On January 11, the students and supporters of Issoan gathered at the Cedar Tree Hotel to celebrate Hatsugama. A bento, koicha and usucha were served with portable table style.
The traditional New Year kagami mochi was displayed as well as a shikishi and bell denoting the year of the horse. In keeping with …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/hatsugama-the-new-year-at-issoan/
Happy New Year as we head into 2026, the year of the Fire Horse!
A fire horse year signifies a rare, powerful period of rapid change, passion, and bold action, combining the Horse’s natural energy (speed, freedom, ambition) with the Fire element’s intensity, leading to innovation, personal growth, but requiring balanced ambition to avoid …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/happy-new-year-5/
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/
Six poets gathered on New Year’s Day 2024 at Issoan to celebrate the New Year. We shared sake, tea tasting, snacks, matcha, sweets, lunch and incense appreciation during the day while composing a 28 stanza linked verse. I hope you like the entire poem.
Earth slowly rises From winter slumber In the sunshine …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/happy-new-year-in-poetry/
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/
