What Happened After Midorikai
After Midorikai ended for me in July 2010, I returned to the states in August, spent some time back in Boston before moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan to start a graduate program in Japanese Studies at the University of Michigan. I was fortunate enough to find a teacher and a group to practice with in Michigan, taught by Nabeta Soyu-sensei. Being in her keikoba was a wonderful experience that I did not expect to find after Kyoto. After Midorikai, suddenly moving to a new area so far from my previous life in Boston was difficult, but I tried to focus on those things I was most interested in: re-learning Japanese language, beginning Chinese, and researching early tea history. My time at Michigan was a completely different learning experience all together, as I was returning to school after working for four years plus one year in Midorikai.
It was hard not to be in a tea room every day. I missed that. I realized how much more difficult life is when there is no furo, no ro, when you can’t walk down the street to buy whatever kind of tea or sweets you want. It also made me appreciate those teachers and students who are living outside Japan; their dedication and creativity are amazing. Since I was studying Japanese studies, I had lots of opportunities to make tea for classmates who were curious about the tea thing I kept babbling about (I babble about tea a lot). I have many, many good memories of carrying around my chabako during the last year and making tea for friends. I think that chabako was the best investment I made during my time in Midorikai, and I had plenty of time to practice temae (especially yuki) while looking out my snowy window in Michigan.
The other great thing about Michigan was the library. Michigan has an amazing Asian Studies library, which meant that I generally spent one year curled up in my apartment drinking tea and reading books about tea. If I hadn’t had to turn in papers and get grades for them, it would have been an amazingly relaxing year :) After listening to Tanihata-sensei’s lectures on tea history in Midorikai, I knew that I wanted to study more about this topic and used most of my time to do this...probably more time was spent on reading books on tea history than preparing for my actual classes. But you know, whatever is going to be valuable in the long run, right? At least I passed those classes! Needless to say, a good deal of my degree was based on Independent Research, focusing on the tea practiced by Oda Nobunaga, as well as his interest in the collection of meibutsu dogu. During the summer I was able to continue this research at the Chado Bunko library in Urasenke Center to complete my last credit for Michigan.
Originally I had planned to complete both my MA in Japanese Studies and my MBA at Michigan, but for various reasons realized that I wanted a change. As of September I switched gears and began life as an MBA student at Doshisha University in Kyoto. Also in September I began studying with the ICI group (International Chado Institute), which is a group for international students that is taught by Kokusaibu teachers and meets on Saturday.
Every time I come back to Japan my life is different, and this experience has been no exception. I am no longer a Midorikai student, which in some ways has been very freeing. I cannot learn at the same pace, but that is probably good for my stress level right now. One extremely positive aspect of my life this time is that I have been able to re-connect with Matsumoto-sensei, my very first teacher who instructed me when I was a student in AKP (now 8 years ago). I have had a few chances to sit in on her classes since I have been back, and getting to connect with her and her students is really wonderful. Many of them have known me since I first started studying tea when I was 19, couldn’t speak Japanese, and cried when I didn’t understand how to do temae. It shocks me to think that I have had friends in Japan this long, and that I have had tea friends this long. Time goes by so quickly.
Both in the States and in Kyoto I had opportunities to participate in a number of demonstrations. In the States I helped out both in Michigan and Boston (when I could get back). Also, this past Christmas I flew to Finland to spend the holidays with Mecca :) She is still one of my closest friends and we continue to talk on a weekly basis. I am hoping that she will also come back to Japan soon so we can study together again. The relationships that were formed in Midorikai are so strong, more than I ever expected. My “tea family” is still very important to me, and I feel so lucky to have these people in my life.
It was hard not to be in a tea room every day. I missed that. I realized how much more difficult life is when there is no furo, no ro, when you can’t walk down the street to buy whatever kind of tea or sweets you want. It also made me appreciate those teachers and students who are living outside Japan; their dedication and creativity are amazing. Since I was studying Japanese studies, I had lots of opportunities to make tea for classmates who were curious about the tea thing I kept babbling about (I babble about tea a lot). I have many, many good memories of carrying around my chabako during the last year and making tea for friends. I think that chabako was the best investment I made during my time in Midorikai, and I had plenty of time to practice temae (especially yuki) while looking out my snowy window in Michigan.
The other great thing about Michigan was the library. Michigan has an amazing Asian Studies library, which meant that I generally spent one year curled up in my apartment drinking tea and reading books about tea. If I hadn’t had to turn in papers and get grades for them, it would have been an amazingly relaxing year :) After listening to Tanihata-sensei’s lectures on tea history in Midorikai, I knew that I wanted to study more about this topic and used most of my time to do this...probably more time was spent on reading books on tea history than preparing for my actual classes. But you know, whatever is going to be valuable in the long run, right? At least I passed those classes! Needless to say, a good deal of my degree was based on Independent Research, focusing on the tea practiced by Oda Nobunaga, as well as his interest in the collection of meibutsu dogu. During the summer I was able to continue this research at the Chado Bunko library in Urasenke Center to complete my last credit for Michigan.
Originally I had planned to complete both my MA in Japanese Studies and my MBA at Michigan, but for various reasons realized that I wanted a change. As of September I switched gears and began life as an MBA student at Doshisha University in Kyoto. Also in September I began studying with the ICI group (International Chado Institute), which is a group for international students that is taught by Kokusaibu teachers and meets on Saturday.
Every time I come back to Japan my life is different, and this experience has been no exception. I am no longer a Midorikai student, which in some ways has been very freeing. I cannot learn at the same pace, but that is probably good for my stress level right now. One extremely positive aspect of my life this time is that I have been able to re-connect with Matsumoto-sensei, my very first teacher who instructed me when I was a student in AKP (now 8 years ago). I have had a few chances to sit in on her classes since I have been back, and getting to connect with her and her students is really wonderful. Many of them have known me since I first started studying tea when I was 19, couldn’t speak Japanese, and cried when I didn’t understand how to do temae. It shocks me to think that I have had friends in Japan this long, and that I have had tea friends this long. Time goes by so quickly.
Both in the States and in Kyoto I had opportunities to participate in a number of demonstrations. In the States I helped out both in Michigan and Boston (when I could get back). Also, this past Christmas I flew to Finland to spend the holidays with Mecca :) She is still one of my closest friends and we continue to talk on a weekly basis. I am hoping that she will also come back to Japan soon so we can study together again. The relationships that were formed in Midorikai are so strong, more than I ever expected. My “tea family” is still very important to me, and I feel so lucky to have these people in my life.