in November, I have become obsessed with braid and braiding. Using the kumiloom disk I started and braided several key chains. Then my good friend Barbara loaned me her Marudai and I began my first project on in. She also gave me enough silk to complete a flat braid obijime and I finished it.
Santa Claus was good to me and brought me my own marudai and accessories and I began my second obijime project that I finished yesterday.
It is fun and repetitive, but not mindless, as I still have a couple of mistakes in each of the projects from not paying attention, gettting lost or getting the order wrong (sound familiar to doing temae?).
Anyway, for my next project I am going to make cords for a chabako shifuku set. I already know how to make shifuku, but cannot get the cords for them.
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