June Tea Demonstration

Our June Tea Ceremony demonstration of furo usucha was for three lovely people, one of whom studies chado with the sensei of a mutual friend in the Omotesenke school (we study Urasenke style). As is usual, Harvey-sensei narrated and answered questions while we students demonstrated the temae.

As I brought in the utensils to do the demonstration, I realized we had forgotten to place a tea scoop on the bowl so I brought it in with the kensui (waste-water bowl) and hishaku (water ladle) -- kensui and hishaku in left hand as usual, but with the scoop alone in my right hand (normally the tea bowl, whisk, scoop and chakin -- a small linen cloth -- are brought in together with the tea container ahead of the kensui). After the demonstration, our guest asked if it was customary in the Urasenke tradition to bring in the scoop in that fashion. We all had a good laugh at our mistake!

Chabana in a sake bottle: veronica, cotoneaster,
ornamental oregano, buttercup and miniature rhododendron