Rumi Higaki in the tea room at Katsura-gamaPhotograph: Katsura-gama
Kissabō in the morningPhotograph: Clemens Poloczek
Still Hours
Two hours before we open, and a tray for yourself.
15 November · with a guestRumi Higaki, of the family that runs Katsura-gama, a Raku kiln in Kyoto
Drawn from the kiln with tongs, while it still glowsVideo: Katsura-gama
Rumi Higaki
She gives tea gatherings and workshops in Japan and abroad, and asks guests to notice the warmth, texture and weight of the bowl in their hands.
This month’s guest is Rumi Higaki, whose family runs Katsura-gama, a Raku kiln in Kyoto. On 15 November she serves the first bowls of tea and stays up to an hour, talking about the bowls and the kiln in Japanese, translated into English. The tea comes in our bowls or ones she brings; the kiln’s Raku bowls are handed round to hold. Then the morning goes on as always. From that afternoon the kiln’s Raku bowls are on our shelf, on show and for sale. Guests of the morning have first choice of the bowls: they can buy before the exhibition opens to everyone at 14:00. There is one bowl of each design.
01Mt. Fuji
02Six Gourds
03Red Longevity
04Amber-glazed
05Old Pine Black
06Vermilion-glazed
07Plum Blossom
08Bamboo Leaf
09Masu
10Bamboo Forest
Photographs of the bowls: Kissabō
The tatami at KissabōPhotograph: Clemens Poloczek
The alcove of the tea room at Katsura-gama. The scroll reads 日々是好日: every day is a good dayPhotograph: Katsura-gama
One morning
a month
Two hours before we open, the door stays shut and ten people have the room. A bowl of matcha to wake up, then a tray made to last the morning: the season’s dessert, a wagashi and a pot you steep yourself. Read, draw, write, or nothing at all.
The door is held. A bowl of matcha, whisked one by one — the waking-up cup. Phones can rest in a basket by the door; offered, not enforced.
Soon after the matcha: the season’s dessert, a wagashi, and a pot of tea you steep yourself, as often and as slowly as you like. Sit on the tatami, at the table or at the counter, and move whenever you like. The time is yours, and we keep voices low.
Nothing is scheduled, nothing is expected. Now and then a guest brings one piece — a listening hour, a material — and the morning forms around it; when that’s the case, we say so beforehand.
At 12:00 the stone is lifted from the doorway, and the morning ends.
Bring a notebook if you like — or nothing at all.
49 €
A seat is 49 €, paid in advance to hold it · cancel 48 h ahead for a full refund, 24 h ahead for half · under 24 h or a no-show, the payment’s kept. Want to ask something before booking? Write to info@kissabo.com.
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