On Sunday, May 26, 2024, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00pm, the Koreisha Senior Care &
Advocacy group, which advocates for the well being of our Japanese elders, hosted the tea demonstration. It was held at the Higashi Honganji temple in Newport Beach,
California.
A fundraising bazaar was held for the group. Mme. Nogaki shachu and Mme. Miyake
shachu, who lives in Orange County, organized the ceremony demonstrations. Tickets were sold and all proceeds were donated to Koreisha.
Three seki were held from 11:30 to 2 p.m. with 18 participants each time. Visitors
passing by were also welcomed to admire the tea ceremony.
A tanzaku was hung under a large umbrella which read “Aoyama Ryokusui” (Lush
Mountain green with water). Nerikiri okashi in the shape of hydrangea was specially
made from Cal Vegan Wagashi, a local company that makes Japanese sweets using
fruit sugar.
The setting evoked a day in the country.
The demonstration and narration were presented in both Japanese and English. The otemae was misonodana performed by Japanese and American Urasenke tea
practitioners. Everyone was united to support the Koreisha Senior Care and Advocacy.