Tea Duet デュエット点

How is a chaji like a symphony? A symphony is an extended musical composition usually composed of 4 movements; a chaji is a full-length tea gathering composed of four sessions: charcoal laying ceremony, kaiseki meal, koicha thick tea ceremony, and usucha thin tea ceremony. Each movement of a symphony follows different principles often featuring a different orchestration of instruments. Each session of a chaji has a different meaning that requires different tea equipage. The theme of a symphony unfolds over the whole piece and includes a climax. The theme of a chaji unfolds throughout the gathering with koicha being the climax.

I think teaists (adept practitioners of the tea ceremony) share many skills with musicians. While pondering their similarities I had the idea of creating a tea duet, a tea ceremony that can be ‘played’ by two people at once. My ideas crystallized while watching the Japanese drama ‘Nodame Cantabile’. In Nodame there are scenes of two pianists facing each other playing Mozart’s Sonata for two pianos, and scenes of them sharing one piano playing a duet. From this I conceived two people facing each other performing the tea ceremony while sharing an iron kettle and fresh water container, the ‘keyboard’ of the tea ceremony.

In the standard configuration of tearooms, guests sit to the right of the host performing the tea ceremony. Sometimes the configuration is different and the guests sit to the left. When this occurs the host must use their left hand for many movements in the ceremony. In a tea duet the teasits face each other so the guests are to the right of one teaist, and to the left of the other. This enables one teaist to perform the ‘right hand’ and the other the ‘left hand’ ceremony, just like the bass and treble pieces on a piano. And like a musical duet, it is essential both performers be in time with each other.

While watching me perform the tea duet with a teaist of a different School, Shakuhachi musician Anne Norman alerted me to something fascinating: heterophony is present in the tea duet, as is some musical duets. Heterophony is a phenomenon where each of the performers are essentially playing the same melodic line, but one will precede the other for a while, then they play in unison, and then one takes off on a slight deviation and returns to a staggered unison. It is integral to Japanese music as exemplified in the performance of the jiuta repertoire of the shamisen, voice, koto and shakuhachi. Heterophony has arisen partly due to the fact that the different instruments of the jiuta ensemble all use different tablature, and the players in the ensemble may come from different schools. In the tea duet of two schools, the actions are similar, and sometimes slightly staggered in execution. If we use a musical analysis, they are heterophonous in nature, not in perfect unison as they are when both tea masters are of the same school. A most enchanting texture results, making the fleeting moments of unison all the more beautiful.

This new tea duet can be conducted for a large number of guests to serve more bowls of tea in shorter time. More importantly, I want to perform duets across different Schools of Tea. For example, one person performs the Ueda School ceremony, and the other in the duet performs their School’s ceremony, be it Urasenke, Enshu Ryu, etc. The tea duet is a perfect way to understand your partner’s different School of Tea. I’m looking forward to performing more duets across tea borders.

Reference: discussion with Anne Norman, Shakuhachi Musician annenorman.com

デュエット点

交響曲と茶事には似ているところがあります。交響曲は主に4つの楽章からなり、各楽章はそれぞれの管弦楽法に沿って異なる楽器を用いてそれぞれの主題を展開します。また曲全体で一つのテーマがあり、クライマックスがあります。茶事も炭点前、懐石、濃茶、薄茶と主に4つの茶席からなり、各茶席で異なる茶道具を利用して各茶席の意義を展開します。また茶事全体で一つのテーマがあり、クライマックスは濃茶席です。茶人と音楽家には似ているところがあることから、私は「デュエット点（だて）」という新しい点前を思いつきました。その名の通り、二人が同時に行う点前です。

有名なドラマ『のだめカンタービレ』には、二人のピアニストが向き合い、モーツァルトの2台のピアノのためのソナタをひくシーンがあります。また二人が一台のピアノでデュエットをひくシーンもあります。このシーンに感銘を受け、茶道でも二人の茶人が向き合い、茶道の 「鍵盤」である一つの釜と水指を共有して同時に点前を行うというデュエットが可能ではないかと考えました。 

茶道では、茶室は基本的に客が点前する主人の右側に坐るようになっており、点前の動作は主に右手で行います。しかし、茶室によって客が主人の左側に坐る場合、点前の動作は主に左手で行います。デュエット点で二人が向き合って点前すると、客は一方の茶人にとって右側になり、もう一人の茶人には左側になります。これは１台のピアノで二人のピアニストがデュエットを行う場合に一方のピアニストが低音パート、つまり左手のパートになり、もう一人のピアニストには高音パート、つまり右手のパートになることと共通します。また点前する二人はタイミングを合わせて調和のとれた点前を行うことが大切です。 

ところで実際にデュエット点を行ってみると、各自の点前の早さや順番や動作が微妙にずれます。私が別の流派の茶人とデュエット点を行っているのを見て、尺八奏者のアン・ノーマンさんが大変興味深いことに気付きました。音楽では、例えば地歌で尺八や琴や三味線などで同じ旋律を奏でていくとき、記譜法や流派の表現の違いによりそれぞれの楽器のテンポがずれたり、また戻って調和したりすることがあります。これを「ヘテロフォニー」というそうです。それぞれの茶人の点前が流派の表現の違いによって点前の早さがずれ、異なる表現が生じたり調和したりすることも茶道のヘテロフォニーといえます。地歌の曲もデュエット点の点前も、異種混合の流派が織りなす演奏や点前をヘテロフォニーとして認めると、大変魅惑的な共演になると思います。また、各々の点前の動作が瞬間的に調和すると、最初からずっと調和している場合よりさらに美しくなるのではと思います。

デュエット点は客の数が多いときに行えば、限られた時間で多くの方にお茶を差し上げることができます。さらには、同じ流派の茶人だけではなく、裏千家や遠州流と上田宗箇流といった違う流派の茶人とデュエット点を行うと、相手の流派をより深く理解することができ、大変有意義な茶席になるのではと思います。私は上田流の門下はもちろん、他の流派の茶人とデュエット点ができ、またそれが流派を超える点前の形式になったら嬉しく思います。

Master, be inspired, give - the Buddhist sculptures of Enkū

Enkū (円空) (1632–1695)  mastered the art of carving wooden Buddhist statues. After he mastered the specified patterns of the various Buddhist icons he started carving Buddhist icons in very moving, abstract expressionism (Buddhist icons are specified to look a certain way so that the icon, e.g. Yakushi Nyorai, Kanzeon etc. can be recognised). I wonder at the fact that Enkū was carving these abstract images 300 years before Picasso.

Enkū took his impressions and inspiration from the natural world and found a way to express it through his Buddhist sculptures. I think that Enkū reached a point where he no longer thought how to carve an image of a certain Buddhist icon, but rather, I think Enkū pursued how to express in his work both the Buddha that already dwell in the tree, and the spirit of the tree itself. His free forms are totally free from the bounds of convention, and they appear to come from a mind totally free from desire and ego. I think this is why his Buddhist sculptures still strike us so profoundly today. 

My way is the Way of Tea. But I still learn many things from Enkū that I can apply to my own art. One of the biggest things I learn from Enkū relates to not being fixed in one's own Tradition of Tea. Enkū teaches me it is essential that one masters their trade. But when you have mastered your trade you must not be bound by it. In an artistic sense, it is also essential that you pursue something outside the boundaries set by any particular creed.

円空仏は決まった仏像の形をマスターしてから、それぞれ決まった姿の仏像の形と違う形の仏像を刻んでいくことで有名です。ピカソより300年前に抽象美術で彫刻を作っていた事を考えたら、とても驚異的だと思います。

円空仏は自分の感覚で、自然から受け取ったインスピレーションというものをそのまま仏像に出す事ができました。どういう風にその仏の形を見せようというより、どういう風にもう既に木に宿る仏と木の霊性を一緒に見せようという考えでしょうか。自由で、あまりにも枠にとらわれない仏の姿を、何も邪念もなく形にしていたので、現代の人が円空仏の仏像を観ても、感動を受けるでしょう。

私は茶道に精進しているのですが、円空仏に学んだことの一つといえば、流派の決まった型をマスターする必要があるのですが、マスターしてからもっと自由な、あまりにも枠にとらわれない表現を出す必要も芸術面では必要だということです。

the moment

The other day fate dished out an encounter with Chinese Zen Teaist, Jenny Tai, all the way from Shanghai. Jenny is learning the Zen mind of Tea from a Chinese Zen master. As Jenny was serving us all Tea in a Zen inspired gongfu-style, I was captivated at the spirituality of her Tea. It was like taking a deep breath of crisp mountain air I've not tasted in years. After the gongfu session we all went to the beach, set up the CUBE, lit the billy and went for a swim in the ocean while waiting for the water of the billy to boil. Then while allowing the sunset to refresh our beings, I had the pleasure of serving Tea Samurai Tea-style.

At the end of the gongfu session Jenny was asked: 'What do you think is most important aspect of the Way of Tea?'. Jenny replied: 'The moment.'

Rid that which you don't need. The spirit of 'one moment, one encounter' is the spirit in which to conduct Tea. I was shown this at a very deep level through this unforgettable moment, this one encounter.

先日、上海から来た、功夫茶を通して茶と禅の精神を探求しているジェニー・タイさんとの一会が出来ました。中国の禅僧侶の元で功夫茶の修行をしているようで、功夫茶会でジェニーさんの精神性の高い御茶を戴くことが大変新鮮でした。その後、ビーチに行って、CUBEを組み立てて、御湯に火をつけました。御湯を沸騰するまでに海で泳いできました。そして精神をリーフレッシュする日の入りの力を戴きながら武家茶道で一服。

功夫茶会の最後に、「茶の道とはどういうところが最も大事ですか」と人に聞かれると、「the moment」とジェニーさん。

いらんことはいらん。一期一会精神で御茶に向き合うべきだと、改めて分った忘れられない一会でした。

Australia Day Tea Gathering

On Australia Day this year I had a dip at a bitiv' chanoyu with stacks of Oz in it.

I'm from Toongabbie. A little town in Gippsland, Victoria with more sheep than people 1000 times over. The cricket team is even called the 'Rams'. 

In Toongabbie:

• No band except for AC/DC and the Angels existed until I was 12 years old.
• Summer = cricket and beer.
• Winter = footy and beer.
• People shoot animals and eat them. 
• It is respected when blokes wanna quit high school 'n gedda trade.
• Flies are called 'dunny budgies' and they rattle windows when they hit them.
• Men are called 'blokes' and women are called 'sheilas'.
• As Victoria Bitter cans are green you ask for a 'green one' at the bar.
• As Melbourne Bitter cans are red you ask for a 'red one' at the bar.
• To offer a VB to your mate you say 'Get a green one up ya'.
• To offer a Melbourne to your mate you say 'Get a red one up ya'.

Toongabbie gave me my language. I am forever grateful as I am forever grateful for my hometown in Japan, Hiroshima giving me Hiroshima dialect.

My Dad and Mum still live in Toongabbie and I bloody love 'em.

Toongabbie is not as refined as the inside of a tearoom. But I love my hometown. And whenever I love something I try to combine it with chanoyu - the tea ceremony which is my lifelong fascination, my life's purpose even.

For the Australia Day Chakai (tea gathering) I had a dip at:

• Using a VB can for a tea caddy so I could add depth of meaning to 'Get a green one up ya' (matcha green powdered tea is bright green)
• Using eucalypt bark for the tea caddy lid
• Using an esky for a mizusashi (fresh water container)
• Putting gum leaves in the water to give the tea a slight eucalypt flavour 
• Using a tea scoop crafted from a eucalypt branch
• Boiling the tea in a billy
• Using the top I cut off the VB can for a futaoki (lid rest), echoing the zen philosophy of wabi teaists Takeno Jōō and Rikyu
• Chuckin' ice in the tea after I whisked it to have ice matcha in the Aussie heat
• Composing Australia Day haiku to recite during the gathering
• Wearing an AC/DC t-shirt in the name of our Father, Bon Scott
• Wearing my hair out because it is 'so metal'.

Even though this whole shindig looks like a bogan pride march, my guests will be able to vouch for the fact it was conducted in the spirit of chanoyu. Even pursuing the very boundaries of the spirit of tea? Have a look at the end of this post if you would like to get a bit more out of the post than just the novelty.

Our Father, Bon, who art in Hell

Iced Matcha. Get a green one up ya.

Australia Day haiku

A haiku is a poem that consists of three phrases of 5, 7 and 5 syllables.

To be. Get a green one up ya.

Jyōshū was a Zen master from China. There are numerous famous dialogues that involve him of which the following is but one:

One day a monk called upon Jyōshū. 

Jyōshū asked this monk: “Have you been here before?”

“Yes” the monk answered.

“I see. Well, get a green one up ya (kissako[1]).”

Another time, a different monk called upon Jyōshū to whom Jyōshū asked the same question: “Have you been here before?”

This time the monk answered “No”.

Jyōshū's reply remained the same:  “I see. Well, get a green one up ya (kissako).”

Having seen all this, the abbot then called upon Jyōshū and asked: “Irrespective of their answer yes or no, you respond to all the monks with ‘Well, get a green one up ya’. Why?”

Jyōshū did not answer this directly but instead said: “Oi, abbot!”

Without hesitation, the abbot simply replied with a “Yes?” to which Jyōshū again replied “Well, get a green one up ya (kissako).”

From old times it has been said that in this “Well, get a green one up ya (kissako)” one can find the essence of both Zen and the Way of Tea.  Jyōshū’s question “Have you been here before?” is directed at the very question of “why are we here?”  If one is conscious of this, all dualistic thinking dissolves. We do not each exist as a separate individual in contrast to others. Upon hearing an “Oi!”, one instantly responds ”Yes?”. In this instant there exists something which is prior to any thought of why we are here. “Well, get a green one up ya (kissako)” is a reply to this very something. It is an utterance that takes delight in being here with others. The fact that we can share a green one and be happy, even for a moment.

The essence of the Way of Tea lies in the utterance “Well, get a green one up ya (kissako)”. It is an utterance that delights in existence – existence that is, after all, without reason.

[1] Literally: “Drink tea and leave”. 

Darkness Butoh and the Samurai Way of Tea 暗黒舞踏と武家茶道

The samurai pursued beauty, purity and tranquillity when conducting chanoyu. Through this pursuit they erased feelings of emptiness and destitution after battle and refreshed their spirit and passion for living in the now. I have never fought in a war. To get a sense of the feelings of destitution the samurai dealt with I can only go on impressions I get from my studies and imagining. This is why the opportunity to collaborate with a butoh dancer is very special for me: it allows me to explore the feelings of samurai teaists in a new and deep way.

When discussing ideas for a chanoyu and butoh collaboration with Darkness Butoh dancer Shiro, I suggested we dance the first half of the performance dejected as though just returned from battle. Then after the tea was prepared we dance as though our spirits were renewed through the pursuit of beauty. My idea was to communicate the little-know essence of Samurai Tea in a visual way.

Shiro retorted: “When I dance I hold nothing in my mind. I do not pursue a goal. Having a goal in mind kills the full beauty of freely dancing in a state of ‘no-mind’. Achieving no-mind during performance is the culmination of practice, and the audience will be moved more than if my mind is preoccupied with a set goal.” 

All I could do was nod and realise the woe of my ways. Whether chanoyu or butoh, when we perform we put the ideal of no-mind or ‘mushin’ above any other state. We try not to get caught up in thoughts like “Next place the water ladle down as if I’m placing an arrow on a bow”, etc. Instead we aim to learn the procedure and forms so well we don’t consciously fix our mind on one point during the ceremony. A mind nowhere, just aware; this is ‘no-mind’. Through repetition at practice, the ceremony becomes part of us and we can perform in ‘no-mind’.

Shiro made me rethink the performance. Darkness butoh seems in contrast with Samurai Tea aesthetics. But the underlying mind is the same. By continuing my daily practice of the beautiful forms of the tea ceremony I’m sure this beauty is communicated. By bringing our respective arts together, I hope we made a beautiful and original performance.

Skull Tea Bowls by Skull Artist Kazumichi Maruoka (Tokyo) 
髑髏作家丸岡和吾作髑髏茶盌（東 京都在住）

戦から帰った武士は、たまたま自分が生き残っ たという思いとともに、言葉にしえない虚しさと憂 鬱を感じたことでしょう。武士たちは、茶の湯を行 い、美と静けさを追い求める ことで、その特異な虚しさを埋め合わせ、精神を新たにしたのではと 思います。

私は今回、暗黒舞踏の舞踏 家のシロウさんと茶道とのコラボで共演す る機会をいただきました。戦に出た ことがありませんし、武家茶人が知った虚しさを身近で感じることが出来ません。共演を通して武家茶人が感じていた虚し さや美の探究心をさらに深く知ることができるだろうと感謝しています。

シロウさんと共演の話をした際、 舞台の前半で戦から帰り一人生き残る事の虚しさを表現し、そして一服のお茶を呑んだ 後、美への思いが清らかな精神 を取り戻すことを表現してはと私は提案しました。この共演は、武家茶道の精神を伝える好 機だと思ったのです。

しかし、シロウさんは迷わず反論しました。「舞台で踊る時、心は何一つ持たず、何も求 めないのが良い。心が何かを求めれば、踊りが美しくなくなる。舞台で無心の境地ができた ら、それこそ練習を重ねた甲斐 があり、観客をもっとも感動させる舞台に なると思う。」

ただただ頷くばかりでした。シロウさんのいう「無心」の境地は、日本の芸術が理想 とする精神といえるでしょう。茶道で点前をする時も暗黒 舞踏で踊る時も、その理想とする境地は「無心」です。茶人や舞踏家は稽古で何度も同じ型を練習し繰り返すことで、いつしかその型を自分のものとします。例えば、点前の順序と型を身につけると、「次に柄杓を釜にかけて、弓に矢をつがえるときの気持ちで置く」などと意識し て考える必要がなくなり、点前で無心の境地に近づく事が出来るのです。 

シロウさんとの対話で、武家茶道と暗 黒舞踏の違いについて考えさせられることになりました。しかし舞踏と茶道の核となる心は同じでしょう。毎日、点前の美しい型を繰り返し稽古 していますので、共演の舞台でも点前の動作の美しさを伝えられると思います。私達の共演で、より美しく、より魅力的なパフォーマンスを 観客の方にお見せできれば幸いです。 

Shiro、Japanese Darkness Butoh Dancer
暗黒舞踏家　シロウ

GraffiTEA

Artist: Hush         http://studio-hush.com/

 

 I spend my lunchtimes admiring the ever-changing laneways of Melbourne. I love the free, passionate and edgy nature of graffiti. We are blessed with street art in Melbourne. Fascinated with chanoyu (Japanese Tea Ceremony) as I am, whenever something takes my fancy I can’t help but think about how I can use it in the tea ceremony. Melbourne’s street art is no exception - I’ve always wondered how I could combine graffiti and chanoyu.

 

昼休みに、よくメルボルンの裏通りを歩いて日々移り変わるグラフィティアート(壁面の落書)を鑑賞します。自由でパッションに溢れ先鋭的なグラフィティを観ると、気持ちがとてもすっきりとします。メルボルンは本当に質の高いグラフィティに恵まれた町です。茶道を嗜むものとして、私は何か気になるものを見かけるたびに茶の湯でそれを利用できないかと考える癖があります。グラフィティについても、以前からどうにかして茶道と結び付けられないかと思っていました。

While watching some graf artists do their thing one lunchtime, I noticed they carry their spray cans in milk crates. The artists spray a work over an existing work, thus making the laneways of Melbourne a forever changing landscape, just like hanging scrolls constantly change in a tearoom alcove according to the season, theme of the tea gathering or artistic expression  sought by the tea master.  The tags that graf artists leave around the streets remind me of the ‘kao’ stylised name symbols used by teasists to sign artworks. In graf artist circles exists a strong sense of mateship, and this reminds me of the kabuki clans of artists that operated during Oribe and Soko’s time. Kabuki clans were at the cutting edge of artistic expression through dance,  and their new, sometimes controversial artistic expression is said to have influenced the way Oribe conducted chanoyu.

  

 ある昼休み、グラフィティの作者たちの仕事の様子を見ていて、彼らが絵の具代わりのスプレー缶を持ち運ぶのに牛乳ケースを使う事に気づきました。茶室の床の間は、季節、茶会のテーマや茶人の表現したいことに合わせて掛軸を掛け替えしたり、折々の花や飾り物をディスプレーしたりして、生活に変化を作り出す場所です。このように、メルボルンの裏通りの壁面も、アーティストの表現したいことなどに合わせて日々移り変わるグラフィティアートで飾られて、このグラフィティアートが私たちの生活に変化を与えてくれます。作品にサインする際、署名の代わりに「タグ」という記号を使うこともあり、これは茶道の道具などで使われる「花押」（署名の代わりに使用される記号）に良く似ていると思いました。そしてグラフィティの作者たちはとても結束の強いグループを形成していて、織部と宗箇の時代に最先端の演芸を生み出した、結束の強い「かぶきもの」にも似ていると思いました。このかぶきものが織部の茶に影響を与えたといわれています。

 

When I saw a group of graf artists sitting on milk crates taking a break one day it struck me: based on the traditional ‘ryurei’ table, create a tea ceremony that can be enjoyed in graffiti laneways. I spray painted milk crates and made them into table legs and seats. For the table top I used a piece of scrap board that can be found in construction work and used by graf artists as makeshift skate jumps. On the top of the board I spray painted one of my signatures, the character 夢 ‘mu’ or ‘dream’. For the brazier and iron kettle I used a billy and gas burner - Aussie swagman style. Now graf artists can put their cans down and break with tea, with GraffiTEA.

 あるグラフィティアートのグループが休息中に牛乳ケースを椅子にして座ってお話をしているのを見て、ふと閃きました。立礼式（テーブルと椅子を使って行われる茶道点前の一つの形態）に倣って裏通りで手元にあるものを使い、裏通りででも茶道を楽しんでみようということです。まず、牛乳ケースにグラフィティを書きテーブルの台と椅子にしました。台の上には、工事現場で使われるような木の板を乗せてテーブルとし、その木の板に、私が時折サインとして使う「夢」の字を草書体で書きました。風炉と釜は、ガスバーナーとビリー（キャンプ用湯沸かし容器）を使いました。この茶の様式は多少荒っぽいかもしれませんが、裏通りでもすぐに組み立てることができます。グラフィティの作家たちがスプレー缶を置いて「では、一服」と制作の合間に茶道の時間を楽しめるような様式です。GraffiTEAです。

My first GraffiTEA was at the Blender Studios Laneway. It was attended by the director of Blender Studios, a painter, a graffiti artist, a potter , and one of my students. While partaking in tea together, it was clear everyone had an innate understanding of the values of Tea. Street artists devote countless hours to refining their art, and the artists involved immediately understood and appreciated the sincere heart and sincere application to the art of Tea present in the hosts of the ceremony.  

People just get Tea. Through the values of Tea, everyone participating in GraffiTEA related openly, and new, special bonds were created among us. These values, I think, are:

Maintain a sincere heart and sincere application to each task, each day, and you develop spiritually forever. (Dogen’s philosophy)

Making time to reflect on your true self.

Pursuing tranquillity and beauty.

Making every interaction the best it can be.

Appreciating art and exploring your creativity.

With these values present, GraffiTEA maintains the spirit perfected by the founders of chanoyu.

 

はじめてのGraffiTEAはブレンダースタジオ通りで行いました。ブレンダースタジオのディレクター、画家、グラフィティの作家、陶芸家、生徒の一人が参加してくれました。彼らは皆、茶道の心構えと趣きを自然な形で理解してくれました。茶道の心構えの架け橋として、皆が新しい、素晴らしい絆を結ぶことが出来たのです。茶道で重んじている精神とは、人に共通する生得的なものではないでしょうか。このGraffiTEAで、そして本来の茶室でも大切な心構えとは次のようなものです。 

日々何事にも真摯な心で、真剣に取り組めば、いつまでも精神的に成長すること。

自分の心を静かに見つめる時間をとること。

静寂と美を追求すること。

一期一会の精神で人と物に接すること。（一期一会の精神とは、二度と繰り返さない今の一時を最も素晴らしい一時になるように励むこと）

芸術を鑑賞し、自分の創造力を高めること。 

こうした心構えで、GraffiTEAは茶の湯の創始者が完成した精神を今に伝えています。

I look forward to sharing tea with you, whether it be in a traditional tearoom of in a graf-covered laneway. As one of my students put it: ‘"Somewhere out there in a Melbourne laneway, a samurai is lying in wait with a tea bowl..."

日本の伝統的な茶室あるいはグラフィティに囲まれた裏通りで、皆様に一服を差し上げることが出来るのを楽しみにしております。私の生徒の一人がこう言ってくれました。「メルボルンのどこかの裏通りで、武士が茶碗を持って来客を待っています…」 

Flash GraffiTEA @ Manifest Anime Festival, Melbourne