A month has already passed since the start of 2025, but February brings an event that truly marks the beginning of the year—Setsubun. This year, it falls on February 2nd.

A Happy New Year!

2025 is the Year of the Snake “巳年”. Snakes, known for shedding their skin as they grow, symbolize rebirth, transformation, and resilience. They represent vitality, infinity, prosperity, and immortality.

The sun goes down early this time of year. In New York, sunset is currently at 4:32 PM, and sunrise doesn’t arrive until 7:17 AM.

As we approach Thanksgiving and reflect on the close of 2024, it’s a time to think about the events that have shaped us.

This year started with a significant event in Japan—the earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula, causing deep devastation to Wajima.

I’m pleased by the interest from so many of you wanting to hear about my visit to Wajima and my meeting with the very talented Urushi artist there. So much has happened since my visit—but where to begin?

Last month, I visited a very talented Urushi artist, Kamata Katsuji (鎌田 克慈）, in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. Getting to Wajima from Tokyo is surprisingly easy; there is a daily flight from Haneda (Tokyo)  to Wajima, and the flight time is just under an hour.  

Matcha is becoming increasingly popular outside of Japan. When did matcha become so popular? Recently, more matcha cafes have opened in New York, suggesting people are recognizing matcha as a healthy drink.

The other day, I visited Shibui Spa at the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, one of my lighting projects completed more than 15 years ago.

Minazuki (水無月) is another for June in Japanese, and it is also one of wagashi (Japanese sweets)  enjoyed in June. Every year, when June comes, I crave this wagashi. Unfortunately, it is usually not sold outside of Japan, so my only option is to make it myself.

At the beginning of June, I had the special opportunity to meet two Living National Treasures at the World of Japanese Kogei-Art event, and ever since then, I've wanted to share this wonderful experience with you all.

One of my favorite seasonal words is the one for May, "Kunpuu (薫風)." This breeze blows through the fresh greenery of early summer.

Spring brings a lot of rain, which is a blessing from nature. I enjoy seeing wet leaves that look vibrant, green, and beautiful when it rains. This period is important in the natural cycle, as plants grow with plenty of water.

Double cherry blossoms bloom later than ordinary cherry blossoms. Currently, they are blooming in many places in NYC.

Today, April 8th, marks a solar eclipse and a new moon. Did you see the solar eclipse? Today is the day of the new moon, so I would like to talk about my recent favorite crescent tea bowl.

A few years ago, one of my friends showed me a photo of beautiful cherry blossoms on Mt. Yoshino in Nara Prefecture, Japan. While there are famous cherry blossom viewing spots all over Japan, Mt. Yoshino holds a special place as one of the most famous.

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.

A Happy New Year!  2024 is the year of Dragon. It is believed that a powerful and positive energy flows through everything, creating a lively and perfect atmosphere. The Year of the Dragon brings robust vitality, significant growth, and an overall sense of well-being.

Time goes by so quickly, and this year is almost over. How has the year 2023 been for you? December 22nd marks the winter solstice, signifying the shortest day of the year.

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

Late in Autumn, the sky is clearer, the nights are longer, and the leaf colors are richer. Autumn is a very beautiful season. Initially, I had planned to write about autumn waka poems that describe what ancient people thought while looking at the beautiful nature, but I want to share with you a personal story that has become a milestone for Ki-Chu New York.