This is a series of workshops designed by Azumi Uchitani to explore Japanese culture through the art of calligraphy and language. We will meet bi-weekly, slowly moving from season to season and uncovering new characters, rituals, concepts and beliefs deeply rooted in Japanese lifestyle. Each event we will centre around a new symbol: we will learn its meaning, discuss a poem about it, meditate and experience the power of the concept through calligraphy practice.
We will finalise our spring season with the last calligraphy session and the character Cha (Tea). Early May is the time to harvest tea leaves. Around 2nd of May is Hachi Ju Hachi Ya – the 88th day from the first spring day according to the traditional Japanese calendar, marking the transition to the new season when the plants and flowers start sprouting and that includes tea leaves. This is the date when new tea leaves are harvested to make the finest grade Matcha tea. It is a ceremonial event and it is believed that drinking tea buds picked on the eighty eight day will bring all the energy contained in the new tea leaves for longevity. There is an old saying: ‘The tea leaves harvested on Hachi ju Hachi ya will keep us away from illness and give us a long life.’
GUIDE – AZUMI UCHITANI
Azumi Uchitani is an Intercultural business consultant, keynote speaker, writer, artist and founder of Japanese SALON art & culture, based in the Netherlands. She is a two-times TEDx speaker, appearing Dutch TV and media and delivering talks to an international audience in Europe and in the US.
Azumi is on a mission to build an essential bridge between Japan and Europe, helping global leaders discover Japanese ancient wisdom beyond culture, teaching how to apply its wisdom in everyday life, act with inner peace and create
conscious leadership and fulfilling life. Azumi decodes the complexity of Japanese culture, tradition, philosophy, spirituality and unspoken rules into a simple essence of wisdom. She was born into a traditional spiritual Japanese family and raised with the teachings of Shingon Buddhism and Shinto. The spiritual and cultural practices, such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy have always been a part of her life, besides that, her grandmother was a kimono maker.
Her insights, a series of talks are available on her YouTube channel “5 minutes on Japanese Wisdom†on YouTube.
http://www.azumiuchitani.com
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