Opening Tuesday, September 26 at Tokyo National Museum (click on image to visit the official exhibition site)

The 4th Ocha Zanmai: 2017 San Francisco International Conference on Chanoyu and Tea Culture 
第４回「お茶三昧」2017年茶の湯と茶文化に関する国際会議

Sunday, April 30, 2017
Conference 会議: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Reception 懇親会: 5:30-7:15 p.m.　

 
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132
 
Theme: Chanoyu and Zen 「茶の湯と禅」
  
GUEST SPEAKERS　特別講師
​Dr. Isao KUMAKURA, President, Japanese Society for Studies of CHANOYU

Rev. Geppo KOBORI, Ryoukoin, Daitokuji, Kyoto, Japan

Dr. Katsuhiro YOSHIZAWA, Professor Emeritus & Senior Adviser, International Research Institute for Zen Buddhism, Hanazono University


茶の湯文化学会会長　熊倉功夫博士
大徳寺龍光院住職　小堀月浦師
花園大学国際禅学研究所元教授現在顧問　芳澤勝弘博士

 
​Zazen and Abbot's Talk 座禅と和尚様のご講話
We will start with morning zazen sessions led by Abbot Kobori from Ryoukoin, Daitokuji Temple from Kyoto.  You may meditate seated comfortably in a chair or bring a cushion to sit cross-legged on the stage of the auditorium.  The zazen will be followed by the abbot's talk. 

Two Special Lectures and Three Presentations　特別講演と研究発表

Dr. Katsuhiro Yoshizawa's Special Lecture, "Pleasure and Appreciation: Inscribed Paintings as Tea Scrolls" 
Dr. Isao Kumakura's Keynote Lecture, "Chanoyu and Zen"
Dr. Janet Ikeda, Washington & Lee University, "One brushstroke: Sen Sotan and Zen"

Ms. Lixia Dong, University of Arizona, "Chan, Poem and the Way of Tea: A Study of Jiaoran's Tea Poems"
Ms. Sara Klingenstein, Harvard University, "As though parting from a loved one: practicing the sense of loss"

芳澤勝弘博士特別講演「茶掛としての画賛ー鑑賞と楽しみ」
熊倉功夫博士基調講演「茶の湯と禅」
ワシントン・アンド・リー大学　リー・ジャネット博士　「一筆もなし：宗旦と禅」
アリゾナ大学　董利霞（ドン・リーシャ）氏「禅と詩と茶道：唐茶僧皎然の研究」

ハーバード大学　クリンゲンスティン・サラ氏　「恋しき人にわかるると知れ」　​

Ryurei Temae and Tea Service 立礼点前とお呈茶

During the lunch recess, the members of Kanshinkai from Ryoukoin, Daitokuji, will demonstrate the ryurei-style thin tea (usucha) preparation. Japanese sweets "Saiko" from Wakuden in Kyoto and tea "Daitsu-an" from Ryoukoin's tea jar will be served to all conference attendees, free of charge.

This promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime special tea.  Don't miss it! 
京都の料亭「和久傳」製のお菓子「西湖」と大徳寺龍光院のお茶壺のお茶「大通庵」をこの機会に是非お楽しみ下さい。​

CONFERENCE WEBSITE:
https://mll.sfsu.edu/events/40802-4th-ocha-zanmai
 
Early-bird Economy Registration Deadline: 02/28/2017
The Program and the Registration Form available for download on the website.​

​​On May 1, San Francisco State University will host the third Ocha Zanmai conference on chanoyu and tea culture. Once again comprised of presentations by special guest lecturers from Japan as well as presenters from around the world, this year's Ocha Zanmai will also feature a special exhibit of three chagama iron kettles by Ōnishi Seiwemon, the sixteenth-generation master craftsman to the Sen family as well as a chashaku-making demonstration and, of course, tea for attendees.

I am honored to be interpreting for the guest speakers this year and am looking forward to an enriching day of lectures and activities. The conference is open to the public with discounts for early registration (before March 12). The conference program and registration forms can be downloaded here:

Ocha Zanmai 2016 program
Ocha Zanmai 2016 registration 

Special guest lectures 特別講演
Mr. Seiwemon Ōnishi, "Cha-no-yu-Kama: Beauty and Appreciation"
大西清右衛門氏 (千家十職釜師) 茶の湯の釜の美と鑑賞」
Dr. Kunio Kirisako, "Tea Rooms in the Momoyama Era and the Yamanoue no Sōji ki"
桐浴邦夫博士 (建築史家）「山上宗二記と桃山の茶室」

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the conference or would like additional information. 

​[shared from www.tomoearts.org]

A special workshop in noh utai (chant) and shimai (dance) 

DATES: January 24 & 25, 2016 
TIMES: Sunday (Jan 24) - 4-8pm & Monday (Jan 25) 6pm-9pm
LOCATION: SFU's Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (149 W. Hastings St.) World Art Centre 
COST: $120 
Call 604.607.5978 or email to register 


After his visit in 2015 as a Cultural Envoy of the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs, noh actor Yamai Tsunao returns to Vancouver in 2016 for a workshop on noh theatre's stylized movement and vocalization. A member of the Komparu school of noh, Yamai is active in bringing the noh tradition to audiences in Japan and abroad. He performed in Vancouver as the lead actor in Hagoromo in April 2014, and Continuity & Connection a concert of noh and jazz piano in February 2015. Yamai Tsunao's website (Japanese only) http://www.yamaitsunao.com. Joining him will be two other professional noh actors from the Komparu School, Muraoka Kiyomi and Kashiwazaki Mayuko. 

Workshop participants will learn sections of chant and movement from the noh plays and registration is open to to new students as well as to those who have studied with Yamai Tsunao in previous workshops. 

Max 24 participants. Some knowledge of dance, movement or music is preferred but not required. Participants are required to wear comfortable clothing and tabi (Japanese split-toed socks) or white socks 

For more details call 604.607.5978 or contact info(at)tomoearts.org. 

***********

This was a great workshop the last time around! I'll be interpreting again this time and look forward to seeing some new faces in addition to our participants from last year. 

Christmas Matcha Party
Presented by Nikkei Centre Tea Ceremony Club
Nikkei Cultural Centre, 6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby, BC
Saturday, December 12th: 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm
General Fee: $15+GST+ 5% Facility Fee / session (Tea, sweets included)
Members Fee: $12+GST
Registration: 604.777.7000/ [email protected]
Attire: No jeans, miniskirt. Please bring a pair of white socks.
Room: 2F Tatami room

​Enjoy a Christmas-themed tea ceremony with sweets.  All are welcome, and children 12 and under free can accompany an adult for free! Choose from one of the following hour-long sittings when you register: 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, or 3pm.

On Monday I will be hosting a screening and discussion on the kabuki dance play "Ibaraki" written by Kawatake Mokuami in 1883 about Tsuna and the demon Ibaraki. The story's background is from the noh play Rashômon, where Tsuna cut off the demon's arm in an attack at the gate. In this kabuki dance play, Ibaraki visits Tsuna disguised as his aunt Mashiba in order to retrieve his severed arm. Starring Onoe Baikô VII as the demon and Onoe Shôroku II as Tsuna. 

This screening is part of the TomoeArts Salon Series. This year's series contrasts two major themes in kabuki dance plays: demons and beautiful maidens. As last year, we will be screening full videos of live performances from Shôchiku's Kabuki Meisakusen Series, which feature some of the greatest kabuki performances of the 20th and 21st centuries. The recordings have English-language commentary, and we will also discuss important story and performance elements. 

We are celebrating the second year of our partnership with the UBC Library. All salons will be held at UBC's I. K. Barber Learning Centre, 1961 East Mall - in room 256 (The Chilcotin Room). The nearest parking to the Centre are the Rose Garden and North Parkades. Parking at UBC is $7 after 5pm. Presented by TomoeArts & UBC Library.