Special Notice: Chashaku Crafting Workshop & Tea Utensil Exhibition at Nakamura Tokichi Byodoin Store
On Wednesday, July 1, we are delighted to host a special "Chashaku Crafting Workshop" alongside a "Katsura-gama Tea Utensil Exhibition & Sale" on the second floor of our Nakamura Tokichi Byodoin Store.
For this workshop, we welcome Mr. Miki of Miki-Chikuzai-ten (Bamboo Specialty Store) in Kyoto While listening to his insightful stories about bamboo and its deep connection to tea utensils, you will have the unique opportunity to shave and craft your very own completely original chashaku.
The workshop begins with a special pairing of matcha, served in a beautiful Katsura-gama tea bowl, and our Maruto Bake [Matcha Financier].
After enjoying this peaceful serving of tea, you will listen to fascinating stories about the chashaku before stepping into the experience of actually shaving the bamboo to create your very own tea scoop.
As you journey through the crafting process, we will also prepare our aromatic Kuki Hoji-cha. Please enjoy a relaxing creative time enveloped in its warm, comforting fragrance.
For the final touch, you will personally write a Mei (a poetic name) on the bamboo storage case that houses your completed chashaku.
Touching the bamboo, tasting the tea, and quietly facing the tools of the ceremony. We hope you enjoy this meaningful time on our second floor, overlooking the Uji River.
Simultaneously, we will host an exhibition and sale by the Chanoyu pottery studio, Katsura-gama（kiln). We invite you to find your special bowl, feeling the natural expressions of the clay, the beauty of the glazes, and the comforting warmth that only true hand-craftsmanship can provide.
【 Miki-Chikuzai-ten 】
Founded in 1877 (Meiji 13)in Kyoto. Over five generations, they have inherited the profound wisdom of ancestors who felt and learned about life through the growth of bamboo.
Handling the entire process seamlessly—from harvesting raw bamboo to processing and traditional installation—they dedicate themselves to preserving and evolving traditional Japanese arts, including Sadō (tea ceremony), Kadō (the art of flower arrangement), Kendo, Kyudo (archery), Shodo (calligraphy), and Kōdō (incense ceremony).
As a historic establishment, their work spans architectural elements, garden fences, tea utensils, flower vases, culinary tableware, and even traditional children's toys like bamboo stilts and propeller toys (take-tombo).
They are a historic bamboo craft studio creating a wide variety of items from bamboo, spanning from architectural materials and garden fences to tea utensils, flower vases, culinary tableware, and even traditional toys like bamboo stilts and propeller toys (take-tombo).
By managing every step of the process in-house, from harvesting the bamboo that is the raw material for Kyoto's renowned Kyo-meitake bamboo to processing and manufacturing, they create bamboo crafts that are unparalleled in their beauty and intricacy.
【 Chanoyu Pottery Studio - Katsura-gama（Katsura kiln】
Established in 1924 (Taisho 13) in the Rakusei area of Kyoto.A pottery studio that aligns with modern lifestyles and is drawing attention for its new design developments.
While creating Raku chawan (Raku tea bowls) that are loved even by the younger generation, they honor the traditional techniques and spirit left by their predecessors, continuing to craft Raku chawan that enrich the time spent over a single bowl of Matcha.
Technique: Using Juraku clay from Kyoto, each bowl is breathed into life solely through the hand-kneading technique (Tezukune) without using a pottery wheel, achieving a unique texture that gently fits into human hands.
Firing: Following a biscuit-firing at 900 degrees Celsius, the ultimate beauty is born through a once-in-a-lifetime (Ichigo-ichie) firing process, where each bowl is fired with utmost dedication amidst flames ranging from 800 to 1,200 degrees Celsius.