DIY Matcha Workshop at a-un Brooklyn
Nina Tea Salon “Matcha Tea DIY Workshop”
Sunday, January 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 25 at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
a-un Brooklyn — 156 Knickerbocker Avenue, Brooklyn
Admission: $35 plus tax
Welcome to Nina Tea Salon 2024
Nina Tea Salon presents a “Matcha Tea DIY Workshop” at a-un Brooklyn, a Japanese restaurant by the owner/chefs of Wasan Brooklyn. Using the finest premium matcha imported directly from Japan, Nina Tea Salon invites you to enjoy the beauty of authentic Japanese culture. Be enchanted by the harmonious pairing of this exquisite tea with handmade, seasonally inspired traditional desserts.
In these 30-minute sessions, Nina will guide participants on how to make a bowl of light matcha tea at home for yourself and your loved ones!
Three Levels of Learning
Level 1 — Preparation and tea-whisking technique
Level 2 — Purifying utensils
Level 3 — Combined techniques of Levels 1 and 2
The serene ambiance, the lingering aroma of freshly whisked matcha, the symphony of flavors, and the atmosphere both tradition and innovation will surely captivate your senses.
Seating is limited, so register by using this Google Form.
About A-un
The phrase "a-un no kokyuu," literally translating to the "breath of a-un," originates from an ancient Japanese idiom. This expression signifies a silent communication between two individuals who understand each other without the need for words.
Sake sommelier Toshi Koizumi and chef Kakusaburo Sakurai opened Wasan East Village in 2010 and Wasan Brooklyn in Park Slope, Brooklyn, five years later. Together they opened a-un Brooklyn last year. Over the years, as restaurant owners, they have found their a-un, strongly reaffirming the sheer joy and importance of serving the local community through their cuisine.
Final JAPAN Fes of 2023
JAPAN Fes
Saturday, October 28 from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
East Village – Astor Place (Broadway and Lafayette Street)
Admission: Free
The final JAPAN Fes of the year is tomorrow, October 28. More than 60 Japanese vendors will provide most delicious Japanese street fair experience in New York. JAPAN Fes is also welcoming two special vendors from Japan. One is from Hokkaido and will serve a luxurious kaisen-don (seafood bowl); the other is a traditional kokeshi doll maker from Fukushima. Don’t miss this one-day-only opportunity!
As usual, you’ll be able to purchase fluffy takoyaki, award-winning ramen, savory okonomiyaki, and more amazing Japanese treats!
Select Vendors
The Boiis Co. – Mochi-filled desserts
Catmint Wheel Cake – Imagawayaki (Taiwanese dessert influenced by Japan)
C Bao – Teriyaki chicken buns
Exciting Manga – Vandel Marchen
Japanklyn – Clothing inspired by the cultures of Japan and Brooklyn
J-Spec Wagyu Dining – Wagyu Philly cheesesteak
Kare Girls – Grilled pork onigiri
Karls Balls – Takoyaki
Kuu – Ikayaki (grilled squid)
the last call - Yakitori
Mao’s Bao – Takoyaki bao
Menya Jiro – Kagoshima tonkotsu ramen
Mingei Japan – Vintage kimono
MoCA – Sushi hand roll
moqi – Mochi-infused treats
mumu bath shop – Cherry blossom candle
Nakamura NYC – BBQ chashu bowl
Oconomi – Okonomiyaki
Odango Masa – Dango (mochi balls on a skewer)
Ombrato – Craftworks from Japan
Onigiri Town - Onigiri
Takosan Yakisoba – Yakisoba
Tang Hulu – Ichigo ame (strawberry candy on a stick)
Toribien – Karaage
Twisted Potato – Wasabi-flavored potato on a stick
wuhao newyork Tenugui Art – Japanese tenugui and furoshiki
Yakitori Tatsu – Yakitori meat and vegetable skewers
For the full list of vendors and more details, please visit JAPAN Fes’s website.
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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Experience Incense with Tea Ceremony
Samurai Tea Ceremony: Savoring Matcha and Incense
Saturday, June 24
Morning Session from 10:30 a.m. until noon
Afternoon Session from 2:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Globus Washitsu – 889 Broadway at E. 19th Street, PHC
Admission: $108.55
The world of tea ceremony is deep and full of various pleasures. In addition to drinking matcha together, people also enjoy flowers and incense together.
June, known as the rainy season, is Japan's wettest month before summer begins in earnest. While the high humidity makes it more comfortable to spend time indoors during this season, it has long been considered the best time to burn incense.
Although it is not practiced much anymore, there is a ritual in the world of the tea ceremony called kōshomō. In this ceremony, incense burned by the first guest is passed around and enjoyed by all participants. After the incense has calmed the mind, a cup of matcha tea becomes even more special. The Samurai Tea Ceremony will offer two types of incense.
In addition, Nagoshi Tofu will be served. It is a traditional Japanese custom to eat Nagoshi Tofu in June, when half of the year is over, to purge the impurities of the previous half year and to pray for good health for the remaining half year.
To register, please visit tea master Yoshitsugu Nagano’s Eventbrite page and select the session you would like to attend.
Yoshitsugu Nagano (far right) performs a tea ceremony at Globus Washitsu
About the Tea Master
Yoshitsugu Nagano is the youngest person to be certified in the highest rank of the Ueda Soukata school of samurai tea ceremony, which has been practiced in Hiroshima for four hundred years. He serves as a professor at the school.
In 2019, Nagano relocated to New York City, where he energetically promotes the spirituality and aesthetics of the Japanese tea ritual, rooted in Zen, through tea rituals and classes. He has also been working on and establishing new styles of modern tea ceremony that incorporate new expressions to create new ways of engaging with the traditional ritual.
Tea ceremony implements by Yoshitsugu Nagano
About the Japanese Tea Ritual
The ritual of Japanese tea has an 800-year history. Samurai warriors developed the tea ceremony as their essential practice to relax and preserve their mental health after battles. In addition to performing a tea ceremony, Nagano will also discuss Japanese history, culture, and most important, the relationship between samurai warriors and tea ceremony.
Globus Washitsu, the setting for the event, is a tatami-mat oasis with traditional Japanese architecture. Says Nagano, “You won’t find better place than this place to experience Japanese culture.”
Dress Code
Western-style clothes are acceptable, but please do not wear sleeveless shirts or short miniskirts. Bring a clean pair of white socks. Organizers will ask you to remove jewelry and watches.
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JAPAN Fes Returns to Midtown West
JAPAN Fes
Saturday, June 10 from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Midtown West – 8th Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets
Admission: Free
There will be tons of drool-worthy Japanese food at JAPAN Fes on Saturday June 10 at Midtown West! Alongside the remarkable assortment of vendors such as Oconomi, Karl’s Balls, and Menya Jiro, JAPAN Fes welcomes the globally acclaimed Taiwanese bubble tea brand Tiger Sugar. Featured in Thrillist, Food Insider, Eater, and Cosmopolitan, Tiger Sugar will have an exclusive, one-day-only strawberry matcha latte available for JAPAN Fes attendees.
Savor fluffy okonomiyaki, slurp up flavorful ramen, indulge in matcha- and mochi-filled sweets, and satisfy your delicious Japanese cravings all in one place. Make sure to be hungry when you get there!
For full details on each vendor, please visit JAPAN Fes’s website and Facebook page.
Stamp Card
It wouldn’t be a true Japanese festival without a stamp rally! This year, JAPAN Fes introduced its new digital stamp card for attendees.
How It Works
Get the Stamp Card
Download the free JAPAN Fes Digital Card to your phone through their website or visit the JAPAN Fes tent on the day of a street fair to scan the QR code. You can conveniently store the card in your phone’s wallet.
Collect Stamps
Each time you attend an event, stop by the JAPAN Fes tent and receive one stamp.
Receive Rewards
Once you reach 5, 10, 15 and 20 stamps, you'll have the option to get rewards.
5 stamps = Original Merchandise
10 stamps = Original Merchandise
15 stamps = VIP (first pass) to skip the lines for your favorite foods
20 stamps = Become an official JAPAN Fes ambassador
Remaining JAPAN Fes Schedule
June 10 in Midtown West
June 17 in East Village
June 18 in Park Slope, Brooklyn
July 2 in Astoria
July 15 in Chelsea
August 26 in East Village
August 27 in East Village
September 9 in Upper East Side
September 16 in Chelsea – Konamon Contest
September 17 in Chelsea – Konamon Contest
October 7 in East Village – Ramen Contest
October 8 in Upper West Side – Ramen Contest
October 28 in East Village