One of the events we try to hold each year is Rikyuki, the memorial tea gathering for Sen no Rikyu.

It has become our tradition to begin with hanayose, a group form where each participant arranges the flowers in a different vase. We squeezed in room for nine people this year, still not enough for everyone but it’s a nice way to get a lot of people involved.

Next Ula and Damian made the fire using the sumi shomo form.

Once the fire was burning Aaron made an offering of tea that was placed in the tokonoma.

Everyone left the tearoom to enjoy a bite of food and then have the yomogimochi sweet that Monika had prepared.

Once back in the tearoom everyone shared both thick and thin tea.

To wrap up the day a simple kagetsu was carried out.

It’s was a great pleasure to herald in the Spring as well as remember the father of our modern wabi tea practice. We wish that everyone can enjoy the warming season and the company of friends and family.