In Homage to Kōetsu — A Tea Gathering in Praise of Kogei (in the tearooms tied to Gengensai)

We are holding a special tea gathering for Takagamine Shozan, a place with ties to Hon'ami Koetsu.

For this gathering, tea utensils by contemporary kogei artisans—each carefully chosen for the occasion—will be brought together, appearing side by side across the tea seats and the exhibition seats.

The gathering takes place in two tearooms set within a serene moss garden: “Chosho-an” and “Gyoku-an.”

Chosho-an in particular is a tearoom of distinguished history, said to have been designed by Gengensai Seichu, 11th-generation head of the Urasenke school, whose 150th memorial falls this year. Iijima Sosho — a tea practitioner as well as a tearoom architect — will trace the history of Chosho-an and illuminate the appeal of Gengensai's design as he receives guests with koicha (thick tea).

At Gyoku-an, guests will enjoy a serving of usucha (thin tea) on the theme of “tradition and creation.” And at the tenshin (light-meal) seat in Hogyoku-tei, a tenshin course by Tankuma Kitamise will be served, drawing on the character of Gengensai's preferred style from 1872 (Meiji 5). Please enjoy tea served in works by the kogei artisans taking part in this MOSS KOGEI Kyoto.