Figured I'd do One (Read 139 times)

[lazulum]

Hello, everyone,

Not a new member, but I have been gone for a long while.
Fell out of Touhou for a while, but a recent Cave Co. trailer of a collaboration has brought me back into the fold.
This one:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqM6MPbplao

I live in Japan, I work 3 jobs (long story, but not because I need money), volunteer, run a club, practice tea ceremony, keep involved in a research community, etc. It all keeps me very busy so I sometimes fall into periods of very long inactivity.

I will try to check in when I can though.
英語と日本語はオッケー👌

[HikikoHime]

Well you're 'new' to me, as in getting to know you so welcome again? Seems weird for me to welcome you lol.

Anyway sounds like you lead a busy and fulfilling life! Actually it's really cool that you find the time to post at all!

Tea Ceremony huh? I always heard about it but don't know much. Care to tell us about it?

[lazulum]

Your welcome is appreciated nonetheless, mate

I have many, many stories
I have thought about starting some kind of series where I share them sometime.

I would be glad to. It is a very traditional Japanese art that venters around making matcha tea and serving it to guests through techniques, tools, and methods that have been consistent for many hundreds of years. Many warriors used to practice it as well for social and philosophical reasons. Here is a picture I found online:

[HikikoHime]

I'd like to see that series if so!

Hm, never knew warriors did it tool You said for social and philosophical reasons, is there a... how do I say, "western" equivalent to its meaning?

What I get is that it's clearly important and special like a sacred ritual of sorts, but why I asked my question was that are there particularly special times when to do this?

[lazulum]

I'll be happy to oblige, hopefully sooner rather than later.

There are some nuances that make it different, but memento mori is kind of close. Traditionally, in Japan there is the concept of "mono no aware", which is an awareness of the transience of things. That is one of the central ideas that influenced the practice of tea ceremony.

Tea ceremony? There are many, many different ways to serve guests with different tools, arrangements, and tea strength. There is always one variant that is appropriate at any time. However, you would need 4 1/2 tatami and the equipment, of course.

[HikikoHime]

Whenever you can~

Hmmm ok so what I understand is that the ceremony is done with respects to the fact that things are transient and that particular moment is special due to the people involved and should be enjoyed. Like... "This moment with you is special so lets enjoy that fact here and now because we may not be able to later"

So is Macha the variant that's always appropriate? And tatami is the ... flooring right? So what's 4 1/2 tatami? A specific size?