Happy New Year. It is the year of the snake, and the chokudai for this year is “standing.”
We are lucky enough to have a robust chado community in Portland and so far there has been two Hatsugama chakai with two more to go.
Issoan Tea School held Hatsugama on January 5 at two seki. …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/1374/
I had the privilege of attending an Omotesenke chakai this last weekend. Even though I have participated in chakai in Japan, it was very educational to be able to see it again in a much more intimate setting.
I get asked all the time about the differences between Omotesenke and Urasenke. I usually respond that …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/the-differences-are-the-same/
I remember one of the most memorable chakai was at the Japanese Garden in Winter. The snow was softly falling and it was only the host and I. The scroll hanging in the tokonoma read, “Everything’s important, nothing really matters.”
He had opened up all of the windows to the tea house and made tea …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/remembering-winter-chakai/
It has been more than a week since we had an intensive workshop here in Portland with Machida Gyotei sensei and we are grateful to Urasenke and Oiemoto for sending him to Portland. I don’t remember the last time we had a Gyotei sensei in Portland, but I have studied with them while I was …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/confessions-of-a-chado-geek/
I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge one of my huge supporters, Barbara Walker. Barbara and I have shared our love for the way of tea for more than 30 years. She and I studied with Minako sensei for 20 years, before she passed away. We help each other with Chado presentations, classes and …
Permanent link to this article: https://issoantea.com/working-together/
