SEASONS: Japanese Calligraphy & Tea Pairing (Autumn)

SEASONS is a series of Japanese calligraphy workshops taught by Aoi Yamaguchi focusing on the innate beauty of the transition from one season to another captured in poetry. There are hundreds of kigo (季語, "season word"), which is a word or phrase associated with a particular season used in traditional forms of Japanese poetry.

The Autumn edition of SEASONS in October, in collaboration with Tea at Shiloh, will be 椛 (momiji) or autumn leaves. Leaves of deciduous trees transform their colors from lush summer green to the shades of yellow, orange and red, as if mountains are changing their garments. The beautiful scenery of autumn leaves and autumn mountains have been admired and celebrated since the Heian period throughout Japan. As the winter approaches, leaves fall and cover the ground – people find beauty in the ephemeral nature of life, as we walk on the colorful carpet of fallen leaves. 

The evening will have two parts: First, guests will be introduced to the artist’s selection of haiku poems with 椛 (momiji) to inspire, paired with a cup of selected tea by Tea at Shiloh. After nourishing our mind and body, we will dive into Japanese calligraphy. We will go over a brief history of Japanese calligraphy, calligraphy tools and supplies, as well as proper posture. You will begin to explore how the self is reflected in your own writing. Guests will practice the kanji character “椛” on up to 20 sheets of hanshi paper and take their own finished artwork home. 

This workshop is designed for adult beginners. No prior experience or knowledge of Japanese is necessary.