This year's first tea ceremony

Today was our first tea ceremony lesson for our instructors for this year. I usually attend these monthly lessons together with our instructors, but due to my injury, this was my first time participating again after a six-month break.

​ As it was a New Year gathering, the seasonal and auspicious arrangements were especially beautiful. There were many things I encountered for the first time, and as always, it was a wonderful learning experience.

To begin with, the tea room itself was stunning. The ro-buchi (decorative edging) featured a pine tree which has meaning of longevity and prosperity, a popular New Year motif was used instead of the normal black lacquered one.   In addition, a Fujigama (Mt. Fuji–shaped tea kettle) that had once belonged to my mother—later passed on to my teacher—was used for the occasion. Because of its Mt. Fuji shape, it is considered highly auspicious.  My mother in heaven should be very happy that it's being used..

The mizusashi (water container) with a drawing of a fan was also particularly elegant and fitting for the New Year. Because fans widen toward the end, they symbolize prosperity and growth. Another auspicious motif for the occasion.

​The hanging scroll displayed the characters “Zu-i-un” (瑞雲), meaning “auspicious clouds,” which are said to herald the arrival of good fortune. In the tokonoma, a decorative hagoita paddle was displayed.

The hagoita is traditionally a protective charm wishing for girls’ good health and growth. Its origins lie in the New Year game of battledore and shuttlecock—symbolically “batting away” misfortune. The shuttlecock is often made from mukuroji (soapberry) seeds, whose name in kanji (無患子）literally means “no illness for children.” Dragonfly-shaped feathers, symbolizing beneficial insects, are also believed to ward off evil, which is why hagoita are displayed for a girl’s first New Year.

The natsume (tea caddy) was decorated with six gourds. This is a playful visual pun: rokubyōtan (six gourds) can be read as mubyō, (六瓢）meaning “freedom from illness,”（無病） conveying a wish for good health.

The tea bowls themselves featured classic New Year motifs such as old pine trees and cranes. However, the most eye-catching piece was a tea bowl inspired by this year’s imperial poetry theme (歌会初) - The character  (明/Mei) which means bright, 

Utakai Hajime refers to the Imperial New Year's Poetry. and each year’s theme character—known as the chokudai（勅題）, theme given by the Emperor—is often reflected not only in poetry, but also in tea ceremony scrolls, utensils, and even used as a New Year's motif for  wagashi. 

​This particular tea bowl depicted a scene of light shining through a window. 

The fukusa (silk tea cloth) from Kitamura Tokusai (Fukusa  specialty shop in Kyoto) was also following this theme, with the title, "明” Without knowing the year’s imperial theme, it would be difficult to notice the connection. This made me reflect on how important it is, when practicing tea ceremony or wagashi, to cultivate broad cultural knowledge and curiosity.

The main sweet served today was Hanabira Mochi, traditionally prepared for the first tea ceremony (hatsugama/初釜) of the year. Hanabira Mochi is a Kyoto specialty eaten at New Year: a white and pale pink rice cake folded into a semicircle, filled with sweet white miso bean paste and candied burdock root. Its origins trace back to the Heian-period Hagatameritual （歯固めの儀式）, symbolizing strength and longevity, and it is also said to resemble ozoni (New Year soup), making it an especially auspicious sweet. Interestingly, in the Urasenke tradition the burdock is placed toward the front, while in Omotesenke it is placed toward the back.

The higashi (dry sweets) were also in the New Years motif,  fan and fortune telling. (Similar to fortune cookies)

Other auspicious motifs included butsukan (仏手柑) - Translated to Buddha’s hand citron also associated with good fortune and expansion of its shape, Decorations of cranes and turtles, pine trees symbols of longevity, were also displayed throughout the room.

Candied eggplants inspired by “Ichi Fuji, Ni Taka, San Nasubi” （一富士二鷹三茄子）—the three lucky things said to appear in one’s first dream of the year: Mt. Fuji (safety and immortality), a hawk (height and nobility), and an eggplant (to achieve or accomplish things). ​ we also displayed which was something I have never seen or heard of before.

Once again, today’s lesson was incredibly enriching. I am determined to continue practicing tea ceremony with dedication throughout the year.