On January 14, 2018, the first tea of the year known as hatsugama (which means “first kettle”) was held at the Marina Village Conference Center’s Bayview Room located in Mission Bay, San Diego. Urasenke Tankokai San Diego Association’s Soshin Saito sensei and her students served tea with sweets and lunch boxes to the guests to celebrate the new year.

This year is the year of the Dog. The students demonstrated chasen-kazari 茶筅荘, which means “tea whisk display,” which is a method of preparing tea when a water vessel of special distinction is used.

2018年1月14日、ミッションベイのマリーナビレッジにて、初釜を開催しました。裏千家淡交会サンディエゴ協会の斎藤宗芯先生はじめ全生徒が、お客様みなさまに一碗のお茶を差し上げました。

今年は戌年です。お点前は茶筅飾りで、これは水指などが、由緒、伝来のあるものを用いたときに行うものです。