Chado and Kyudo at the University of Bucharest and supported by the Japanese Embassy

The month of November in Romania is always the "Japanese month". Every year, every week, every day of November there is some event about the Japanese culture. This year we happened to do Chanoyu for the public with the Kyudo Association (the Japanese Arc), and later on we"ll do with Aikido practitioners.

His Excellency The Japanese Ambassador Mr. Noda was present and opened the event, Mrs. Professor Focseneanu  organized it, and we played along.

There was much concentration in the audience, as well as joy, which was so good to feel.

















The big room was settled for the tea and the archery.














Everyone had so much to say about this interesting culture, we all felt we could have gone on forever.

... And so, the practice started:

                        

 

After enjoying a cup of tea and feeling the calm and quite that they both created, the atmosphere  went even more deeply into tranquillity and harmony with the perfectly tuned three Kyudo practitioners:

 Trying out the big bow and the small tea objects:

OHANAMI - be it sun or rain, it is the thing of the day and people come by thousands to quickly understand Japan

Yes, the title is true. O-hanami is by all means a wonderful moment to reconnect with the Nature coming back to life, to breath the wind of a new life, to observe the delicate existence of beauty right in front of your nose, in short, to re-establish a fundamental contact between Man and Nature.

People are people. The intention is noble. But they may skip the heavy fundamentals and simply enjoy being together, sipping  a cup of tea, listening to Taiko drummers, trying to dress in a Yukata, having a sake and taking photos, lots of photos, amidst the un-touchable ephemeral beauty of the cherry blossoms.

This year, we finally got the UMBRELLA of all umbrellas. In fact, the classic Japanese parasol, a faithful partner of any outdoor tea ceremony.

Please, enjoy the moment together with us. It was three weeks ago (((((:, but it took long to get hold of the photos

The Queen of the event - the red bamboo sun umbrella - everything else happens under its pleasant filtered light

Early in the morning, ready to start organizing things

A visitor from abroad with years of tea practice has the pleasure to offer a cup of fresh green tea to the Japanese Ambassador and his wife joined by the American Ambassador. Hanto, the helping person - Cristina sensei. All surrounded by visitors seeing this for the first time

Offering okashi

Offering tea to a group of international scientists using a chabako procedure

Explaining the way to drink matcha to an expert in Turkish tea. The art of communication at work.

Happy to be of service Sir! - even if I have to serve matcha in plastic cups. Please excuse me, I have to rush, the line is long and people lose their patience.

Mission Impossible accomplished!
Sincere thanks to all who helped!

What happens at a Chaji?

As outside the cherry flowers are ready to display their exploding unique beauty, Tankokai Luminis introduces the audience to the secrets of a Chaji - the mysterious tea gathering.

The location - of course the National Museum of Art and there hidden away from the passing world, our chashitsu, Reikōan - the 'glowing mountain peak abode'.

As always, the one and only Calea Victoriei Foundation was our partner for the introduction of the peaceful harmony and tranquility of a tea gathering. Many thanks to everyone from Calea Victoriei for making this event possible.
We presented the arrival of the guests, the greetings, the reverence paid to the tokonoma, hana and dogu, the serving of sweets and the offering of koicha - an act of sharing.

This time not too much talk. Just photos.
With thanks to all the students who participated and made this demonstration possible. It was an open gate through which the sincere curiosity of the public poured in.

First Part - Introduction to some steps in a Chaji

Tsukubai - waiting for the guests

Paying respect to the Jiku in Tokonoma.  Calligraphy: 'One step at a time"

Aisatsu - the initial salutations

Tea preparation 1

Tea preparation 3

Tea preparation 2

It seems like a string puppet theatre no?

The audience seems to enjoy

Second Part - Practicing koicha tsuki kagetsu no shiki

One hour for a delightful sandwich and a glass of water, a deep breath, the water boiling again, we are ready to practice koicha tsuki kagetsu no shiki. It sounds easy, it is easy, yet hard to get it turn into a natural breathing.

Picking fuda to determine the roles

Preparing koicha for all and joining the group to drink together

And now, the rounds of usucha, tsuki drinks, hana prepares the next tea

The second group who watched patiently is now on the stage. Koicha again!

And the rounds of usucha, tsuki drinks, hana prepares the next tea

The whole team - observing, comparing, learning, asking questions
All possible thanks to the kindness of the National Museum of Art of Romania