Tea Times September, October & November 2018
We teach ongoing weekly classes in the Urasenke tradition of Chanoyu from beginner to advanced levels. Please visit our Chanoyu class and enjoy a first hand experience at being a guest. This is a great introduction for those interested in learning more about weekly tea study. Private tea lessons are also available. Please email or telephone to reserve your space or for more information: Most Monday's from 6:30 p.m. - Fee $20 (for Monday guest experience.)
An introduction to the Zen choreography in making a bowl of tea. Participants will have guided practice in all of the steps necessary to prepare a tasty bowl of matcha, powdered green tea, with an open mind and pure heart. (Please contact us to arrange date and time.)
This traditional wagashi Japanese sweet making class will feature koimo and misomatsukaze. Koimo is in the shape of a taro potato and is made from konashi, a bean paste steamed with flour and kneaded, and wrapped around a bean paste center. Misomatsukaze is a dense wheat flour cake made with miso (soy bean paste). It's first steamed, and then browned in a hot skillet. The freshly made sweets and tea will be served at the end of the class. Easy to follow recipes will be provided.
This early autumn kaiseki workshop will include: boiled chilled octopus, autumn sesame "tofu" in a fragrant broth, tofu dressed seasonal vegetable and taro potato & mushroom mixed rice. Ichiban dashi soup stock will also be made using konbu (kelp) and katsuobushi (shaved dried bonito). The class will be mostly demonstration. Participants will sample the dishes prepared and easy to follow recipes will be provided. (Note -Reservations: www.jcccnc.org or call 415-567-5505 / Japanese Cultural Community Center -1840 Sutter St., SF)
Jugoya, the autum n moon, will be celebrated during this tea gathering. The autumn moon was celebrated in China as early as the Han Dynasty (206B.C.-24A.D.) and was popular from the 10th century in Japan. In Kyoto, the Osawa Pond of the Daikakuji Temple is one of the most renown places to view the autumn moon. Jugoya is referred to as imomeigetsu or the potato moon. Guests will enjoy seasonal sweets, tea and a vegetarian kaiseki style tenshin meal. No prior experience is necessary.
This 13th kagetsu koryu exchange will bring Urasenke tea practitioners together to share the enjoyment of tea through kagetsu. The day's kagetsu will include shaza no shiki, hira kagetsu, kininkiyotsugu kagetsu, nakaoki kashitsuki kagetsu & nakaoki mugon nagekomi kagetsu. A bento box lunch and beverage will be provided to all participants. A basic knowledge of furo hira kagetsu is necessary to participate. You may also attend as an observer. Location - Nichibeikai Culture Center, 1759 Sutter St., SF (Reservations necessary.)
This traditional wagashi Japanese sweet making class will feature oribemanju and kurichakinshibori. Oribemanju is a steamed sweet with a wheat flour wrapper formed around a ball of sweet bean paste. Kurichakinshibori is made with sweet white bean paste mixed with pieces of chestnuts. It is formed in a damp cotton cloth giving its natural look. The freshly made sweets and tea will be served at the end of the class. Easy to follow recipes will be provided.
The theme of the tea will be robiraki, the opening of the hearth that begins the winter season in tea. The hearth is traditionally opened on Nov. 1, at Urasenke. In olden times it was done on an auspicious day, usually a wild boar day as the boar is thought to be a protector from fire. Rikyu also said the hearth should be opened when the yuzu, citron, turns from green to yellow signaling the beginning of the cold season. Traditional seasonal sweets, tea and a tenshin style kaiseki meal will be served. This event is open to anyone wishing to enjoy Japanese culture through Chanoyu, the tea ceremony. No prior experience is necessary.
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