Year 2025 Enshu Memorial Tea Ceremony at Gokokuji Temple, June 1st, 2025

After yesterday's cold rain, the sun shone through the clouds from time to time, making it a beautiful day for a tea ceremony.

This year's Kobori Enshu-ryu's Enshu Memorial Tea Ceremony was the first tea ceremony by the new Iemoto, Soho.

The memorial service was held in Churei-do. Following Kentan (offering charcoal), Kencha (offering tea) by Iemoto Soho, sutra reading was performed by Tetsunari Kosuga of Hoshinji Temple and Mochizuki Sokan of Seiko-in Temple. The last part of the ceremony was a chanting by Yoshiya Shimizu, a Noh performer of the Kanze school, to celebrate the new Iemoto's departure.

There were five tea ceremonies: Koicha (thick tea) by the Iemoto, Koicha (thick tea) by antique art Sasaki's Sasaki Soichi sensei, Usucha (thin tea) by Shoraikai President Obata Sokyu, Usucha (thin tea) by Youth Club Leader Kobori Soshin, and Bancha by the Teikyo University Itabashi Campus Tea Ceremony Club.

There were to see up-close the famous chaire (a small ceramic jar for matcha powder)“Kikazaru,” which has been handed down in the Kobori family, and other wonderful utensils.

The lunch box was by Kakiden.

After the ceremony, headed home in a pleasant breeze.