Your Doorway to Japan

Welcome to the New Nippon.com

Spreading the Spirit of Tea in Europe: Nojiri Michiko

  • Nojiri in the tea room of the Urasenke Rome branch, sitting next to her own collection of hina dolls, in March 2018.

    Nojiri in the tea room of the Urasenke Rome branch, sitting next to her own collection of hina dolls, in March 2018.

  • The entrance to the Urasenke Rome branch. The thoroughly Western-style door opens onto a Japanese tea space whose architectural design Nojiri supervised.

    The entrance to the Urasenke Rome branch. The thoroughly Western-style door opens onto a Japanese tea space whose architectural design Nojiri supervised.

  • A hengaku, a placard with a motto inscribed by Sen Sōshitsu XV, sits above the entrance to the tea room, declaring it to be the 好日軒 (roughly translating to “the home of pleasant days”).

    A hengaku, a placard with a motto inscribed by Sen Sōshitsu XV, sits above the entrance to the tea room, declaring it to be the 好日軒 (roughly translating to “the home of pleasant days”).

  • Nojiri Sōmei at right with her first pupil, Emma Di Valerio Sōsei. After Nojiri retired as the director of the Rome branch last year due to advanced age, Di Valerio became one of the members who took over for her.

    Nojiri Sōmei at right with her first pupil, Emma Di Valerio Sōsei. After Nojiri retired as the director of the Rome branch last year due to advanced age, Di Valerio became one of the members who took over for her.

  • Di Valerio placing charcoal in the hearth to boil water. Nojiri traveled three hours each way to the outskirts of Florence to bring back a year’s worth of charcoal for the school in a station wagon.

    Di Valerio placing charcoal in the hearth to boil water. Nojiri traveled three hours each way to the outskirts of Florence to bring back a year’s worth of charcoal for the school in a station wagon.

  • A pupil of Nojiri’s, Andrea Falla Sōan, practices making formal koicha thick tea.

    A pupil of Nojiri’s, Andrea Falla Sōan, practices making formal koicha thick tea.

  • Nojiri and one of her German pupils, Winfried Bastian, enjoying a ride nearby his home in Ireland. At right, the group during practice in the tea room that, except for tatami mats, the Bastians built themselves. (© Nojiri Michiko)

    Nojiri and one of her German pupils, Winfried Bastian, enjoying a ride nearby his home in Ireland. At right, the group during practice in the tea room that, except for tatami mats, the Bastians built themselves. (© Nojiri Michiko)

3 / 7

Click to View Article