Winter's Pleasure - The Warmth of a Winter Tea Bowl

This winter in New York has been relatively warm, and it seems like today will be even warmer. However, it's only the end of February, so it's still cold, sometimes below freezing. Lately, I've been enjoying matcha in a winter bowl, which is cylindrical shape and typically used during the coldest month of the year, February.

Winter tea bowl (Tsutsu Chawan) and Bamboo tea whisk (Chasen)

The small opening in the tea bowl is designed to keep the matcha warm and prevent it from cooling down quickly. As you carefully pour in the hot water, place the bamboo tea whisk, and fold the linen cloth, simply watching the steam slowly rising from the tea bowl warms your heart. And now, you begin to make matcha.

The Way of Tea known as the tea ceremony always reminds us of the importance of savoring the present moment. It seems like a simple concept, but it reflects the depth and spiritual richness of the Japanese people in the past.

 I believe that life today is much richer than it was in the past. However, I feel that this is different from whether the human spirit has become richer.

While I can't wait for the arrival of warm spring weather, I've also realized that some pleasures can only be enjoyed during the cold season. Perhaps one of the greatest joys of a cold winter is seeing steam rise from a tea bowl or cup, feeling its soothing warmth wrap around your hands, and enjoying a hot beverage. Even if it's snowing outside, our bodies and hearts are filled with warmth. Let's enjoy the beauty of the cold season and the simple pleasures it brings for a bit while.

February Snow in Kent, CT

The Sunken Hearth Opening, and Matcha

The beginning of November a very important season for those of us who learn of the way of tea, known as the tea ceremony.

Around this time, we have a special tea gathering to celebrate the opening of the sunken hearth, known as Robiraki in Japanese. ‘Ro (炉)’ refers to the sunken hearth, a square pit set beneath the flooring, flush with the tatami. ‘Biraki'(開き)’means to open, so Robiraki literally marks the opening of the sunken hearth.

Ukiyo-e print (浮世絵) depicting the art of the tea ceremony by Toshitaka Mizuno (水野年方 1866-1903) 

During winter, we use the sunken hearth instead of the floor brazier. The sunken hearth is an essential feature of a tea room and located almost centrally in the tea room, creating a warm atmosphere as everyone gathers around it. The Robiraki tea gathering signifies the initiation of a new cycle in the tea ceremony year. Almost two weeks ago, I attended a Robiraki tea gathering at our school, Urasenke Chanoyu Center, a delightful occasion where 25 people at each seat wore kimonos to celebrate and enjoy a bowl of matcha together.

There is another important thing in November. While the new season for green tea is in May, matcha's new season is in November. After harvesting fresh tea leaves, they age for half a year in a jar. In November, the jar is opened, and the aged tea leaves are ground using a stone mortar to make matcha powder. This marks the beginning of drinking new matcha for the season. When I visit Japan during this time, I always buy matcha for Robiraki at a small tea shop in Kyoto.

Speaking of matcha, a charming tea shop, Sorate opened in Soho just last month. The wonderful owner, Silvia, an Italian woman I met at a charity event for Ukraine last year, provided absolutely delicious matcha sourced from Uji, Kyoto.

 On Sorate’s website, Silvia shares in her "A LOVE LETTER TO JAPAN": 

“AND ITALY, MY HOME COUNTRY.

The idea for starting Sorate came to mind after a period when I felt physically and emotionally depleted by the pressures of life. 

I decided to take a solo road trip through Japan to decompress. Making my way across the Japanese countryside, I discovered that the best way to keep my feet on the ground was to practice simple daily rituals. ….”

I knew she was learning the tea ceremony, but I was deeply moved when I saw a photo of her wearing a kimono and participating in a tea gathering held at Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto in the hot summer. I could feel her passion for Japanese culture and matcha.

Sorate, 13 Sullivan St. Soho, NYC

Sorate has a very cozy and relaxing atmosphere, especially in the morning. I enjoy delicious matcha accompanied by the pleasant sounds of jazz and Italian language. I feel the vibrant essence of New York City, a cosmopolitan city, a true melting pot. Each person has their own roots, but one can embrace and love any culture. At our school, Urasenke Chanoyu Center, there is an American instructor who has been teaching for a very long time and is highly respected by all students, not only as a teacher but also as a person.

These days, I feel that the way of Japanese tea is not only for the Japanese people but that this spirit will be passed down to the next generation by those who truly love Japanese culture.

A Morning Glory

Perhaps the first flower I grew was the morning glory. When I was a child, the morning glory was very familiar to me, but as I grew up, it gradually became a forgotten flower. Allow me to share with you a famous anecdote about a morning glory dating back to the 16th century. This story involves the renowned Samurai General, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and the great tea master Sen no Rikyu.

The samurai, Hideyoshi, heard that a lot of morning glories were blooming beautifully in Rikyu's garden. Curious to see them, Hideyoshi asked Rikyu to show him the flowers. Rikyu invited him. On that day Hideyoshi was looking forward to seeing beautiful morning glories but to Hideyoshi's surprise, all the flowers were cut, and there were no morning glories in the garden. Hideyoshi was probably taken aback or even angry. However, when he entered the tea room, he discovered a beautiful morning glory arranged in the alcove. Hideyoshi was deeply impressed by Rikyu's aesthetics. This anecdote is very famous and told for many years.

Initially, when I heard about this story, I was not very impressed that Rikyu had thrown away all the morning glories.

On a slightly different topic, last month, my garden in Connecticut was filled with many blooming peonies so I brought several big peony buds to my tea ceremony class for the tea room. A week after, I went to the tea class as usual. When I entered the tea room, my eyes caught a large peony bud gracefully arranged in the alcove, exuding a dignified beauty.

Peonies in the garden typically bloom for only two weeks, so I always pick as many as I can and place them in several large vases or share them with my friends. At home, I could not think of arranging a single peony, because all beautiful peonies should be admired evenly.  

The dignified beauty of that single peony in the tea room reminds me of the morning glory anecdote. It is said that Rikyu had an excellent sense of beauty, and this experience has convinced me of his aesthetic sense. Understanding the true essence of things takes time.

Suddenly, I wanted to see a certain book and started looking for it on my bookshelf, because the book shows Rikyu's morning glory which I am imagining. Simplicity is for emphasizing its beauty.

From the book, Imayoukadensho by Toshiro Kawase (川瀬俊朗　今様花伝書より）

Inspired by this realization, I decided to plant some morning glories in my garden last month. Unfortunately, they were eaten by animals, and most of their leaves were gone. My desire to see simple morning glories has grown stronger in me, and I plan to wait and plant them again next year.

Japanese lacquer "Urushi"

Dear Friends,

This well-used urushi plate is one of my favorite pieces from my mother's hobby works. It has probably been in use for around 30 years; moreover, it has been my father's favorite as well, and he still uses it on a daily basis. This urushi ware is called, Kamakura-bori, a practical craft with impressive carvings and rich urushi lacquer finishes. 

When I moved to New York, I brought two kaiseki urushi plates made by her to enjoy my meals even very simple dishes like rice, miso soup, and pickles become a feast. Urushi ware is not inexpensive and must be handled carefully all the time. While it may not be practical in our New York busy life, enjoying meals on this plate gives me peaceful enjoyment.

Urushi is a sap from the urushi tree, and although it tends to be considered a very delicate substance, it is a surprisingly durable material. Once urushi is dried out it won't be damaged by any chemicals such as; acid, or alkali alcohol; consequently, if you take good care of it your urushi ware will last for over 100 years. There are historical records that 9000-year-old urushi has been discovered in Japan, which indicates the durability of urushi.

The 30-year-old plate may look a bit worn, however, it becomes more attractive when the top layer wears down and the underneath black layer appears. This beautifully aged urushi ware feels warm to me and this may be the reason it is one of our family's favorite, and it’s heart-warming to see that my father is still using it.  

Another great feature of urushi is that it can be repainted as needed.  A wonderful premise when you purchase and use urushi is that this is something you will use for a long time. The secret of a truly rich life may be to cherish what we use every day.

Love,

Kumiko

Edited by Janice Ensminger

Golden Joinery

Dear Friends;

Since March, we have been living in Kent, CT surrounded by beautiful countryside; however, on the first Sunday in August a big storm hit the northeast. Many areas in CT lost power we were without power for a week, but thanks to a small generator we didn't experience food spoilage. We were without electricity and the Internet, so I found it difficult to exist without power and the Internet. When the power returned I was able to get back to work, but my computer screen went black. Sometimes bad things happen one after another and I had to replace my computer.

I like to use what I love as long as possible, so I was very disappointed.  If I could fix it, I wanted to fix it and use it longer.  I shouldn't emotionally attach to my old computer because electronic appliances are designed just not to last so long, but I don't like that idea. 

This series of events reminded me of an ancient Japanese technique called "kintsugi" which is the opposite of "built-in obsolescence".

Kintsugi is to repair broken ceramics using urushi lacquer dusted with powdered gold. As a philosophy, this method does not disguise the damages but makes it more attractive.  The repair becomes part of the history of the object and it's now considered more beautiful. The gold repair shows that the object was treasured by someone. When my teacup was chipped I asked the kintsugi specialist (https://www.urushi.info/ ) to repair it; consequently, the teacup became special to me and I became even more attached to it.

Today I'm very happy to be using my new computer. I wish I could ask Steve Jobs, who is into Zen culture, what he thinks of kintsugi. Probably he may be interested in this ancient Japanese technique. 

Love,

Kumiko

Edited by Janice Ensminger

Do you really like your teacup?

Dear Friends;

What kind of teacup do you use on a daily basis? Do you really like your teacup, or have you never even thought of it. The New York Times bestseller book The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying Up written by Marie Kondo states only you can know what kind of environment makes you happy. Your feelings are the standard for decision making – specifically, knowing what sparks joy. 

Today I am introducing my favorite teacup to you. I love it and I've used it for many years. You might look at it and think it's a bit old and worn out, but to me, it becomes more attractive the longer I use it. I use the Japanese term shibui, so please let me explain. You can see the cracking and discoloration at the bottom of the cup. They are formed into patterns called keshiki (景色) which literally means scenery.  Cracking is a state in which the glaze is finely cracked. Depending on the extent of cracking, the color brings out marks. The keshiki didn't exist when the teacup was new. A good comparison is a leather with time leather becomes more glossy and deeper in color. In Japan, they said the keshiki makes you more attached so because of the keshiki  I have grown to love my teacup. 

This particular teacup was created by the ceramic Artist, Kifumi Kawamura. Each piece he makes is original. Every time, I drink tea with this teacup I sense warmth and calmness, so even when I'm busy I can't handle it roughly because it's so special to me.

In fact, ceramics last longer than our lives, especially if we take good care. It gives you a good feeling that you have had your ceramic item for a long time. I feel it's important to surround yourself with things you love and you have had for a long time.

See the picture of my teacup. I requested a larger than normal size, so I could also use it for food. It is perfect for appetizers or desserts, especially matcha ice cream!

You may purchase a similar teacup available in two different sizes. Large 3 3/4” (9.5 cm.) shown and Medium  3 1/4” ( 8 cm.)

Please contact us for more information via the “contact page.” 

Best,

Kumiko

 Edited by Janice Ensminger

Zazen Practice by Zen Master of Engakiji Temple

Dear Friends,

The first part of 2020 seems to have passed so quickly. The lockdown has been a very long time, but it was a good opportunity to face myself. How was it for you? 

It was also a good time to watch the online sermons of Zen Master Nanrei Yokota who is the head priest of Engaku-ji Temple in the historical city of Kamakura. Engaku-ji was founded in 1282 and is the one of most important Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan.

Zen Master Nanrei Yokota has preached sermons and held Zasen* sessions regularly at the temple for a long time, however, everything has been canceled due to the Covid-19 state of emergency.  In this situation, he has flexibly changed from the conventional way to online. This has also benefited those who are far away. I am one of them. He speaks from a very humble point of view, but friendly and embraces everyone in his sermons. He has integrity and people really respect him. His sermons encourage me and give me peace of mind.

Zen and the Internet really seem to be the opposite, but his strong thoughts get across through the Internet. There are things that don’t change, and there are things that have to change.

Recently his Zazen* practice videos with English subtitles has been released. I would like to share with you.  If you are interested, please check the following links.

Start a Zazen practice 1 –How to cross legs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=778&v=JV_P-mWXPJg&feature=emb_logo

Start a Zazen practice 2 –How to set body

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgvOy1g7OGs&t=24s

Start a Zazen practice 3- How to breathe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymE8nJ_Dga8&t=34s

Start a Zazen practice Full version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syUSkdmvH44&t=10s

Covid-19 is far from over so let's wear face coverings, wash our hands really well, and try to enjoy every day!

Best,

Kumiko

 Zazen* is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of Zen Buddhism.

 Edited by Janice Ensminger

Be here, now.

Dear Friends,

I really hope you and your families are healthy and well. It's already the end of May time passes so quickly it's almost summer, and no matter what happens in the world seasons change anyway.

It seems since the shutdown I have become so easily distracted I am concerned about the future, and I have a tendency to day-dream and think of nothing in particular, so I wonder if this is happening to any of you; as a result, I intentionally try to do the same things every day with the same schedule so that I can pay attention to the result. This limited lifestyle teaches me how important it is to enjoy simple activities of everyday life.

One of my favorite activities is making a bowl of matcha. I prepare a tea bowl by pouring very hot water into the tea bowl and tossing out the hot water now dry the bowl with a cotton cloth, put matcha powder into the tea bowl add hot water, and move very quickly a bamboo whisk back and forth to dissolve and whisk the matcha powder. Now inhale the fragrant matcha. Then carefully pick up the tea bowl with your right hand to place it in the palm of your left hand, and feel the warmth of the tea bowl and appreciate it, rotate it twice clockwise, and drink the matcha. These activities create a soothing effect in me, and a calmness that has become so significant. I do it on a regular basis because it has become so important in my life.

Sometimes our lives are forced to shift to a new normal, which I can understand, but I am not sure how to adapt to. I try and focus on living in the moment with an eye on the future with a strong desire for a new wonderful world.

All the best,

Kumiko

Edited by Janice Ensminger

Magnolia and Kimono

Dear Friends,

I really hope you're all looking after yourselves and loved ones during this challenging situation. Let all of us believe that we will overcome these difficult times.

The one good thing we can consider is that spring, and the blossoming of flowers is alive in NYC. Flowers give us peace of mind.  I have become so aware of the many magnolia trees in Manhattan, and the blossoms are facing up to the sky they are gorgeous and full of vitality.

At this time I would like to share a story about a kimono. A couple of years ago my good friend's mother passed away, as a result, my friend gave me her mother's obi, which is a broad sash of a Japanese kimono. This obi has a hand-drawn magnolia blossom and the magnolia has become one of my favorites. Every time I wear this obi, I think of my friend and her mother. This is probably why I have become so fond of magnolias.

Honestly, when I was young I didn't like kimonos at all, but a few years ago I changed my mind after I was invited to a client's wedding. Actually, they became great friends and their ceremony was being held at their beautiful property in the Canadian mountains. It was a very formal wedding. At first, I wondered what I would wear, but I came up with a wonderful idea.

Many years ago my mother made me some beautiful kimonos and one of them was for a formal occasion. Those kimonos had been sleeping for many years in the kimono chest of drawers at my parents' home. I called my father and asked him to ship the formal one to New York. Imagine this kimono had been made for me twenty-five years ago and had never been worn. This kimono still fits me perfectly.  I realized that the kimono is the ultimate sustainable fashion and I finally grew to love them.

I have since acquired more kimonos. The magnolia obi is one of them. Every time I wear them, I am always thinking of the person who used to wear it, such as my mother, my grandmother, my aunt, friends, and my friend’s mother.

I cherish them and I will probably pass them on someday, but it has to be someone special because the kimono has to be happy too.

Currently, many large cities around the world are on lockdown. Ironically, the air seems cleaner and maybe the earth is happier. This may be a good opportunity to think about our lives. We need to physically keep a social distance, but we shouldn't be isolated. Let's take care of our family, friends, ourselves, and things around us. Please stay healthy.

Best,

Kumiko

Edited by Janice Ensminger