In ancient Japan, salt was considered an important commodity, because of the laborious and time-consuming process it took to make. The Japanese integrated the use of salt in their rituals, traditions and customs which are still practiced today. Often used as an offering to the gods, it is a symbol of holiness, purification, and to …
Last month we had a Japanese celebration for the Hyakudo Kai Club in Seattle. On display were some Ryuseiha Ikebana that I just wanted to share with you. Aren’t they beautiful?
This year marks the Chado Urasenke Tankokai Seattle Association’s 40th Anniversary. Chado, also called Chanoyu or Sado is Japanese Tea Ceremony or Way of Tea. Chado in Seattle began in the 1930’s when Madam Kiyomi Otani began teaching in her home. Then during WWII, the Japanese were sent to internment camps. But that didn’t stop Madame Otani …
Chado Urasenke Tankokai Seattle 40th Anniversary Read More »
photo by RMT Bananas, Lemons and Boiled Eggs. What do these three have in common? The color: YELLOW –these foods are used to characterize the “yellow” Asian. The most common term is “banana”. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside meaning someone who is Asian in appearance but who’s habits and lifestyle is Westernized. …
Toward the end of last year, a friend of my ikebana teacher approached my girlfriend and me encouraging us to attend Japanese Tea Ceremony lessons. Where I live, there seems to be many aging cultural teachers that have not been able to find new students. This trend is due to many factors. The teachers of …
Chigiri-e is a Japanese art form that uses hand made and hand dyed Japanese paper called washi to create images, transforming into beautiful pieces of art. If you just saw chigiri-e from a distance, it looks similar to a water color or sometimes an oil painting. But, then upon closer inspection you realize that the …
This past weekend was the Annual Japanese Aki Matsui in Bellevue, Washington. Aki means fall and matsuri means festival. This fabulous cultural celebration is produced by a group of volunteers, led by Tom and Katsuko Brooke called ENMA. Their vision is to celebrate and share the rich culture of Japan with those living in the …
Yesterday we celebrated the Japanese Hyakudokai New Year’s Celebration. The name Hyakudokai is taken from the motto “‘keep active until 100 years old’. According to Mrs. Horikawa, the President of the association, the club began in Hiroshima in 1957, encouraging the elderly to live long with good health and to help one another to preserve …
Preserving Japanese Culture in Seattle – 100 Year Old Club Read More »
