Tatezomeshiki (New Year’s Tea), January 2025

Chado Urasenke Tankokai SF Association Tatezomeshiki Tea Ceremony

The Chado Urasenke Tankokai San Francisco Association held its annual Tatezomeshiki New Year’s Tea Ceremony on January 26, 2025, at Kansoan Tea Room of the Hokka Nichi Bei Kai (Japanese American Association of Northern California) located in San Francisco’s Japantown. This tea ceremony gathering is held annually to celebrate the New Year.

The tea ceremony was hosted by HAGIWARA Sojin and her students. They offered three thick tea seatings on the 3rd floor in the tea room with tatami mats. Each guest was served koicha in an individual bowl (kakufuku).

• Fuku Zagol served as the teishu (host) with HAGIWARA Sojin as the hanto (assistant) during the first seating of thick tea which began at 9:30 am. URAMOTO Sokyu was the first guest.
• Sotai Zingg served as the host with HAGIWARA Sojin as the assistant during the second seating. Sokyo Tiscornia was the first guest.
• SEKIMOTO Sokei served as the host with HAGIWARA Sojin as the assistant during the third seating. Mr. OSUMI Yo, the Consul General of Japan in San Francisco, was the first guest.

HAGIWARA Sojin also offered three thin tea seatings on the first floor using Misonodana, a table and chair style invented by Tantansai, the 14th generation Grandmaster of Urasenke School of Tea.

• NAGATA Soka served as the host with Kae Gutierrez as the assistant of the first seating. YAMAMURA Soko was the first guest.
• TAKESAKA Kazu served as the host with TANAKA Hiromi as the assistant of the second seating. Sokyo Tiscornia was the first guest.
• Mr. OSUMI Yo, the Consul General of Japan in San Francisco, served as the host with his wife Mrs. OSUMI as the assistant of the third seating. FUJIMOTO Soga was the first guest.

After the tea was served, all guests, tea teachers and students enjoyed a celebration luncheon at the Kabuki Hotel, also located in San Francisco Japantown.

Guests in attendance included Consul General OSUMI Yo and his wife; Consul ARIMURA; Vice President Allen Okamoto of the San Francisco Tankokai and his wife; MORIKAWA Kota of the Nichibei News; and Soei Bartlett, Director of the Urasenke Foundation San Francisco. The event moderator was Sokyo Tiscornia.

After congratulatory speeches, Chief of Administration of Chado Urasenke Tankokai SF Association HAGIWARA Sojin thanked everyone for being able to hold such a grand tea ceremony.