"Paper folding" redirects here. For other uses, see Paper folding (disambiguation).

For other uses of Origami, see Origami (disambiguation).

Origami cranes

The folding of an Origami crane

Origami (?, from ori meaning "folding", and kami meaning "paper"; kamichanges to gami due to rendaku) is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside of Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form. The goal of this art is to transform a flat sheet of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques, and as such the use of cuts or glue are not considered to be origami. Paper cutting and gluing is usually considered kirigami. The number of basic origami folds is small, but they can be combined in a variety of ways to make intricate designs. The best known origami model is probably the Japanese paper crane. In general, these designs begin with a square sheet of paper whose sides may be different colors or prints. Traditional Japanese origami, which has been practiced since the Edo era (16031867), has often been less strict about these conventions, sometimes cutting the paper or using nonsquare shapes to start with. The principles of origami are also being used in stents, packaging and other engineering structures.
Contents
[hide]
[1]

1 History 2 Techniques and materials

o o o

2.1 Techniques 2.2 Origami paper 2.3 Tools

3 Types of origami

o o o o o o

3.1 Action origami 3.2 Modular origami 3.3 Wet-folding 3.4 Pureland origami 3.5 Origami tessellations 3.6 Kirigami

4 Mathematics and technical origami

o o o

4.1 Mathematics and practical applications 4.2 Technical origami 4.3 Origami-related computer programs

5 Ethics 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External links

[edit]History Main article: History of origami

A group of Japanese schoolchildren dedicate their contribution of Thousand origami cranes at the Sadako Sasakimemorial in Hiroshima.

There is much speculation about the origin of Origami. While Japan seems to have had the most extensive tradition, there is evidence of an independent tradition of paperfolding in China, as well as in Germany, Italy and Spain among other places. However, because of the problems associated with preserving origami, there is very little direct evidence of its age or origins, aside from references in published material. In China, traditional funerals include burning folded paper, most often representations of gold nuggets (yuanbao). It is not known when this practice started, but it seems to have become popular during the [2] Sung Dynasty (9051125 CE). The paper folding has typically been of objects like dishes, hats or boats [3] rather than animals or flowers. The earliest evidence of paperfolding in Europe is a picture of a small paper boat in Tractatusde sphaera [4] mundi from 1490. There is also evidence of a cut and folded paper box from 1440. It is probable that [5] paperfolding in the west originated with the Moors much earlier, it is not known if it was independently discovered or knowledge of origami came along the silk route. In Japan, the earliest unambiguous reference to a paper model is in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku in [6] 1680 which describes paper butterflies in a dream. Origami butterflies were used during the celebration of Shinto weddings to represent the bride and groom, so paperfolding had already become a significant aspect of Japanese ceremony by the Heian period (7941185) of Japanese history, enough that the reference in this poem would be recognized. Samurai warriors would exchange gifts adorned with noshi, a sort of good luck token made of folded strips of paper. In the early 1900s, Akira Yoshizawa, Kosho Uchiyama, and others began creating and recording original origami works. Akira Yoshizawa in particular was responsible for a number of innovations, such as wetfolding and the YoshizawaRandlett diagramming system, and his work inspired a renaissance of the art [7] form. During the 1980s a number of folders started systematically studying the mathematical properties

of folded forms, which led to a steady increase in the complexity of origami models, which continued well [8] into the 1990s, after which some designers started returning to simpler forms.

Sake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Sake (disambiguation).

Dedicated sake barrels at Itsukushima Shrine

Sake brewery, Takayama

Sake (

/ski/ or

/ske/)[1][2] is an alcoholic beverage of Japaneseorigin that is made from

fermented rice. It may also be spelled sak or saki. In the Japanese language, the word sake refers to any alcoholic beverage, while the beverage called sake in English is termed nihonshu (, "Japanese liquor").

Contents
[hide]

1 Overview 2 History 3 Production

o o o o o

3.1 Rice 3.2 Water 3.3 Brewing 3.4 Maturing 3.5 Tji

4 Varieties

o o o o

4.1 Special-designation sake 4.2 Three ways to make the starter mash 4.3 Different handling after fermentation 4.4 Others

5 Taste and flavor 6 Serving sake 7 Storage 8 Ceremonial use 9 See also 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External links

[edit]Overview
Sake is sometimes referred to in English-speaking countries as rice wine. However, unlike wine, in which alcohol is produced byfermenting sugar that is naturally present in grapes and other fruits, sake is produced by means of a brewing process more like that ofbeer. To make beer or sake, the sugar needed to produce alcohol must first be converted from starch. The brewing process for sake differs from the process for beer, in that for beer, the conversion from starch to sugar and from sugar to alcohol occurs in two discrete steps. But when sake is brewed, these conversions occur simultaneously. Furthermore, the alcohol content differs between sake, wine, and beer. Wine generally

contains 9%16% ABV,[3] while most beer contains 3%9%, and undiluted sake contains 18%20% (although this is often lowered to about 15% by diluting with water prior to bottling).

[edit]History
The origin of sake is unclear. The earliest reference to the use of alcohol in Japan is recorded in the Book of Wei in the Records of the Three Kingdoms. This 3rd century Chinese text speaks of the Japanese drinking and dancing. Bamforth (2005) noted that the probable origin of sake was in the Nara period (710794 A.D.). Sake is mentioned several times in the Kojiki, Japan's first written history, which was compiled in 712
A.D.

By the Asuka period, true sakemade from rice, water, and kji mold (, Aspergillus oryzae)was the dominant alcohol and had a very low content by non-Japanese standards. A non-Japanese could down much sake and not be inebriated in the least. In the Heian period, sake was used for religious ceremonies, court festivals, and drinking games.[4] Sake production was a government monopoly for a long time, but in the 10th century, temples and shrines began to brew sake, and they became the main centers of production for the next 500 years. The Tamon-in Diary, written by abbots of Tamon-in temple from 1478 to 1618, records many details of brewing in the temple. The diary shows that pasteurization and the process of adding ingredients to the main fermentation mash in three stages were established practices by this time.[citation needed] In the 16th century, the technique of distillation was introduced into the Kyushu district from Ryukyu. The brewing of shochu, called "Imosake" started, and was sold at the central market in Kyoto. Powerful daimyo imported various liquors and wine from China.[citation needed]

This is the title page of the earliest explanation of the process of brewing sake to be published in the West. In 1781,Isaac Titsingh published Bereiding van Sacki in Batavia, which was then the main city of the Dutch East Indies.

In the 18th century, Engelbert Kaempfer[5] and Isaac Titsingh[6] published accounts identifying sake as a popular alcoholic beverage in Japan; but Titsingh was the first to try to explain and describe the process of sake brewing. The work of both writers was widely disseminated throughout Europe at the beginning of the 19th century.[7] During the Meiji Restoration, laws were written that allowed anybody with the money and know-how to construct and operate their own sake breweries. Around 30,000 breweries sprang up around the country within a year. However, as the years went by, the government levied more and more taxes on the sake industry and slowly the number of breweries dwindled to 8,000.[citation needed] Most of the breweries that grew and survived this period were set up by wealthy landowners. Landowners who grew rice crops would have rice left over at the end of the season and, rather than letting these leftovers go to waste, would ship it to their breweries. The most successful of these family breweries still operate today.[citation
needed]

During the 20th century, sake-brewing technology grew by leaps and bounds. The government opened the sake-brewing research institute in 1904, and in 1907 the very first government-run sake tasting/competition was held. Yeast strains specifically selected for their brewing properties were isolated and enamel-coated steel tanks arrived. The government started hailing the use of enamel tanks as easy to clean, lasting forever, and being devoid of bacterial problems. (The government considered wooden barrels to be unhygienic because of the potential bacteria living in the wood.) Although these things are true, the government also wanted more tax money from breweries, as using wooden barrels means that a significant amount of sake is lost to evaporation (somewhere around 3%), which could have otherwise been taxed. This was the end of the wooden-barrel age of sake and the use of wooden barrels in brewing was completely eliminated.[citation needed] In Japan, sake has long been taxed by the federal government. In 1898, this tax brought in about 55 million yen out of a total of about 120 million yen, about 46% of the government's total direct tax income. [8] During the Russo-Japanese War in 19041905, the government banned the home brewing of sake. At the time, sake still made up an astonishing 30% of Japan's tax revenue. Since home-brewed sake is tax-free sake, the logic was that by banning the home brewing of sake, sales would go up, and more tax money would be collected. This was the end of home-brewed sake, and the law remains in effect today even though sake sales now make up only 2% of government income.[citation needed] When World War II brought rice shortages, the sake-brewing industry was dealt a hefty blow as the government clamped down on the use of rice for brewing. As early as the late 17th century, it had been

discovered that small amounts of alcohol could be added to sake before pressing to extract aromas and flavors from the rice solids, but during the war, pure alcohol and glucose were added to small quantities of rice mash, increasing the yield by as much as four times. 75% of today's sake is made using this technique, left over from the war years. There were even a few breweries producing "sake" that contained no rice at all. Naturally, the quality of sake during this time varied greatly.[citation needed] After the war, breweries slowly began to recover, and the quality of sake gradually went up. However, new players on the scenebeer, wine, and spiritsbecame very popular in Japan, and in the 1960s beer consumption surpassed sake for the first time. Sake consumption continued to go down while, in contrast, the quality of sake steadily improved. Today, sake has become a world beverage with a few breweries springing up in China, Southeast Asia, South America, North America, and Australia. More breweries are also turning to older methods of production. While the rest of the world may be drinking more sake and the quality of sake has been increasing, sake production in Japan has been declining since the mid 1970s.[9] The number of sake breweries is also declining. While there were 3,229 breweries nationwide in fiscal 1975, the number had fallen to 1,845 in 2007. [10] October 1 is the official Sake Day () of Japan.[citation needed]

[edit]Production [edit]Rice
The rice used for brewing sake is called shuz ktekimai (sake rice). The grain is larger, stronger, and contains less protein and lipid than the ordinary rice eaten by the Japanese. The rice has a starch component called shinpaku in the center of the grains. Since sake made from rice containing only starch has a superior taste, the rice is polished to remove the bran. If a grain is small or weak, it will break in the process of polishing. This rice is used only for making sake, because it is unpalatable for eating. There are at least 80 types of sake rice in Japan. Among these, Yamadanishiki, Gohyakumangoku, Miyamanishiki and Omachi rice are very popular.

[edit]Water
Water is one of the important ingredients for making sake. Rigid restrictions are observed for the concentrations of certain chemical substances which can affect the taste and quality of sake. The water used is almost always groundwater or well water. Urban breweries usually import water from other areas, because of the difficulty of getting water of sufficient quality locally.

[edit]Brewing
This section does not cite anyreferences or

sources.(January 2011)

Moromi, the main mash

Sake is produced by the multiple parallel fermentation of rice. The rice is first polished to remove the protein and oils from the exterior of the rice grains, leaving behind starch. Thorough milling leads to fewer congeners and generally a more desirable product. Newly polished rice is allowed to "rest" until it has absorbed enough moisture from the air so that it will not crack when immersed in water. After this resting period, the rice is washed clean of the rice powder produced during milling and then steeped in water. The length of time depends on the degree to which the rice was polished, ranging from several hours or even overnight for an ordinary milling to just minutes for highly polished rice. After soaking, the rice is steamed on a conveyor belt. The degree of cooking must be carefully controlled; overcooked rice will ferment too quickly for flavors to develop well and undercooked rice will only ferment on the outside. The steamed rice is then cooled and divided into portions for different uses. The microorganism Aspergillus oryzae is sprinkled onto the steamed rice and allowed to ferment for 5-7 days (Uno et al., 2009). After this initial fermentation period, water and the yeast culture Saccharomyces cerevisiae are added to the koji (rice and mold mixture) and allowed to incubate at 4 degree Celsius for about 7 days (Uno et al., 2009). Over the next four days, pre-incubated mixture of steamed rice (90 kg), fermentated rice (90 kg) and water (440L) are added to the fermented mixture in three series (Uno et al., 2009). This staggered approach allows time for the yeast to keep up with the increased volume. The mixture is now known as the main mash, or moromi (, also written ). The main mash then ferments, at approximately 15-20 degree Celsius for 23 weeks. With high-grade sake, fermentation is deliberately slowed by lowering the temperature to 10 C (50 F) or less. Unlike malt for beer, rice for sake does not contain the amylase necessary for converting starch to sugar and so it must undergo a process of multiple fermentation. The addition of A. oryzae provides the necessary amylases, glucoamylases, and proteases to hydrolyze the nutrients of the rice to support the growth of the yeast(S.cerevisiae) (Uno et al.,

2009). In sake production these two processes take place at the same time rather than in separate steps, so sake is said to be made by multiple parallel fermentation. After fermentation, sake is extracted from the solid mixtures through a filtration process. For some types of sake, a small amount of distilled alcohol, called brewer's alcohol (), is added before pressing in order to extract flavors and aromas that would otherwise remain behind in the solids. In cheap sake, a large amount of brewers alcohol might be added to increase the volume of sake produced. Next, the remaining lees (a fine sediment) are removed, and the sake is carbon filtered and pasteurized. The sake is allowed to rest and mature and then usually diluted with water to lower the alcohol content from around 20% to 15% or so, before finally being bottled.

[edit]Maturing
The process during which the sake grows into a quality product during storage is called maturing. Mature sake has reached its ideal point of growth. New sake is not liked because of its rough taste, whereas mature sake is mild, smooth and rich. However, if it is too mature, it also develops a rough taste. Nine to twelve months are required for sake to mature. Aging is caused by physical and chemical factors such as oxygen supply, the broad application of external heat, nitrogen oxides, aldehydes and amino acids, among other unknown factors. It is said that Saussureae radix from the Japan cedar material of a barrel containing maturing sake comes to be valued, so the barrel is considered indispensable.

[edit]Tji
Tji (?) is the job title of the sake brewer. It is a highly respected job in the Japanese society, with tji being regarded likemusicians or painters. The title of tji was historically passed on from father to son; today new tji are either veteran brewery workers or are trained at universities. While modern breweries with refrigeration and cooling tanks operate year-round, most old-fashioned sake breweries are seasonal, operating only in the cool winter months. During the summer and fall most tji work elsewhere, and are commonly found on farms, only periodically returning to the brewery to supervise storage conditions or bottling operations.[11][unreliable source?]

[edit]Varieties

Various types of sake offered for sale at a Japanese grocery in the United States

[edit]Special-designation

sake

There are two basic types of sake: Futs-shu (?, Ordinary sake) and Tokutei meish-shu (?, special-designation sake). Futs-shu is the equivalent of table wine and accounts for the majority of sake produced. Tokutei meish-shu refers to premium sakes distinguished by the degree to which the rice has been polished and the added percentage of brewer's alcohol or the absence of such additives. There are eight varieties of special-designation sake.[12]

Special Designation

Ingredients

Rice Polishing Ratio

Percentage of Kji rice

Junmai Daiginj-shu (?, Pure rice, Very Special brew)

Rice, Kji rice

Below 50%

Not less than 15%

Daiginj-shu (?, Very Special brew)

Rice, Kji rice, Distilled Below 50% [note 1] alcohol

Not less than 15%

Junmai Ginj-shu (?, Pure rice, Special brew)

Rice, Kji rice

Below 60%

Not less than 15%

Ginj-shu (?, Special brew)

Rice, Kji rice, Distilled Below 60% [note 1] alcohol

Not less than 15%

Tokubetsu Junmai-shu (?, Special Pure rice)

Rice, Kji rice

Below 60% or produced by special brewing method

Not less than 15%

Tokubetsu Honjz-shu ( Rice, Kji rice, Distilled Below 60% or produced by [note 1] ? alcohol special brewing method , Special Genuine brew)

Not less than 15%

Junmai-shu (?, Pure rice)

Rice, Kji rice

Below 70%

Not less than 15%

Honjz-shu (?, Genuine brew)

Rice, Kji rice, Distilled Below 70% [note 1] alcohol

Not less than 15%

1.

a b c d

The weight of added alcohol must be below 10% of the weight of the rice (after polishing) used in

the brewing process.

[edit]Three

ways to make the starter mash

Kimoto () is the traditional orthodox method for preparing the starter mash, which includes the laborious process of grinding it into a paste. This method was the standard for 300 years, but it is rare today.

Yamahai () is a simplified version of the kimoto method, introduced in the early 1900s. Yamahai skips the step of making a paste out of the starter mash. That step of the kimoto method is known as yamaoroshi, and the full name for yamahai is yama-oroshi haishi (), meaning discontinuation of yama-oroshi. While the yamahai method was originally developed to speed production time, it is slower than the modern method and is now used only in specialty brews for the earthy flavors it produces.

Sokuj (), "quick fermentation", is the modern method of preparing the starter mash. Lactic acid, produced naturally in the two slower traditional methods, is added to the starter to inhibit unwanted bacteria. Sokuj sake tends to have a lighter flavor than kimoto or yamahai.

[edit]Different

handling after fermentation

Nigori, or unfiltered sake

Namazake () is sake that has not been pasteurized. It requires refrigerated storage and has a shorter shelf-life than pasteurized sake.

Genshu () is undiluted sake. Most sake is diluted with water after brewing to lower the alcohol content from 18-20% down to 14-16%, but genshu is not.

Muroka () means unfiltered. It refers to sake that has not been carbon filtered, but which has been pressed and separated from the lees, and thus is clear, not cloudy. Carbon filtration can remove desirable flavors and odors as well as bad ones, thus muroka sake has stronger flavors than filtered varieties.

Nigorizake () is cloudy sake. The sake is passed through a loose mesh to separate it from the mash. It is not filtered thereafter and there is much rice sediment in the bottle. Before serving, the bottle is shaken to mix the sediment and turn the sake white or cloudy.

Seishu (), "clear/clean sake", is the Japanese legal definition of sake and refers to sake in which the solids have been strained out, leaving clear liquid. Thus nigorizake anddoburoku (see below) are not seishu and therefore are not actually sake under Japanese law. However, nigorizake can receive the seishu status by being strained clear and having the lees put back in afterward.

Koshu () is "aged sake". Most sake does not age well, but this specially made type can age for decades, turning yellow and acquiring a honeyed flavor.

Taruzake () is sake aged in wooden barrels or bottled in wooden casks. The wood used is Cryptomeria (, sugi), which is also inaccurately known as Japanese cedar. Sake casks are often tapped ceremonially for the opening of buildings, businesses, parties, etc. Because the wood imparts a strong flavor, premium sake is rarely used for this type.

Shiboritate (), "freshly pressed", refers to sake that has been shipped without the traditional sixmonth aging/maturation period. The result is usually a more acidic, "greener" sake.

Fukurozuri () is a method of separating sake from the lees without external pressure by hanging the mash in bags and allowing the liquid to drip out under its own weight. Sake produced this way is sometimes called shizukazake (), meaning "drip sake".

Tobingakoi () is sake pressed into 18-liter bottles ("tobin") with the brewer selecting the best sake of the batch for shipping.

[edit]Others
Amazake () is a traditional sweet, low-alcoholic Japanese drink made from fermented rice. Doburoku () is the classic home-brew style of sake (although home brewing is illegal in Japan). It is created by simply addingkji mold to steamed rice and water and letting the mixture ferment. The resulting sake is somewhat like a chunkier version of nigorizake.

Jizake () is locally brewed sake, the equivalent of microbrewing beer. Kuroshu () is sake made from unpolished rice (i.e., brown rice), and is more like Chinese rice wine. Teiseihaku-shu () is sake with a deliberately high rice-polishing ratio. It is generally held that the lower the rice polishing ratio (the percent weight after polishing), the better the potential of the sake. However, beginning around 2005, teiseihaku-shu has been produced as a specialty sake made with high rice-polishing ratios, usually around 80%, to produce sake with the characteristic flavor of rice itself.

Some other terms commonly used in connection with sake:

Nihonshu-do (), also called the Sake Meter Value, or SMV SMV = (|1/specific gravity|1) 1443 Specific gravity is measured on a scale weighing the same volume of water at 4C and sake at 15C. The sweeter the sake, the lower the number. When the SMV was first used, 0 was designated the point between sweet sake and dry sake. Now +3 is considered neutral.

Seimai-buai () is the rice polishing ratio, the percentage of weight remaining after polishing. Generally, the lower the number, the better the sake's potential. A lower percentage usually results in a fruitier sake, whereas a higher percentage will taste more like rice.

Kasu () are pressed sake lees, the solids left after pressing and filtering. These are used for making tsukemono pickles, livestock feed, and shch, and as an ingredient in dishes like kasu soup.

[edit]Taste

and flavor

This section does not cite anyreferences or sources.(January 2011)

The label on a bottle of sake gives a rough indication of its taste. Terms found on the label may include nihonshu-do (), san-do(), and aminosan-do (). Nihonshu-do () indicates the sugar and acid content[contradiction] of the sake. When comparing sake to water, sake that is heavier[clarification needed] than water is listed as a negative value, and sake that is lighter (drier) than water is given a positive value. As examples, "+10" is very dry, and "10" is very sweet. San-do () indicates the concentration of acid, which is determined by titration. Sake with a high sando value is dry, and low san-do is sweet.[contradiction] Aminosan-do () indicates a taste of umami or savoriness. As the proportion of amino acids rises, the sake tastes more savory. Sake can have many flavor notes, such as apples, bananas, melons, flowers, herbs, spices, rice, chestnuts, chocolates, dry grapes, sherry, caramel sauce, etc. The flavor of apples comes from ethyl caproate, and bananas from isoamyl acetate. These two constituents are contained in many types of sake, such as ginjyoshu ().

[edit]Serving

sake

Main article: Sake set

Sake can be served in a wide variety of cups; here is a sakazuki (a flat, saucer-like cup), an ochoko (a small, cylindrical cup), and a masu (a wooden, box-like cup).

In Japan sake is served chilled, at room temperature, or heated, depending on the preference of the drinker, the quality of the sake, and the season. Typically, hot sake is a winter drink, and high-grade sake is not drunk hot, because the flavors and aromas will be lost. This masking of flavor is the reason that low-quality and old sake is often served hot. Sake is usually drunk from small cups called choko, and poured into the choko from ceramic flasks called tokkuri. Saucer-like cups called sakazuki are also used, most commonly at weddings and other ceremonial occasions. Recently, footed glasses made specifically for premium sake have also come into use. Another traditional cup is the masu, a box usually made of hinoki or sugi, which was originally used for measuring rice. In some Japanese restaurants, as a show of generosity, the server may put a glass inside the masu or put the masu on a saucer and pour until sake overflows and fills both containers. Aside from being served straight, sake can be used as a mixer for cocktails, such as tamagozake, saketinis, nogasake, or the sake bomb.

[edit]Storage
Sake is sold in volume units divisible by 180 mL (a g), the traditional Japanese unit for cup size: sake is traditional sold by the g-sized cup, or in a 1.8 L (one sh, ten g) sized flask. Today sake is also often sold in 720 mL (four g) bottles note that this is almost the same as the 750 mL standard for wine bottles, but is divisible into 4 g. In general, it is best to keep sake refrigerated in a cool or dark room, as prolonged exposure to heat or direct light will lead to spoilage. In addition, sake stored at relatively high time can lead to formation of dicetopiperazine, a cyclo (Pro-Leu) that makes it bitter as it ages (Lecture Note, Oct. 2011). Sake has high microbiological stability due to its high content of ethanol. However, incidences of spoilage has been known to occur. One of the microoganisms implicated in this spoilage is lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that has grown tolerant

to ethanol and is referred to as hiochi-bacteria (Suzuki et al., 2008). Sake stored at room temperature is best consumed within a few months after purchase.[citation needed] After opening a bottle of sake, it is best consumed within 2 or 3 hours.[citation needed] It is possible to store sake in the refrigerator, but it is recommended to finish the sake within 2 days. This is because once premium sake is opened it begins to oxidize, which affects the taste. If the sake is kept in the refrigerator for more than 3 days, it will lose its "best" flavor. However, this does not mean it should be disposed of if not consumed. Generally, sake can keep very well and still taste just fine after weeks in the refrigerator. How long a sake will remain drinkable depends on the actual product itself, and whether it is sealed with a wine vacuum top.

[edit]Ceremonial

use

A cask of sake before the kagami biraki

Decorative sake containers in aNakatsugawa shop

Sake is often consumed as part of Shinto purification rituals (compare with the use of grapewine in the Christian Eucharist). Sakes served to gods as offerings prior to drinking are called Omiki or Miki (,

). People drink Omiki with gods to communicate with them and to solicit rich harvests the following year.
During World War II, kamikaze pilots drank sake prior to carrying out their missions. In a ceremony called kagami biraki, wooden casks of sake are opened with mallets during Shinto festivals, weddings, store openings, sports and election victories, and other celebrations. This sake, called iwaizake ("celebration sake"), is served freely to all to spread good fortune. At the New Year many Japanese people drink a special sake called toso. Toso is a sort of iwai-zake made by soaking tososan, a Chinese powdered medicine, overnight in sake. Even children sip a portion. In some regions, the first sips of toso are taken in order of age, from the youngest to the eldest.

The history of tea in Japan has its earliest known references in a text written by a Buddhist monk in the 9th century. Tea became a drink of the religious classes in Japan when Japanese priests and envoys sent to China to learn about its culture brought tea to Japan. The first form of tea brought from China was probably brick tea ( tancha?). Ancient recordings indicate the first batch of tea seeds were brought by a priest named Saicho in 805 and then by another named Kukai in 806. It became a drink of the royal classes whenEmperor Saga, the Japanese emperor, encouraged the growth of tea plants. Seeds were imported from China, and cultivation in Japan began.
Contents
[hide]

1 Kissa Yjki 2 Roasting process introduced to Japan 3 Japan tea culture emerges 4 Modern Japanese green tea 5 Rolling machines 6 Automation

[edit]Kissa

Yjki

In 1191, the famous Zen priest Eisai (11411215) brought back tea seeds to Kyoto. Some of the seeds given to the priest Myoe Shonin became the basis for Uji tea. The oldest tea specialty book in Japan, Kissa Yjki (How to Stay Healthy by Drinking Tea) was written by Eisai. The two-volume book was written in 1211 after his second and last visit to China. The first sentence states, "Tea is the ultimate mental and medical remedy and has the ability to make one's life more full and complete". The preface describes how drinking tea can have a positive effect on the five vital organs, especially the heart. It discusses tea's medicinal qualities, which include easing the effects of alcohol, acting as a stimulant, curing blotchiness, quenching thirst, eliminating indigestion, curing beriberi disease, preventing fatigue, and improving urinary and brain function. Part One also explains the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers and tea leaves and covers how to grow tea plants and process tea leaves. Part Two discusses the specific dosage and method required for individual physical ailments. Eisai was also instrumental in introducing tea consumption to the warrior class, which rose to political prominence after the Heian Period. Eisai learned that Shogun Minamoto-no-Sanetomo had a habit of drinking too much every night. In 1214, Eisai presented a book he had written to the general, lauding the health benefits of tea drinking. After that, the custom of tea drinking became popular among the warrior (samurai class). Soon, green tea became a staple among cultured people in Japana brew for the gentry and the Buddhist priesthood, alike. Production grew and tea became increasingly accessible, though still a privilege enjoyed mostly by the upper classes. [edit]Roasting

process introduced to Japan

In the 14th century Ming Dynasty, southern China and Japan enjoyed much cultural exchange. Significant merchandise was traded and the roasting method of processing tea became common in Kyushu, Japan. Since the steaming (9th century) and the roasting (13th century) methods were brought to Japan during two different periods, these teas are completely distinct from each other. [edit]Japan

tea culture emerges

Japanese tea ceremony

The pastimes made popular in China in the 12th and 13th centuries reading poetry, writing calligraphy, painting, and discussing philosophy while enjoying tea eventually became popular in Japan and with samurai society. The modern tea ceremonydeveloped over several centuries. The historical figure considered most influential in its development was Sen Riky (15221591). In fact, both the beverage and the ceremony surrounding it played a prominent role in feudal diplomacy. Many of the most important negotiations among feudal clan leaders were carried out in the austere and serene setting of the tea ceremony. By the end of the 16th century, the current "Way of Tea" was established. Eventually, green tea became available to the masses, making it the nation's most popular beverage. [edit]Modern

Japanese green tea

In 1740, Soen Nagatani developed Japanese sencha (Japanese: ), which is an unfermented form of green tea. To prepare sencha, tea leaves are first steam-pressed, then rolled and dried into a loose tea. The dried leaves are brewed with hot water to yield the final drink. Sencha is now one of Japan's mainstay teas. [edit]Rolling

machines

At the end of the Meiji period (18681912), machine manufacturing of green tea was introduced and began replacing handmade tea. Machines took over the processes of primary drying, tea rolling, secondary drying, final rolling, and steaming. [edit]Automation Automation contributed to improved quality and reduced labour. Sensor and computer controls were introduced to machine automation so unskilled workers can produce superior tea without compromising quality. Certain regions in Japan are known for special types ofgreen tea, as well as for teas of exceptional quality, making the leaves themselves a highly valued commodity. Uji is still famous for its

tea. Today, roasted green tea is not as common in Japan and powdered tea is used in ceremonial fashion.

Japanese tea ceremony

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tea ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese culturalactivity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called chanoyu ( ?) or chad, sad (?). The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called otemae (; ?). Zen Buddhism was a primary influence in the development of the tea ceremony. Much less commonly, it uses leaf tea, primarily sencha; see sencha tea ceremony, below. Tea gatherings are classified as chakai (?) or chaji (?). A chakai is a relatively simple course of hospitality that includes confections, thin tea ( usucha?), and perhaps a light meal. A chaji is a much more formal gathering, usually including a full-course kaiseki meal followed by confections, thick tea ( koicha?), and thin tea. Achaji can last up to four hours.
Contents
[hide]

1 History 2 Venues 3 Seasons 4 Koicha and usucha 5 Equipment

6 Usual sequence of a chaji 7 Types of temae

o o o o

7.1 Chabako temae 7.2 Hakobi-temae 7.3 O-Bon temae/bonryaku 7.4 Ryrei

8 Tea ceremony and calligraphy 9 Tea ceremony and flower arrangement 10 Kaiseki (Cha-kaiseki) 11 Tea ceremony and kimono 12 Tea ceremony and seiza 13 Tea ceremony and tatami 14 Studying the tea ceremony 15 Terminology of (d) with respect to tea 16 Zen and tea 17 Sencha tea ceremony 18 See also 19 References 20 Further reading 21 External links

[edit]History
The first documented evidence of tea in Japan dates to the 9th century, when it was taken by the Buddhist monk Eich () on his return from China. The entry in the Nihon Kki states that Eich personally prepared and served sencha (unground Japanese green tea) to Emperor Saga who was on an excursion in Karasaki (in present Shiga Prefecture) in the year 815. By imperial order in the year 816, tea plantations began to be cultivated in the Kinki region of Japan.[1] However, the interest in tea in Japan faded after this.[2] In China, tea had already been known, according to legend, for more than a thousand years. The form of tea popular in China in Eich's time was "cake tea" ( dancha?)tea compressed into a nugget in the same manner as Pu-erh. This then would be ground in a mortar, and the resulting ground tea decocted together with various other herbs and/or flavourings.[3] The custom of drinking tea, first for medicinal, and then largely also for pleasurable reasons, was already widespread throughout China. In the early 9th century, Chinese author Lu Yu wrote The Classic of Tea, a

treatise on tea focusing on its cultivation and preparation. Lu Yu's life had been heavily influenced by Buddhism, particularly the ZenChn school. His ideas would have a strong influence in the development of the Japanese tea ceremony.[4] Around the end of the 12th century, the style of tea preparation called "tencha" (?), in which powdered matcha was placed into a bowl, hot water added, and the tea and hot water whipped together, was introduced to Japan by Eisai, another monk, on his return from China. He also took tea seeds back with him, which eventually produced tea that was of the most superb quality in all of Japan.[5][citation needed]

An open tea house serving matcha (ippuku issen , right) and a

peddler selling decoctants (senjimono-uri ja:

, left) in Muromachi period illustrated in 24th poem match in Shichiju-ichiban shokunin utaawase (ja:, Seventy-one Poetry Matches on the (142) Occupations, a copy ofTokyo National Museum reproduced in 1846, originally compiled in 1500). Ippuku issen's monk clothing depicts the relationship between matcha culture, tea ceremony, and Buddhism.

This powdered green tea was first used in religious rituals inBuddhist monasteries. By the 13th century, when theKamakura Shogunate ruled the nation and tea and the luxuries associated with it became a kind of status symbol among the warrior class, and there arose tea-tasting (ja:tcha?) parties wherein contestants could win extravagant prizes for guessing the best quality teathat grown in Kyoto, deriving from the seeds that Eisai brought from China. The next major period in Japanese history was theMuromachi Period, pointing to the rise of Kitayama Culture(ja: Kitayama bunka?), centered around the gorgeous cultural world of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and his villa in the northern hills of Kyoto (Kinkaku-ji), and later during this period, the rise of Higashiyama Culture, centered around the elegant cultural world of Ashikaga Yoshimasa and his retirement villa in the eastern hills of Kyoto (Ginkaku-ji). This period saw the budding of what is generally regarded as Japanese traditional culture as we know it today.

The Japanese tea ceremony developed as a "transformative practice", and began to evolve its own aesthetic, in particular that of "wabi-sabi". "Wabi" represents the inner, or spiritual, experiences of human lives. Its original meaning indicated quiet or sober refinement, or subdued taste "characterized by humility, restraint, simplicity, naturalism, profundity, imperfection, and asymmetry" and "emphasizes simple, unadorned objects and architectural space, and celebrates the mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials." [6] "Sabi," on the other hand, represents the outer, or material side of life. Originally, it meant "worn," "weathered," or "decayed." Particularly among the nobility, understanding emptiness was considered the most effective means to spiritual awakening, while embracing imperfection was honoured as a healthy reminder to cherish our unpolished selves, here and now, just as we are - the first step to "satori" or enlightenment.[7] Murata Juk is known in chanoyu history as an early developer of tea ceremony as a spiritual practice. He studied Zen under the monkIkky, who revitalized Zen in the 15th century, and this is considered to have influenced his concept of chanoyu.[8] By the 16th century, tea drinking had spread to all levels of society in Japan. Sen no Riky and his work Southern Record, perhaps the most well-knownand still reveredhistorical figure in tea ceremony, followed his master Takeno J's concept of ichi-go ichi-e, a philosophy that each meeting should be treasured, for it can never be reproduced. His teachings perfected many newly developed forms in architecture and gardens, art, and the full development of "the "way of tea". The principles he set forward harmony ( wa?), respect( kei?), purity ( sei?), and tranquility ( jaku?)are still central to tea ceremony. Many schools of Japanese tea ceremony have evolved through the long history of chad and are active today.

[edit]Venues
Main article: Chashitsu While a purpose-built tatami-floored room is considered the ideal venue, any place where the necessary implements for the making and serving of the tea can be set out and where the host can make the tea in the presence of the seated guest(s) can be used as a venue for tea. For instance, a tea gathering can be held picnic-style in the outdoors (this is known as nodate (?)). A purpose-built room designed for the wabi style of tea is called a chashitsu, and is ideally 4.5 tatami in floor area. It has a low ceiling; a hearth built into the floor; shoji screens; an alcove for hanging scrolls and placing other decorative objects; and several entrances for host and guests. It also has an attached preparation area known as a mizuya. A 4.5-mat room is considered standard, but smaller and larger rooms are also used. Building materials and decorations are deliberately simple and rustic in wabi style tea rooms. Chashitsucan also refer to free-standing buildings for tea ceremony. Known in English as tea houses, such structures may contain several tea rooms of different sizes and styles, dressing and waiting rooms, and other amenities, and be surrounded by a tea garden called a roji.

[edit]Seasons

The ro season; a host rests a bamboo ladle on an iron pot that rests inside the ro).

Seasonality and the changing of the seasons are important in tea ceremony. Traditionally the year is divided by tea practitioners into two main seasons: the sunken hearth ( ro?) season, constituting the colder months (traditionally November to April), and the brazier ( furo?) season, constituting the warmer months (traditionally May to October). For each season, there are variations in the temae performed and utensils and other equipment used. Ideally, the configuration of the tatami in a 4.5 mat room changes with the season as well.

[edit]Koicha

and usucha

There are two main ways of preparing matcha for tea ceremony: thick ( koicha?)and thin ( usucha?), with the best quality tea leaves used in preparing thick tea. Historically, the tea leaves used as packing material for the koicha leaves in the tea urn( chatsubo?) would be served as thin tea. Japanese historical documents about tea ceremony that differentiate between usucha and koicha first appear in the Tenmon era (153255).[9] The first documented appearance of the term koicha is in 1575.[10] As the terms imply, koicha is a thick blend of matcha and hot water that requires about three times as much tea to the equivalent amount of water than usucha. To prepare usucha, matcha and hot water are whipped using the tea whisk ( chasen?), while koichais kneaded with the whisk to smoothly blend the large amount of powdered tea with the water. Thin tea is served to each guest in an individual bowl, while one bowl of thick tea is shared among several guests. This style of sharing a bowl of koicha first appeared in historical documents in 1586, and is a method considered to have been invented by Sen no Riky.[10]

The most important part of a chaji is the preparation and drinking of koicha, which is followed by usucha. A chakai may involve only the preparation and serving of thin tea (and accompanying confections), representing the more relaxed, finishing portion of a chaji.

[edit]Equipment
Main article: List of Japanese tea ceremony equipment Tea equipment is called chadgu (?). A wide range of chadgu is available and different styles and motifs are used for different events and in different seasons. All the tools for tea ceremony are handled with exquisite care. They are scrupulously cleaned before and after each use and before storing, and some are handled only with gloved hands. The following are a few of the essential components:

Chakin (?). The "chakin" is a small rectangular white linen or hemp cloth mainly used to wipe the tea bowl.

A 16th century black Raku ware style chawan, used for thick tea (Tokyo National Museum)

Two modern "thin tea" bowls

Tea bowl ( chawan?). Tea bowls are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, and different styles are used for thick and thin tea. Shallow bowls, which allow the tea to cool rapidly, are used in summer; deep bowls are used in winter. Bowls are frequently named by their creators or owners, or by a tea master. Bowls over four hundred years old are in use today, but only on unusually special occasions. The best bowls are thrown by hand, and some bowls are extremely valuable. Irregularities and imperfections are prized: they are often featured prominently as the "front" of the bowl.

Tea caddy ( Natsume?). The small lidded container in which the powdered tea is placed for use in the tea-making procedure ([]; []; [] [o]temae?).

Tea scoop ( chashaku?). Tea scoops generally are carved from a single piece of bamboo, although they may also be made of ivory or wood. They are used to scoop tea from the tea caddy into the tea bowl. Bamboo tea scoops in the most casual style have a nodule in the approximate center. Larger scoops are used to transfer tea into the tea caddy in the mizuya (preparation area), but these are not seen by guests. Different styles and colours are used in various tea traditions.

Tea whisk ( chasen?). This is the implement used to mix the powdered tea with the hot water. Tea whisks are carved from a single piece of bamboo. There are various types. Tea whisks quickly become worn and damaged with use, and the host should use a new one when holding a chakai or chaji.

[edit]Usual

sequence of a chaji

Procedures vary from school to school, and with the time of year, time of day, venue, and other considerations. The noon tea gathering of one host and a maximum of five guests is considered the most formal chaji. The following is a general description of a noon chaji held in the cool weather season at a purpose-built tea house.

The guests arrive a little before the appointed time and enter an interior waiting room, where they store unneeded items such as coats, and put on fresh tabi. Ideally, the waiting room has a tatami floor and an alcove (tokonoma), in which is displayed ahanging scroll which may allude to the season, the theme of the chaji, or some other appropriate theme. The guests are served a cup of the hot water, kombu tea, roasted barley tea, or sakurayu. When all the guests have arrived and finished their preparations, they proceed to the outdoor waiting bench in the roji, where they remain until summoned by the host. Following a silent bow between host and guests, the guests proceed in order to a stone basin where they ritually purify themselves by washing their hands and rinsing their mouths with water at tsukubai, and then continue along the roji to the tea house. They remove their footwear and enter the tea room through a small "crawling-in" door (nijiri-guchi), and proceed to view the items placed in thetokonoma and any tea equipment placed ready in the room, and are then seated seiza-style on the tatami in order of prestige. When the last guest has taken their place, they close the door with an audible sound to alert the host, who enters the tea room and welcomes each guest, and then answers questions posed by the first guest about the scroll and other items. The chaji begins in the cool months with the laying of the charcoal fire which is used to heat the water. Following this, guests are served a meal in several courses accompanied by sake and followed by a small sweet (wagashi) eaten from special paper called kaishi (?), which each guest carries, often in a decorative wallet or tucked into the breast of the kimono.[11] After the meal, there is a break called a nakadachi, () during which the guests return to the waiting shelter until summoned again by the host, who uses the break to sweep the tea room, take down the scroll and replace it with a flower arrangement, open the tea room's shutters, and make preparations for serving the tea. Having been summoned back to the tea room by the sound of a bell or gong rung in prescribed ways, the guests again purify themselves and examine the items placed in the tea room. The host then enters, ritually cleanses each utensilincluding the tea bowl, whisk, and tea scoopin the presence of the guests in a precise order and using prescribed motions, and places them in an exact arrangement according to the particular temae procedure being performed. When the preparation of the utensils is complete, the host prepares thick tea. Bows are exchanged between the host and the guest receiving the tea. The guest then bows to the second guest, and raises the bowl in a gesture of respect to the host. The guest rotates the bowl to avoid drinking from its front, takes a sip, and compliments the host on the tea. After taking a few sips, the guest wipes clean the rim of the bowl and passes it to the second guest. The procedure is repeated until all guests have taken tea from the same bowl; each guest then has an opportunity to admire the bowl before it is returned to the host, who then cleanses the equipment and leaves the tea room.

The host then rekindles the fire and adds more charcoal. This signifies a change from the more formal portion of the gathering to the more casual portion, and the host will return to the tea room to bring in a smoking set ( tabako-bon?) and more confections, usually higashi, to accompany the thin tea, and possibly cushions for the guests' comfort. The host will then proceed with the preparation of an individual bowl of thin tea to be served to each guest. While in earlier portions of the gathering conversation is limited to a few formal comments exchanged between the first guest and the host, in the usucha portion, after a similar ritual exchange, the guests may engage in casual conversation. After all the guests have taken tea, the host cleans the utensils in preparation for putting them away. The guest of honour will request that the host allow the guests to examine some of the utensils, and each guest in turn examines each item, including the tea caddy and the tea scoop. The items are treated with extreme care and reverence as they may be priceless, irreplaceable, handmade antiques, and guests often use a special brocaded cloth to handle them. The host then collects the utensils, and the guests leave the tea house. The host bows from the door, and the ceremony is over. A tea ceremony can last up to four hours, depending on the type of ceremony performed, the number of guests, and the types of meal and tea served.

[edit]Types

of temae

Each action in sad how a kettle is used, how a teacup is examined, how tea is scooped into a cup is performed in a very specific way, and may be thought of as a procedure or technique. The procedures performed in sad are called, collectively, temae. The act of performing these procedures during a chaji is called "doing temae". There are many styles of temae, depending upon the school, occasion, season, setting, equipment, and countless other possible factors. The following is a short, general list of common types of temae.

[edit]Chabako

temae

Chabako temae (?) is so called because the equipment is removed from and then replaced into a special box known as a"chabako" (?, lit. "tea box"). Chabako developed as a convenient way to prepare the necessary equipment for making tea outdoors. The basic equipment contained in the chabako are the tea bowl, tea whisk (kept in a special container), tea scoop and tea caddy, and linen wiping cloth in a special container, as well as a container for little candy-like sweets. Many of the items are smaller than usual, to fit in the box. This ceremony takes approximately 3540 minutes.

[edit]Hakobi-temae
Hakobi-demae (?) is so called because, except for the hot water kettle (and brazier if a sunken hearth is not being used), the essential items for the tea-making, including even the fresh water container, are carried into the tea room by the host as a part of thetemae. In other temae, the water jar and perhaps other items, depending upon the style of temae, are placed in the tea room before the guests enter.

[edit]O-Bon

temae/bonryaku

o-bon temae (?), bon temae (?), or bonryaku temae (?) is a simple procedure for making usucha (thin tea). The tea bowl, tea whisk, tea scoop, chakin and tea caddy are placed on a tray, and the hot water is prepared in a kettle called a tetsubin, which is heated on a brazier. This is usually the first temae learned, and is the easiest to perform, requiring neither much specialized equipment nor a lot of time to complete. It may easily be done sitting at a table, or outdoors, using a thermos pot in place of thetetsubin and portable hearth.

[edit]Ryrei

A woman holding a natsume performs a ryrei style ceremony. Visible from far left to right are the red fresh water container (its lid is on the tana), the tea whisk, the tea bowl, the iron pot and the ladle (resting on the pot).

In the ryrei (?) style, the tea is prepared with the host seated at a special table, and the guests are also seated at tables. It is possible, therefore, for ryrei-style temae to be conducted nearly anywhere, even

outdoors. The name refers to the host's practice of performing the first and last bows while standing. In ryreithere is usually an assistant who sits near the host and moves the host's seat out of the way as needed for standing or sitting. The assistant also serves the tea and sweets to the guests. This procedure originated in the Urasenke school, initially for serving non-Japanese guests who, it was thought, would be more comfortable sitting on chairs.

[edit]Tea

ceremony and calligraphy

Calligraphy, mainly in the form of hanging scrolls, plays a central role in tea ceremony. Scrolls, often written by famous calligraphers or Buddhist monks, are hung in the tokonoma (scroll alcove) of the tea room. They are selected for their appropriateness for the occasion, including the season and the theme of the particular gettogether. Calligraphic scrolls may feature well-known sayings, particularly those associated with Buddhism, poems, descriptions of famous places, or words or phrases associated with tea ceremony. Historian and author Haga Kshir points out that it is clear from the teachings of Sen no Riky recorded in the Namp roku that the suitability of any particular scroll for a tea gathering depends not only on the subject of the writing itself but also on the virtue of the writer. Further, Haga points out that Riky preferred to hang bokuseki (lit., "ink traces"), the calligraphy of Zen Buddhist priests, in the tea room.[12] A typical example of a hanging scroll in a tea room might have the kanji (wa-kei-sei-jaku, lit. "harmony", "respect", "purity", and "tranquility"), expressing the four key principles of the Way of Tea. Some contain only a single character; in summer, (kaze, lit. "wind") would be appropriate. Hanging scrolls that feature a painting instead of calligraphy, or a combination of both, are also used. Scrolls are sometimes placed in the waiting room as well.

[edit]Tea

ceremony and flower arrangement

Chabana (?) is the simple style of flower arrangement used in tea ceremony. Chabana has its roots in ikebana, an older style of Japanese flower arranging, which itself has roots in Shinto and Buddhism. Chabana evolved from the "free-form" style of ikebana called nageire (?), literally "throw (it) in", which was used by early tea masters. Chabana is said, depending upon the source, to have been either developed or championed by Sen no Riky. He is said to have taught that chabana should give the viewer the same impression that those flowers naturally would give if they were [still] growing outdoors, in nature. Unnatural and/or out-of-season materials are never used. Also, props and other devices are not used. The containers in which chabanaare arranged are referred to generically as hanaire (
?

). Chabana arrangements typically comprise few items, and little or no filler material. In the summer, when

many flowering grasses are in season in Japan, however, it is seasonally appropriate to arrange a number of such flowering grasses in an airy basket-type container. Unlike ikebana (which often uses shallow, wide dishes), tall, narrowhanaire are frequently used in chabana. The containers for the flowers used in tea rooms are typically made from natural materials such as bamboo, as well as metal or ceramic, but rarely glass.

Chabana arrangements are so simple that frequently no more than a single blossom is used; this blossom will invariably lean towards or face the guests.[13]

[edit]Kaiseki

(Cha-kaiseki)

Main article: Kaiseki Kaiseki (?) or cha-kaiseki (?) is a meal served in the context of a formal tea function. In cha-kaiseki, only fresh seasonal ingredients are used, prepared in ways that aim to enhance their flavour. Great care is taken in selecting ingredients and types of food, and the finished dishes are carefully presented on serving ware that is chosen to enhance the appearance and seasonal theme of the meal. Dishes are intricately arranged and garnished, often with real edible leaves and flowers that are to help enhance the flavour of the food. Serving ware and garnishes are as much a part of the kaiseki experience as the food; some might argue that the aesthetic experience of seeing the food is even more important than the physical experience of eating it. The basic constituents of a cha-kaiseki meal are the ichij sansai (?) or "one soup, three side dishes", and the rice, plus the following: suimono, hassun, yut, and knomono. The one soup referred to here is usually miso soup, and the basic three side dishes are the following:

mukzuke (?): foods in a dish arranged on the far side of the meal tray for each guest, which is why it is called mukzuke(lit., "set to the far side"). Often this might be some kind of sashimi. On the near side of the meal tray are arranged the rice and the soup, both in lacquered lidded bowls.

nimono (?): simmered foods, served in individual lidded bowls. yakimono (?): grilled foods (usually some kind of fish), brought out in a serving dish for the guests to serve themselves.

suimono (?): clear soup served in a small lacquered and lidded bowl, to cleanse the palate before the exchange of sak (rice wine) between host and guests. Also referred to as kozuimono (
?

) or hashiarai (?).

hassun (?): a tray of titbits from mountain and sea that the guests serve themselves to and accompanies the round of sak (rice wine) shared by host and guests. The name derives from the size of the tray.

yut (?): pitcher of hot water having slightly browned rice in it, which the guests serve to themselves. knomono (?): pickles that accompany the yut.

Extra items that may be added to the menu are generally referred to as shiizakana (?), and these attend further rounds of sake. Because the host leaves them with the first guest, they are also referred to as azukebachi (?, lit. "bowl left in another's care").

Courses are served in small servings in individual dishes. Each diner has a small lacquered tray to him- or herself; very important people may be provided their own low, lacquered table or several small tables. Because cha-kaiseki generally follows traditional eating habits in Japan, meat dishes are rare.

[edit]Tea

ceremony and kimono

See also: Kimono Many of the movements and components of tea ceremony evolved from the wearing of kimono and, although it is not uncommon for students nowadays to wear western clothes for practice, most will practice in kimono at least some of the time, for this is essential to learn the prescribed motions properly. For example, certain movements are designed with long kimono sleeves in mind; certain motions are intended to move sleeves out of the way or to prevent them from becoming dirtied in the process of making, serving or partaking of tea. Other motions are designed to allow for the straightening of the kimono and hakama. The silk fukusa cloths are designed to be folded and tucked into the obi (sash); when no obi is worn, a regular belt must be substituted or the motions cannot be performed properly. Kaishi and smaller silk cloths known as kobukusa (?) are tucked into the breast of the kimono; fans are tucked into the obi. When Western clothes are worn, the wearer must find other places to keep these objects. The sleeves of the kimono also function as pockets, and used kaishi are folded and placed into them. On formal occasions the hostmale or femalealways wears a kimono. Proper attire for guests is kimono or western formal wear. Most practitioners own at least one kimono suitable for wearing when hosting or participating in tea ceremonies. For both men and women, the attire worn at a tea ceremonywhether traditional kimono or other clothingis usually subdued and conservative, so as not to be distracting. Men may wear kimono only, or (for more formal occasions) a combination of kimono and hakama (a long divided or undivided skirt worn over the kimono). Those who have earned the right may wear a kimono with a jittoku or juttoku (?) jacket instead of hakama. Women wear various styles of kimono depending on the season and the event; women generally do not wear hakama for tea ceremony, and do not gain the right to wear a jittoku. Lined kimono are worn by both men and women in the winter months, and unlined ones in the summer. For formal occasions, montsuki kimono (?) (kimono with three to five family crests on the sleeves and back) are worn. Both men and women wear white tabi(divided-toe socks).

[edit]Tea

ceremony and seiza

In that the Japanese tea ceremony is conventionally conducted sitting on tatami, seiza is integral to it. Unless it is the ryrei style of tea ceremony, which employs chairs and tables, both the host and guests sit in seiza throughout. All the bows (there are three basic variations, differing mainly in depth of bow and position of the hands) performed during tea ceremony originate in the seiza position.

[edit]Tea

ceremony and tatami

See also: Chashitsu

Typical winter tearoom layout in a 4.5 mat tearoom, showing position of tatami, tokonoma, mizuya dk, hearth, guests and host.

Tatami are used in various ways in tea ceremony. Their placement, for example, determines how a person walks through the tea room, and the different seating positions. The use of tatami flooring has influenced the development of tea ceremony. For instance, when walking on tatami it is customary to shuffle, to avoid causing disturbance. Shuffling forces one to slow down, to maintain erect posture, and to walk quietly, and helps one to maintain balance as the combination of tabi and tatami makes for a slippery surface; it is also a function of wearing kimono, which restricts stride length. One must avoid walking on the joins between mats, one practical reason being that that would tend to damage the tatami. Therefore, tea students are taught to step over such joins when walking in the tea room. The placement of tatami in tea rooms differs slightly from the normal placement in regular Japanese-style rooms, and may also vary by season (where it is possible to rearrange the mats). In a 4.5 mat room, the mats are placed in a circular pattern around a centre mat. Purpose-built tea rooms have a sunken hearth in the floor

which is used in winter. A special tatami is used which has a cut-out section providing access to the hearth. In summer, the hearth is covered either with a small square of extra tatami, or, more commonly, the hearth tatami is replaced with a full mat, totally hiding the hearth. It is customary to avoid stepping on this centre mat whenever possible, as well as to avoid placing the hands palm-down on it, as it functions as a kind of table: tea utensils are placed on it for viewing, and prepared bowls of tea are placed on it for serving to the guests. To avoid stepping on it people may walk around it on the other mats, or shuffle on the hands and knees.

Interior view of a large tea room with tatamiand tokonoma. Seen in the tokonoma is a hanging scroll, flower arrangement (not chabana style), and incense burner.

Except when walking, when moving about on the tatami one places one's closed fists on the mats and uses them to pull oneself forward or push backwards while maintaining a seiza position. There are dozens of real and imaginary lines that crisscross any tearoom. These are used to determine the exact placement of utensils and myriad other details; when performed by skilled practitioners, the placement of utensils will vary infinitesimally from ceremony to ceremony. The lines in tatami mats ( tatami-me?) are used as one guide for placement, and the joins serve as a demarcation indicating where people should sit. Tatami provide a more comfortable surface for sitting seiza-style. At certain times of year (primarily during the new year's festivities) the portions of the tatami where guests sit may be covered with a red felt cloth.

[edit]Studying

the tea ceremony

In Japan, those who wish to study the tea ceremony typically join what is known in Japanese as a "circle", which is a generic term for a group that meets regularly to participate in a given activity. There are also tea clubs at many junior and high schools, colleges anduniversities.

Classes may be held at community centres, dedicated tea schools, or at private homes. Tea schools often have widely varied groups that all study in the same school but at different times. For example, there may be a women's group, a group for older or younger students, and so on. Students normally pay a monthly fee which covers tuition and the use of the school's (or teacher's) bowls and other equipment, the tea itself, and the sweets that students serve and eat at every class. Students must be equipped with their own fukusa, fan, kaishi paper, and kobukusa, as well as their own wallet in which to place these items. Though western clothing is very common today, if the teacher is in the higher rank of tradition, especially an iemoto, wearing kimono is still considered essential, especially for women. In some cases, advanced students may be given permission to wear the school's mark in place of the usual family crests on formal montsukikimono. This permission usually accompanies the granting of a chamei, or "tea name", to the student. New students typically begin by observing more advanced students as they practice. New students may be taught mostly by more advanced students; the most advanced students are taught exclusively by the teacher. The first things new students learn are how to correctly open and close sliding doors, how to walk on tatami, how to enter and exit the tea room, how to bow and to whom and when to do so, how to wash, store and care for the various equipment, how to fold the fukusa, how to ritually clean tea equipment, and how to wash and fold chakin. As they master these essential steps, students are also taught how to behave as a guest at tea ceremonies: the correct words to say, how to handle bowls, how to drink tea and eat sweets, how to use paper and sweet-picks, and myriad other details. As they master the basics, students will be instructed on how to prepare the powdered tea for use, how to fill the tea caddy, and finally, how to measure the tea and water and whisk it to the proper consistency. Once these basic steps have been mastered, students begin to practice the simplest temae, typically beginning with O-bon temae (see above). Only when the first ceremony has been mastered will students move on. Study is through observation and hands on practice; students do not often take notes, and many teachers discourage the practice of note-taking. As they master each ceremony, some schools and teachers present students with certificates at a formal ceremony. According to the school, this certificate may warrant that the student has mastered a given temae, or may give the student permission to begin studying a given temae. Acquiring such certificates is often very costly; the student typically must not only pay for the preparation of the certificate itself and for participating in the ceremony during which it is bestowed, but is also expected to thank the teacher by presenting him or her with a gift of money. The cost of acquiring certificates increases as the student's level increases. Typically, each class ends with the whole group being given brief instruction by the main teacher, usually concerning the contents of thetokonoma (the scroll alcove, which typically features a hanging scroll (usually with calligraphy), a flower arrangement, and occasionally other objects as well) and the sweets that have been

served that day. Related topics include incense and kimono, or comments on seasonal variations in equipment or ceremony.

[edit]Terminology

of (d) with respect to tea

Translating the term (chad?) into English is a difficult translation task. A literal translation would be "the way of tea" or "the dao of tea". While "Tea ceremony" is the most commonly used translation, it is disliked by many practitioners.[14] While the term "lore" is usually not used in this context, another possible translation is "tea lore". Another term is "Teaism", yet some only associate this with Japanese tea. Similar terms are "tea arts" and "tea culture". The term "chadao" has two words, the word is tea and the second is Chinese loanword tao/dao/, native suffix -ism, the term can be written as teaism.

[edit]Zen

and tea

Zen Buddhism has been an influence in the development of the tea ceremony. The elements of the Japanese tea ceremony is the harmony of nature and self cultivation, and enjoying tea in a formal and informal setting.

[edit]Sencha

tea ceremony

Like the formal art surrounding matcha, there is a formal art surrounding sencha, which is distinguished as senchad (?, the way of sencha). Generally it involves the high-grade gyokuro class of sencha. This ceremony, more Chinese in style, was introduced to Japan in the 17th century by Ingen, the founder of the baku school of Zen Buddhism, which is in general more Chinese in style than earlier schools. It remains associated with the baku school, and the head temple of Manpuku-ji hosts regular sencha tea ceremony conventions.

Bonsai
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Bonsai (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Banzai.

Bonsai at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the United States National Arboretum

Bonsai group planting at the "Foire du Valais" (Martigny, Switzerland)

Sequoia sempervirens (California redwood) "Informal Upright" style bonsai tree from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Bonsai (?, lit. plantings in tray, from bon, a tray or low-sided pot and sai, a planting or plantings, pronunciation (helpinfo))[1] is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar

practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjingfrom which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hn non b. The Japanese tradition dates back over a thousand years, and has its own aesthetics and terminology. "Bonsai" is a Japanese pronunciation of the earlier Chinese term penzai. A "bon" is a tray-like pot typically used in bonsai culture.[2] The word bonsai is often used in English as an umbrella term for all miniature trees in containers or pots, but this article focuses on bonsai as defined in the Japanese tradition. The purposes of bonsai are primarily contemplation (for the viewer) and the pleasant exercise of effort and ingenuity (for the grower).[3] By contrast with other plant cultivation practices, bonsai is not intended for production of food, for medicine, or for creating yard-size or park-size gardens or landscapes. Instead, bonsai practice focuses on long-term cultivation and shaping of one or more small trees growing in a container. A bonsai is created beginning with a specimen of source material. This may be a cutting, seedling, or small tree of a species suitable for bonsai development. Bonsai can be created from nearly any perennial woodystemmed tree or shrub species[4] that produces true branches and can be cultivated to remain small through pot confinement with crown and root pruning. Somespecies are popular as bonsai material because they have characteristics, such as small leaves or needles, that make them appropriate for the compact visual scope of bonsai. The source specimen is shaped to be relatively small and to meet the aesthetic standards of bonsai. When the candidate bonsai nears its planned final size it is planted in a display pot, usually one designed for bonsai display in one of a few accepted shapes and proportions. From that point forward, its growth is restricted by the pot environment. Throughout the year, the bonsai is shaped to limit growth, redistribute foliar vigor to areas requiring further development, and meet the artist's detailed design. The practice of bonsai is sometimes confused with dwarfing, but dwarfing generally refers to research, discovery, or creation of plant cultivars that are permanent, genetic miniatures of existing species. Bonsai does not require genetically dwarfed trees, but rather depends on growing small trees from regular stock and seeds. Bonsai uses cultivation techniques like pruning, root reduction, potting, defoliation, and grafting to produce small trees that mimic the shape and style of mature, full-size trees.

National Cherry Blossom Festival

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Jefferson Memorial during the 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival

The National Cherry Blossom Festival (Japanese: ) is a spring celebration in Washington, D.C., commemorating the March 27, 1912, gift of Japanese cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki ofTokyo City to the city of Washington. Mayor Ozaki donated the trees in an effort to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and also celebrate the continued close relationship between the two nations.[1]
Contents
[hide]

1 History

o o o

1.1 Early initiatives 1.2 Japanese gift planted 1.3 Cherry Blossom Festival

2 Organization and events of the Festival 3 Types of cherry trees 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit]History [edit]Early

initiatives

Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore was an early proponent of planting Japanese flowering cherry trees along the Potomac River.

The effort to bring cherry trees to Washington, D.C., preceded the official planting by several decades. In 1885, Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore returned from her first trip to Japan and approached the U.S. Army Superintendent of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds with the idea of planting cherry trees along the reclaimed waterfront of the Potomac River. Scidmore, who would go on to become the first female board member of the National Geographic Society, was rebuffed, though she would continue proposing the idea to every Superintendent for the next 24 years.[2] Several cherry trees were brought to the region by individuals in this period, including one that was the location of a 1905 cherry blossom viewing and tea party hosted by Scidmore in northwest D.C. Among the guests was prominent botanist David Fairchild and his fiance Marian, the daughter of inventor Alexander Graham Bell.[3] In 1906, David Fairchild imported 1000 cherry trees from the Yokohama Nursery Company in Japan and planted them on his own property in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The Fairchilds were pleased with the results of their planting and in 1907 began promoting Japanese flowering cherry trees as an ideal tree to plant around avenues in the Washington area. On September 26, with the help of the Fairchilds' friends, the Chevy Chase Land Company ordered 300 Oriental cherry trees for the Chevy Chase area. In 1908, Fairchild donated cherry saplings to every D.C. school to plant on its school grounds in observance of Arbor Day. At an Arbor Day speech that Eliza Scidmore attended, Fairchild proposed that the "Speedway" (a now non-existing route around the D.C. Tidal Basin) be turned into a "Field of Cherries."[2]

In 1909, Scidmore decided to raise the money to buy cherry trees and donate them to the District. As a matter largely of form, on April 5 she wrote a letter to First Lady Helen Herron Taft, wife of newly elected president Howard Taft, informing her of her plans. Two days later, the First Lady responded: Thank you very much for your suggestion about the cherry trees. I have taken the matter up and am promised the trees, but I thought perhaps it would be best to make an avenue of them, extending down to the turn in the road, as the other part is still too rough to do any planting. Of course, they could not reflect in the water, but the effect would be very lovely of the long avenue. Let me know what you think about this.[2] By chance, Jokichi Takamine, the Japanese chemist who discovered adrenaline, was in Washington with Mr. Midzuno, the Japanese consul to New York City, on April 8. Informed of a plan to plant Japanese cherry trees along the Speedway, Takamine asked if Mrs. Taft would accept an additional 2000 trees, while Midzuno suggested that the trees be given in the name of Tokyo. Takamine and Midzuo subsequently met with the First Lady, who accepted the offer of 2000 trees.[2]

The original 1910 gift of 2000 cherry trees from Tokyo had to be burned after they were discovered to be infested withagricultural pests and disease

On April 13, Spencer Cosby, Superintendent of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, purchased ninety cherry trees (Prunus serrulata) that were planted along the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial south toward East Potomac Park. It was subsequently discovered that the trees were of the cultivar Shirofugen, rather than the ordered Fugenzo. These trees had largely disappeared by the 21st century.[2] On August 30, 1909, the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C., informed the U.S. Department of State that the city of Tokyo intended to donate 2000 cherry trees to theUnited States to be planted along the Potomac. These trees arrived in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 1910. However, the inspection team from the Department of Agriculture (led byFlora Wambaugh Patterson) found that the trees were infested with insects and nematodes, concluding that the trees had to be destroyed to protect local growers. President Taft gave the order to burn the trees on January 28.[2] Secretary of State Philander C. Knox wrote a letter expressing the regret of all involved to the Japanese Ambassador. Takamine responded to the news with

another donation for more trees, 3020 in all, of a lineage taken from a famous group of trees along the Arakawa River in Tokyo and grafted onto stock from Itami, Hyogo Prefecture. On February 14, 1912, 3020 cherry trees of twelve cultivars were shipped on board the Awa Maru and arrived in D.C. via rail car from Seattle on March 26.[2]

[edit]Japanese

gift planted

Photographers and painters along theTidal Basin under blossoming cherry trees, 1920

In a ceremony on March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two of these trees on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park. At the end of the ceremony, the First Lady presented Viscountess Chinda with a bouquet of 'American Beauty' roses. These two trees still stand at the terminus of 17th Street Southwest, marked by a large plaque. [2] By 1915, the United States government had responded with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan.[4] From 1913 to 1920, trees of the Somei-Yoshino variety, which comprised 1800 of the gift, were planted around the Tidal Basin. Trees of the other 11 cultivars, and the remaining Yoshinos, were planted in East Potomac Park. In 1927, a group of American school children re-enacted the initial planting. In 1934, the District of Columbia Commissioners sponsored a three-day celebration of the flowering cherry trees.

[edit]Cherry

Blossom Festival

The Washington Monument, as seen from West Potomac Parkacross the Tidal Basin

The first "Cherry Blossom Festival" was held in 1935 under joint sponsorship by numerous civic groups, becoming an annual event. The cherry trees had by this point became an established part of the nation's capitol. In 1938, plans to cut down trees to clear ground for the Jefferson Memorialprompted a group of women to chain themselves together at the site in protest. A compromise was reached where more trees would be planted along the south side of the Basin to frame the Memorial. A Cherry Blossom Pageant was begun in 1940.[2] On December 11, 1941, four trees were cut down. It is suspected that this was retaliation for theattack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan four days earlier, though this was never confirmed. In hopes of dissuading people from further attacks upon the trees during the war, they were referred to as "Oriental" flowering cherry trees for the war's duration.[2] Suspended during World War II, the festival resumed in 1947 with the support of the Washington, D.C., Board of Trade and the D.C. Commissioners.[citation needed] In 1948, the Cherry Blossom Princess and U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen program were started by theNational Conference of State Societies. A Princess was selected from each state and federal territory, with a queen chosen to reign over the festival. In 1952, Japan requested help restoring the cherry tree grove at Adachi, Tokyo along the Arakawa River, which was the parent stock of the D.C. trees but had diminished during the war. In response, the National Park Service sent budwood back to Tokyo.[2] The Japanese ambassador gave a 300-year old stone lantern to the city of Washington to commemorate the signing of the 1854 Japan-US Treaty of Amity and Friendship by Commodore Matthew C. Perry. For a number of years, the lighting of this lantern formally opened the Festival. Three years later, the president of the pearl

company started by Mikimoto Kkichi donated the Mikimoto Pearl Crown. Containing more than five pounds of gold and 1,585 pearls, the crown is used at the coronation of the Festival Queen at the Grand Ball. The next year, the Mayor of Yokohama gifted a stone pagoda to the City to "symbolize the spirit of friendship between the United States of America manifested in the Treaty of Peace, Amity and Commerce signed at Yokohama on March 31, 1854."[2]

Lady Bird Johnson plants a cherry tree along the Tidal Basinduring the 1965 National Cherry Blossom Festival.

The Japanese gave 3,800 more Yoshino trees in 1965, which were accepted by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. These trees were grown in the United States and many were planted on the grounds of theWashington Monument. For the occasion, the First Lady and Ryuji Takeuchi, wife of the Japanese ambassador, reenacted the 1912 planting. In 1982, Japanese horticulturalists took cuttings from Yoshino trees in Washington, D.C., to replace cherry trees that had been destroyed in a flood in Japan. From 1986 to 1988, 676 cherry trees were planted using US$101,000 in private funds donated to the National Park Service to restore the trees to the number at the time of the original gift.[2] In 1994, the Festival was expanded to two weeks to accommodate the many activities that happen during the trees' blooming.[5] Two years later, the Potomac and Arakawa became sister rivers. Cuttings were taken from the documented 1912 trees in 1997 to be used in replacement plantings and thus preserve the genetic heritage of the grove. In 1999, fifty trees of the Usuzumi variety fromMotosu, Gifu, were planted in West Potomac Park. According to legend, these trees were first planted by Emperor Keitai in the 6th century and were designated a National Treasure of Japan in 1922.[2] From 2002 to 2006, 400 trees propagated from the surviving 1912 trees were planted to ensure the genetic heritage of the original donation is maintained.[2]

Visitors in a cherry grove on the National Mall, April 5, 2009

[edit]Organization

and events of the Festival

Gordon Peterson as master of ceremonies for the 2006 Cherry Blossom Festival

Today the National Cherry Blossom Festival is coordinated by the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., an umbrella organization consisting of representatives of business, civic, and governmental organizations. More than 700,000 people visit Washington each year to admire the blossoming cherry trees that herald the beginning of spring in the nation's capital.

The two-week festival begins on the last Saturday of March with a Family Day and an official opening ceremony in the National Building Museum.[6][7] An array of activities and cultural events takes place on the following days.[8] The Blossom Kite Festival (formerly the Smithsonian Kite Festival) usually takes place during the festival's first weekend. Every day there is a sushi/sake celebration, classes about cherry blossoms, and a bike tour of the Tidal Basin. Other events include art exhibits (photography, sculpture, animation), cultural performances, rakugo, kimono fashion shows, dance, singing, martial arts, merchant-sponsored events, and a rugby union tournament. On the second Saturday of the celebration, a three-stage festival takes place on theSouthwest Waterfront.[9] When the festival ends, a fireworks show begins on the nearbyWashington Channel.[10] The next morning, the Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run begins on the grounds of the Washington Monument.[11] Later in the day, dignitaries gather at the Tidal Basin to participate in a ceremonial lighting of the 360-year old Japanese stone lantern.[12] On the last Saturday of the festival, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade takes place along Constitution Avenue.[13] During and after the parade, the Sakura Matsuri-Japanese Street Festival (Japanese: ),[14] the largest Japanese Cultural Festival in the United States, takes place at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest.[15] Because the festival must be planned long in advance, it sometimes fails to be celebrated during the peak of the cherry blooms. See also Japanese festivals. In 2009, the National Cherry Blossom Festival introduced an alternative event to its lineup, with the debut of Cherry Blast, an underground-ish mix of projected art, dance performances, live music, fashion and DJs that took place in an empty (but festively decorated) Anacostia warehouse. (Most of the crowd was shuttle-bussed in from Dupont Circle.) In 2010, Cherry Blast IIthe creation of artist Philippa P. Hughes of the Pink Line Projectmoved to a storage warehouse in Adams Morgan, but still featured an eclectic group of local artists and musicians.[16] Cherry Blast III took place indoors near the Southwest Waterfront in the evening of the 2011 festival's second Saturday,[17] during and after the festival's nearby fireworks show.[10]

[edit]Types

of cherry trees

The Yoshino cultivar is the most common in D.C. and can be found encircling the Tidal Basin

Of the initial gift of 12 varieties of 3,020 trees, twothe Yoshino and Kwanzannow dominate.[18] The Yoshino produces single white blossoms that create an effect of white clouds around the Tidal Basin and north onto the grounds of the Washington Monument. Intermingled with the Yoshino are a small number of Akebono cherry trees, which bloom at the same time as the Yoshino and produce single, pale-pink blossoms.[18][19] The Kwanzan grows primarily in East Potomac Park and comes into bloom two weeks after the Yoshino. It produces clusters of clear pink double blossoms. East Potomac Park also has Fugenzo, which produces rosy pink double blossoms, and Shirofugen, which produces white double blossoms that age to pink. [18][20] Interspersed among all the trees are the Weeping Cherry, which produces a variety of single and double blossoms of colors ranging from dark pink to white about a week before the Yoshino. Other cultivars that can be found are the Autumn Cherry (semi-double, pink), Sargent Cherry (single, deep pink), Usuzumi (white-grey), and Takesimensis.[18][19][20]

[edit]Gallery

Cherry blossom Festival at the Tidal Basin

Cherry Blossoms near theWashington Monument

Cherry Blossom Festival,Washington DC