Japan. Travel futures and logs!

[blairswhitaker]

My first semester is drawing to a close, I will have my final class of the semester on monday. here are a few images from an unlearned student of tea.

First day of school, these three students and I will make up our class for the year we will spend together immersed in the world of chado.


receiving a bowl of tea at an outdoor seki held for hideyoshi's memorial.


descending hideyoshi's memorial site


attending a chaji,




purification


Kumpai!!! the welcoming reception for incoming students




receiving my custom tailored scholarship Kimono.




rainy day chaji.




contemplating my lot in life, wearing youfuku.




the gauken students, (Japanese resident's) hosting a end of semester chakai.


serving tea at the urasenke international convention.

[Chip]

blairswhitaker, as I neglect too often to do, thank you so much for sharing so much and so often of your experiences in Japan. I am sure many of us are very intrigued and at least a bit jealous (though I am sure this is not the spirit of your journey).

[JBaymore]

Who's jealous?

best,

..................john

[Chip]

Is "envious" a more acceptable term?

[JBaymore]

Is "envious" a more acceptable term?

NO!

best,

.................john

[blairswhitaker]

thanks for finding the appeal in all of this. I would say rather than be jealous or envious use it as motivation to never give up pursuit of your dreams, and dare to dream big. never limit yourself based on thinking something is out of reach or to "crazy" an idea.

I would end countless lessons with my sensei with a conversation that went something like this,

"how can I deepen my practice?
I get a few hours with you a week, and then I rarely have time to practice at home.
how do move forward with my tea? how do I find a way to improve? I feel stagnant with my progress.
I can't find enough time to practice between work, girlfriend, family, ect... ect... "

this was my sensei's answer, eat, sleep, and breath tea for a year with nothing else on the books. This was in many ways a difficult decision to make, leaving my rather comfortable life in america to spend a year in tea boot camp. but here I am, and it honestly exceeds so many of my dreams at this point.

[rdl]

Highly recommended for both the collection and gracious directors who provide a warm welcome to their visitors.
Kano Museum of Art
http://www.art-kano.jp/8.html

[Sasameyuki]

Dear TeaChatters, in the second half of May 2015 I'll spend a few days in Kyoto (yay!). If you have some recommendations on interesting tea rooms and tea galleries that are worth visiting please do share!

[chingwa]

Well, for tea there's always Ippodo. If you've never been it's definitely worth the stop, it's in an old converted Machiya townhouse and the shop part of the store has a real traditional feel. The "restaurant" part of the store is a bit more modern but has nice ambiance.

Hope you have fun on your trip. There's tons of non-tea stuff to do in Kyoto as well OK I admit I'm jealous, but I won't be getting back there this year. Maybe next year.

[iGo]

My wife and I had a delightful time at Horaido tea shop.

Here's the links:

http://www.kyoto-teramachi.or.jp/horaid ... mation.htm
http://www.kyoto-teramachi.or.jp/horaido/greentea.htm

Cheers.

[Sasameyuki]

Dear chingwa and iGo, many thanks for your recommendations!!

When I studied in Japan (more than 15 years ago, sigh) I have visited Kyoto quite often.
I wasn’t into tea back then which I regret now of course :-S
Apart from sampling good tea and drooling on beautiful teaware I’m planning to visit a.o. the Arashiyama area as well as the imperial villa Katsura Rikyu.
Afterwards I will post some photos here.

[chingwa]

If you haven't been there before you should check out Iwatayama monkey park while in Arashiyama... it's a little bit of a hike but it was one of my most memorable experiences in Japan. (just don't look them directly in the face...)

[rdl]

Sasameyuki,
Marukyu-Koyamaen *a personal favorite, located in Uji also.
Nishinotoin Tea House Kyoto
http://www.marukyu-koyamaen.co.jp (near Nijo castle)

and +1

My wife and I had a delightful time at Horaido tea shop.
Here's the links:

http://www.kyoto-teramachi.or.jp/horaid ... mation.htm
http://www.kyoto-teramachi.or.jp/horaido/greentea.htm

*He is closed on a particular Sunday each month (second Sunday I think)

[Sasameyuki]

Thanks for the info, rdl!
One of the MK shops is almost next to the hotel where I'll be staying so I'll definitely go have a look. I've already ordered several matcha from them in the past and was always impressed by the high quality.
Arggh, if only I had more days in Kyoto; there's so much I want to do and see.

[KaiRong]

Hello everybody,

I'm going to Japan for travelling starting on 30th March (hopefully I can see the sakura season!). I will visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Uji, Nara, Osaka and Hiroshima. Any good tearooms/teashops to recommend? I know about some in Kyoto, but I the more the merrier. I would like to stock up in good-grade matcha and gyokuro. Thanks in advance!