Dec 21, 2019
December 14 -15/2019: Trãind în ZEN - ceai, arta si simplitatea vietii monastice
O intalnire cu maestrii Templului Ryoko-in din Kyoto
Day One: At His Excellency the Japanese Ambassador, Mr Noda, the Zen Monk Gempo Kobori, Tea Teacher Gabriel Caciula, MNAR Director Liviu Constantinescu and ELI Scientific Director Kazuo Tanaka in Romania, everybody spoke about the conferences and workshops of this weekend. Let us enjoy it!
Nov 16, 2019
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:



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:




Trying out the big bow and the small tea objects:



Nov 13, 2019
May 1, 2019
OHANAMI - be it sun or rain, it is the thing of the day and people come by thousands to quickly understand Japan
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 |
![]() |
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! |
Apr 30, 2019
What happens at a Chaji?
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 |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)