Last summer Nao-san planned to enjoy 'nodate' (野点 'outdoor tea ceremony') in each of the 4 seasons, and finally that dream came to pass🙌
#nodate #outdoorteaceremony #teaceremony #野点 #matcha #抹茶 #Kyoto #京都 #cherryblossoms #sakura #桜
🌸ANCIENT SPLENDOUR✨
Nao-san finds a quiet spot (-not an easy task-) along the Tenjingawa (天神川) to enjoy tea beneath the blossoms🍵🙌🥹
falling, falling
all over the food...
cherry blossoms
はらはらの飯にまぶれる桜哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶).
Trans. David G. Lanoue.
Nao-san (and a number of cats) enjoyed an outdoor tea ceremony beside the blossom-festooned Philosopher's Path (哲学の道).
blown to the big river
floating away...
cherry blossoms
大川へ吹なぐられし桜哉
-Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶), 1804.
Trans. David Lanoue.
It was a little wet for an outdoor tea ceremony, but blossoms are so fleeting you have to enjoy them while you can.
On a grey day the pink blossoms really sing🥰
#Kyoto #Japan #outdoorteaceremony #matcha #ume #blossoms #京都 #野点 #抹茶 #梅
🙏THE MICE SHRINE🐁
Abandoning her tea and sweets to the god of wind, Nao-san took refuge at nearby Ōtoyo-jinja (大豊神社). Thanks to two cheerful rodent statues, the shrine is more familiarly known as 'Nezumi-no-sha' (鼠の社🐭⛩️🐭).
In 887 Emperor Uda (宇多天皇) fell deathly sick.
Not long after Fujiwara-no-Yoshiko (藤原淑子 838-906), Uda's foster mother, had a vision of the god Sukunahikona (少彦名神). He promised that if Tsubakigamine was worshiped then the emperor would speed to health.
Ōtoyo-jinja was hastily erected below Tsubakigamine, & sure enough Emperor Uda recovered.
At a later date Sugawara-no-Michizane & Emperor Ōjin were enshrined, creating a rather odd grouping of deities.
The left-hand mouse carries a drinking bowl (水の器), representing abundant harvests, protection from illness and success in conceiving.
The right-hand guardian carries a scroll (巻物) to symbolise academic achievement and knowledge.
Camellia Tea Ceremony
T E A .