Urasenke Tankokai Association Los Angeles (UTLAA) is honored to showcase the beauty of traditional Japanese tea ceremony during the 81st Nisei Week celebration.
Demonstrations will be held on Aug. 12 and 13 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 45-minute intervals, on the first floor of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo. Tickets ($10) for tea and sweets may be purchased at the door.
The demonstrations will showcase the students of the following instructors: Saturday, Aug. 12 — Mmes. Palter, Miwa, Cohen, Uyesugi, Robinson, Nogaki, Ishizuka, Masciandaro. Sunday, Aug. 13 — Mmes. Morikami, Korin, Guterres, Ogawa, Sebata, Duffey, Osumi.
Procedures including “habuta” (fresh leaf used as a lid for the water container), “tsurube” (wood water container), and ”arai jakin” (water and cloth in a tea bowl) are all for summer.
The 15th-generation Grand Tea Master Daisosho, who turned 100 years old this year, favored “Shohaku” tea from Koyamaen. This will be served after the demonstration along with handmade Japanese sweets named “Mizore kan” (yokan lookalike shaved ice) by Nobue Kodama (instructor) and volunteers from UTLAA.
The goal of UTLAA is to introduce chanoyu to the people of Los Angeles, respectfully and with all of our heart. Chanoyu is the Japanese way of tea.
The new chief of administration of UTLAA, Soshin Abe, said, “We invite Nisei Week visitors to take a tranquil break from the festivities and immerse themselves in Japan’s foremost tradition and art.”