Some people, especially at demonstrations, get the idea that Chanoyu is a performance. The host has set the stage and enters to perform a ritual with the guests as the audience. In performance the emphasis and attention are all directed at the performer, while the audience is there to be entertained or to view the …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/it-is-not-a-performance/
The Portland Japanese Garden invited Yoshitsugu Nagano sensei of Ueda Soko school from New York City to come and present tea at the Cultural Corner floating tatami space. It is always interesting to watch other school’s temae to compare the different styles of making tea. And I think that is what it is, stylistic differences. …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/yoshitsugu-nagano-sensei-comes-to-portland/
This year we celebrated the Lunar New Year instead of Hatsugama. Portland had such a bad winter storm that we had to cancel Hatsugama. Our gathering took place at the newly opened Cedar Tree Hotel. The lobby is beautifully understated with a koi pond in the middle! Stephanie and I named the three koi …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/lunar-new-year-for-issoan/
Here in the Pacific NW we are usually blessed with beautiful clear days and pleasant temperatures for Autumn. The new school year starts, and football season begins. But for me, moon viewing signals the beginning of the Autumn. This year the September moon came late in the month, but we had hot weather into the …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/autumn-has-arrived/
This year Issoan celebrated Hatsugama in a hybrid as still some people cannot come to the tea room, and some people attended from out of town.
The first seki I laid sumi and served tenshin meal.
Then a break and our zoom guests joined us for sweets and tea. Thank you all …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/hatsugama-2023/
