CELEBRATION OF JAPANESE TEA
Chanoyu Week NYC 2023
Friday, October 20 through Sunday, November 19
Various Locations and Admission Prices (See schedule below)
Chanoyu is a traditional Japanese art form in which the tea master and guests gather in a tearoom for a ceremony centered around drinking powdered tea. Developed and intertwined with Zen philosophy, chanoyu aims to purify the human mind, promote a deep spiritual exchange with one another, and unite nature, people, and things.
Headed by New York-based Japanese tea master Yoshitsugu Nagano, Chanoyu Week aims to provide spiritual healing and enrichment through the spirit of Wa Kei Sei Jaku (和敬清寂): harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility, the philosophy of Chanoyu, and to contribute to the building of a stronger community in New York City by integrating various genres, cultures, and ideologies around the tea ceremony. Chanoyu Week NYC is the largest chanoyu festival in the United States.
Kenjutsu × Chanoyu – The Resonance of Stillness and Movement Created by the Samurai
Friday, October 20 from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.
LINES NY – 302 Bowery (between Bleecker and Houston Streets)
Admission: $18.07 (includes fees)
A demonstration and dialogue between a sword master and a tea master, the opening of Chanoyu Week NYC 2023 will immerse attendees in the samurai’s search for a world where movement and stillness coexist in harmony. To reflect the essence of movement, Masami Shioda, master of Shinkage-ryu, one of Japan’s most famous sword arts, will demonstrate special sword kata forms. These flawless, physical techniques, passed down for more than 500 years, are not usually displayed in public.
After the captivating performance, the audience will experience the serenity of chanoyu with Yoshitsugu Nagano, a master of the samurai tea style Ueda Soko Ryu. Preparing matcha using ritualistic gestures and meticulous attention to detail, he reveals the world of “stillness” hidden within the warrior.
Together they will discuss the theme of “form” and related abstract sensibilities of spirituality and aesthetics. They will consider the mechanisms of transmitting a tradition from one individual to another and from one generation to another. They will also address why the samurai’s approach to human development through kata is still so important in contemporary Japanese society.
To register, please visit Chanoyu Week NYC’s Eventbrite page.
Chanoyu Week NYC 2023 Opening Reception
Friday, October 20 from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
LINES NY – 302 Bowery (between Bleecker and Houston Streets)
Admission: $23.41 (includes fees)
Chanoyu Week’s opening reception will feature demonstrations by Masami Shioda, master of Shinkageryu U.S. Marobashikai, Japan's most famous swordsmanship school, and tea master Yoshitsugu Nagano, followed by a discussion.
There will be a matcha stand, alcoholic beverages, and h’orderves. Bags containing commemorative goods will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.
To register, please visit Chanoyu Week NYC’s Eventbrite page.
Please note: The opening reception requires a separate registration from the 5:30 p.m. event, Kenjutsu and Chanoyu – The Resonance of Stillness and Movement Created by the Samurai.
Chashaku Carving Workshop: Make Your Own Tea Scoop
Tuesday, October 24 from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
RESOBOX East Village – 91 E. 3rd Street (at 1st Avenue)
Admission: $100 (Includes chashaku materials, use of carving tools, and matcha served after the workshop)
The chashaku, or tea scoop, is also referred to as “the sword of the tea master.” Beginning with Sen-no-Rikyu and Furuta Oribe, many tea masters have carved their own chashaku to express their personal aesthetic sense. These chashaku are known through historical record, and some survive to this day.
Just as a Zen monk puts their whole spirit into their brush when creating their work of calligraphy, and just as a warrior puts all their power into a single cut of the sword, the chashaku is the ultimate utensil that embodies the tea master’s soul.
You don’t need to be a tea master to make your own chashaku. Chanoyu Week NYC 2023 presents this lecture, workshop, and matcha-making session to offer you first-hand experience. Once you finish carving and are ready to enjoy tea, the final touch is naming your chashaku with a simple word that symbolizes your thoughts in this special moment.
Because of the use of knives and sharp tools for carving, this workshop is not recommended for young children. The organizers are not responsible for any injuries sustained during this workshop. Participants should wear comfortable clothing that may get messy during the carving process.
To register, please visit RESOBOX’s website.
Samurai Tea Ceremony "The Ritual of Kuchikiri 2023"
Saturday, October 28 from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. or from 2:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Globus Washitsu – 889 Broadway, PHC (at E. 19th Street)
Admission: $129.89 (includes fees)
Enjoy the most prestigious tea ceremony!
While each month has its special characteristics, November is regarded as most important month of the chanoyu calendar. The “New Year” of the Japanese way of matcha tea is celebrated with the Kuchikiri ritual.
In Japan, tea leaves are harvested every May, dried, packed into the chatsubo (tea jar), and stored in a cool, dark place to mature for six months. The umami of the tea leaves deepens, just like aging wine or whiskey. During Kuchikiri, the tea master cuts the seal of the chatsubo with a sword in front of the guests and removes the tea leaves. The leaves are ground into matcha and served as koicha (thick matcha/formal matcha), so everyone tastes the new tea of the year together.
Kuchikiri has been handed down since ancient times as a very important ritual, though nowadays it is rarely performed.
To register, please visit Yoshitsugu Nagano’s Eventbrite page.
Reunion Between the Tunes of the Guqin and the Ritual of Matcha
Sunday, November 12 from 1:00 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. or from 3:00 p.m. until 3:45 p.m.
Fu Qiumeng Fine Art – 65 E. 80th Street, Ground Floor (between Park and Madison Avenues)
Admission: $34.12 (includes fees)
This event at Fu Qiumeng Fine Art offers a special opportunity to savor the sounds of ancient Guqin (Chinese lyre) music from the Northern Song Dynasty in China and witness a demonstration of the traditional matcha tea ceremony by tea master Yoshitsugu Nagano. The Guqin performance will be conducted by Liu Li, a renowned Guqin virtuoso and president of the New York Guqin Association.
The culture of matcha dates to the Northern Song Dynasty, approximately one thousand years ago. Emperor Huizong of the Northern Song Dynasty, known for his contributions to matcha culture, wrote the "Da Guan Tea Classic." He was also celebrated as a master of calligraphy, painting, and the Guqin. As you listen to the graceful melodies of the Guqin and savor the aroma of matcha, allow yourself to be transported back to the ancient Chinese capital a millennium ago.
To purchase tickets, please visit Chanoyu Week NYC’s Eventbrite page.
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