Wakakusa-kai

About Us

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We are a group learning the Urasenke school of tea ceremony, also called Chanoyu (the way of tea), based in Eugene, Oregon. Wakakusa-kai tea group is affiliated to Chado Urasenke Tankokai Portland Wakai Association.

Megumi Sōmi Unno, a first degree certified instructor of Urasenke school of Tea, teaches classes from beginning through advanced levels — as well as many dimensions of Japanese culture such as expressions of seasonal events, flower arrangement, kimono dressing, appreciation of ceramics, calligraphy, and poetry. Through the practice of chanoyu, we learn to live in harmony with nature, with respect and consideration for each other and the environment, which leads us to experience a calm, flexible, and contented state of mind.

若草会 Wakakusa-kai

The name Wakakusa-kai (Young Grass Tea Group) was given by Megumi’s tea teacher in Kyoto, Yanagida Sōha sensei (1915 – 2018), when Megumi first started teaching chanoyu on the East coast in 1995.

Wakakusa means "young grass," illustrating the strong, lively energy of young grass blades pushing through the cold ground in early spring. This image is taken from a poem favored by the 16th century Tea master Sen no Rikyu suggesting the essence of the beauty to be sought after in the Way of Tea:

花をのみ　待つらむ人に
山里の　雪間の草の　春を　見せばや
To those who only long for cherry blossoms
I wish to show the beauty of spring expressed in the green patches of grass pushing through the snow in a mountain village
(by FUJIWARA, Ietaka (1158 -1237)

The young grass was transplanted to Eugene, Oregon in 2000, and it has taken firm root in the ground of the Pacific Northwest.

稽古場　Our Tearooms

Our first tearoom built in 2007 was a four-and-a-half tatami mat tearoom in the attic, with a cozy atmosphere for tea gatherings. In 2015, an eight tatami mat tearoom with an authentic nijiriguchi (small entranceway to the tearoom) with a full mizuya preparation room was built to make a wider variety of lessons available as well as to accommodate more guests for a gathering. Adjacent to the eight tatami mat tearoom is an authentic roji garden (tea garden) created in 2017 with a waiting bench area for the full experience of the formal tea gathering.