JAPAN HOUSE

Old Friends, New Friends and Calligraphy

It's been such a pleasure and honor to have Professor Shozo Sato here on campus, holding calligraphy workshops here at Japan House as well as preparing for Lady MacBeth: A Kabuki Play at Krannert Center (don't forget, he will also be at our Spring Open House on April 7, 2012).

One of the many pleasures has been welcoming back former students of Professor Sato.  Last weekend, Lori Moritz Leland, a former student of both Shozo Sato and Kimiko Gunji, came back to campus so that her daughter could attend the calligraphy workshop.  Its is wonderful to see these connections and see the ripples of Japan House's teachings and spirit continue to spread.

                                                                                                                                              post by Cynthia
Assistant Director, Japan House

The Week Begins Begins With Fog and Food and Black Ink

Walking up to Japan House this morning was breathtaking---the fog floating around the frosted branches in the garden---just stunning. I could barely see Japan House from a distance and a group of geese were honking from the center of the ponds as though they were complaining about the fog.

Now the fog has receded a bit however and we are getting ready for a busy week here. Today, Tamaki Levy will be doing final preparations for her cooking class tomorrow (unfortunately, or fortunately, it is completely full but there are still spots in the April 3, 2012 desserts class).  I look forward to wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen and hopefully getting a chance to steal a sample or two of different Japanese appetizers.  After that ARTD 299 will meet for a class studying the art of calligraphy with Professor Emeritus Shozo Sato.  Tuesday will see our evening cooking class, Wednesday another ARTD 299 session and on Thursday there will be tours, tea ceremonies and then in the evening our Tea Study group, more properly known as Chado Urasenke Tankokai Association of Urbana-Champaign will meet. In between we will be busy with meetings and preparations for all our other upcoming events.  And no doubt some more beautiful moments in the gardens.

Kaiseki and the End of the Semester

ARTD 209: Chado, the Way of Tea culminates in a weekend of kaiseki dinners in which the students utilize the Zen aesthetics and principles they have learned throughout the semester.  The dinner is held on two different nights.  The class is split into two groups, with one group preparing and serving the dinner while the other group are the guests.  The next night they switch roles so they are all able to fully experience kaiseki.  In addition, honored guests are invited both nights.  Thanks to photographer Charles Hannon for his photos!

 

Students, Tea and September

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous September day.  It was the perfect day for the UIUC students in ARTD 209 Chado: The Way of Tea to experience the tea ceremony on the porch of Japan House, overlooking the dry gardens...

ARTD 209 Kaiseki Dinner

On the evening of December 4  the students of ARTD 209: Chado, the Way of Tea, demonstrated what they have learned about Japanese aesthetics and the Way of Tea by serving and participating in a kaiseki, or traditional multi-course Japanese dinner, in the tearooms of Japan House.  They were honored to have Interim Chancellor Robert Easter and his wife as their guests.

 

 

 

 

tulips and fog

Although outside Japan House there was a freezing fog that left outlines of frost on every leaf this morning, inside Japan House the buckets of flowers awaiting Ikebana class assure us that spring will come...

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

The last meeting of the ikebana group for the year focused on hanging arrangements with a holiday or winter theme.

Japan House will be closed for the winter break beginning this Friday, December 22 at 2:00 p.m. until Tuesday, January 2, 2007. We look forward to sharing more of what happens here at Japan House with you in the New Year.....until then, Happy Holidays!

Kaiseki

Provost Linda Katehi, her husband, Dr. Spyros Tseregounis, FAA Interim Dean Robert Graves and his wife Nobuko, were the guests of honor at the Kaiseki dinner held on December 2, 2006. The Kaiseki dinner, a traditional tea ceremony meal, was prepared by the students of ART 209 as part of their coursework.

photos courtesy Kalev Leetaru

a light meal....

The students of Professor Gunji's class ART 209: Japanese Tea Ceremony and Zen Aesthetics, prepared a light meal appropriate for a tea ceremony gathering yesterday afternoon. You can only imagine how good it smelled.....