私の一期一会

 

日本に来た頃の私（髭メイク中）

Moustache styling from my early-days in Japan

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　こんにちは。如菴（Jon）と申します。宇宙から参りました。僕の顔についているピンと伸びた髭は、実はアンテナです。このアンテナでビビビッと電波をお送り致しますので、私からのメッセージが皆さんの心に届くといいなと思います。

　Thank you for visiting. Living in Japan, im often asked where are you from? My cheeky reply is “from outerspace.” The straight moustache on my face are actually attenas that convey my message to you regardless of the language used.

 

日本との出会い

Encountering Japan

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　私はアメリカ東海岸で育ちました。２４歳で日本に来てから、早いもので２４年が過ぎました。ちょうど人生の半分を日本で過ごしていることになります。

　Originating from the east coast of the United States, I came to Japan at the age of 24, and how time flies, it seems I’ve now spent about half my life here.

 

　私と日本との最初の出会いは、子どもの頃に夢中で観た日本のアニメ『超時空要塞マクロス』でした。

「すごいぞ！こんな世界があるなんて！」

当時、マクロスはアメリカの男の子達の間で大人気のテレビアニメで、ロボットや飛行機が大好きだった私は、瞬く間に大ファンになりました。子供の頃はそれが日本のアニメだとは夢にも思わず、それを知ったのは随分後になってからのことでした。

 

　When I was a child, I encountered Japan's anime, “Super Dimension Fortress Macross” in the form of “Robotech,” and along with all the other boys, I was dazzled. "Amazing! Something like this exists in this world!” As a fan of robots and airplanes, I quickly became a big Macross fan, yet at the time, I never dreamed that it was a Japan anime, and I didn't find out that fact until many years later.

 

　時が進み、高校に進学してからは、日系人のクラスメイトと仲良くなりました。ある日、彼女が『風の谷のナウシカ』が録画されたVHSビデオを貸してくれました。当時は英語の字幕なんてありません。私は内容をどうしても理解したくて、何度も観て日本語を学びました。

　私が住んでいた田舎町では日本のお店はなく、もちろん今のようなネットショッピングもありません。日系人や日本人の友人知人から永谷園のお茶漬けや日清カップヌードル、緑茶のティーバッグをもらえた時は、飛び上がるほど嬉しかったことを今でも覚えています。当時の私にとっては、日本の新聞紙の切り抜き一枚でも宝物でした。

お箸の練習をして、自分で作ったなんちゃって日本料理を食べたこともありました。少しでも日本を知りたくて、あれこれと試行錯誤したものです。

 

　As time went on, I became friends with a Japanese-American classmate in high school. She lent me a VHS recording of a TV broadcast of “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.” I watched it many times, and the compelling artwork and storytelling from a language and culture completely foreign to me spurred me to learn the Japanese language so I could understand something from my own perspective without the “interpretation” of someone else words. 

　In the rural area where I lived, there were no Japan stores, and this was also a time before internet shopping was possible like these days. I can still remember the joy of receiving Nagatanien ochazuke, Nissin Cup noodles, and green tea from my Japanese friends. During those days, even a simple newspaper clipping from Japan was a treasure for me. To get a feel for Japan, I practiced eating with chopsticks while attempting to make what I imagined was Japanese food. I my efforts to gain as much knowledge as possible about Japan, I went through a lot of trial and error.

 

　大学では「国際経営学部 日本語科」を専攻しました。私は日本オタク魂を炸裂させ、日本語を猛勉強しました。大学の日本語クラブで２年間、部長を務めました。クラブでは日本語を練習するラボ(実験室)での学習や、アメリカの大学生と日本からの留学生の国際交流を行うイベントを開催したりしました。

　After entering university, I majored in International trade with a focus on Japanese language. Japan otaku soul greatly expanded exploded as I threw into passionately studying the Japanese language. This somehow led to me taking on the role of president of the University’s Japanese language club for two years. The club’s purpose was to facilitate language laboratory practice and to hold international exchange events where university students and Japanese exchange student could interact.

 

　こうして日本漬けの毎日を送っていたわけですが、ある日、日本語クラブの先生からこう言われたのです。

「日本語を本当に理解するには、日本文化を勉強した方が役に立つよ」

これが、茶道の世界と私の最初の出会いでした。

 

　In this way, I spent my days immersed in Japan, but one day my Japanese professor told me "Studying language isn’t enough. To really understand Japanese, you must also learn about Japanese culture as they go hand in hand." This is what led up to my first encounter with the world of the Japanese tea ceremony.

 

茶道と出会い、そして日本へ

Encountering Tea ceremony, Going to Japan

 

　日本文化センターで茶道を初体験した時の思い出は、別の機会にご紹介できればと思っていますが、初めて見たピカピカと光る木の床や広い畳の部屋にとても驚いたこと、先生の魔法のような帛紗捌きに見惚れたことは、まるで昨日のことのように思い出すことができます。

 

　I’ll save a more detailed account for another time. I would like to share my memories of my first experience with the tea ceremony at the Japan Cultural Center on another occasion, but I can remember as if it were yesterday that I was very surprised by the shiny wooden floor and large tatami room that I saw for the first time, and that I fell in love with the teacher's magical shosa grinding.

 

　茶道と出会った後は、私の人生はますます日本一色に染まっていきました。

　How could I have known at that time that this encounter with tea ceremony would further color my life by Japan.

 

　大学三年生で茶道部を立ち上げ、部長を務め、毎週お稽古と体験学習を行いました。

 

　As I was interested in culture, my professor requested I start a new club for experiencing tea ceremony, so in-order-to teach, I needed to learn myself so evereyweek we held okeiko.

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　大学卒業後は念願の日本へ渡り、横須賀市役所　国際交流課で３年間働きました。そこにはアメリカ人の研修生がいて、彼女はホームスティしていました。私が来日した最初の週末に、彼女から

「ホストマザーと一緒に夕食を食べましょう」

と誘われました。日本に慣れない私を気遣って誘ってくれたのです。私はまだ時差ボケで頭がボーッとしていたのですが、そこで出会ったのが、後に私の恩師となる表千家　遊々会　松本 宗紅先生だったのです。

 

　A couple months after graduating university, I moved to Japan as a CIR on the JET Programme where I worked for three years in the International Exchange Division of Yokosuka City Office. There was an American Graduate student from Columbia University doing research at that time and living with a host family. On that first weekend living in Japan, when my jetlag was at its worst, she came to my house sometime in the afternoon to invite me to dinner with her host mother. Crawling out from my futon in the middle of the afternoon with a jet-lagged face and a foggy mind, I must have been quite a sight. I’m sure I made quite an impression (not in a good way) yet that is how I met Sokou Matsumoto Sensei of Omotesenke YuYuKai, who would later become my teacher.

 

　宗紅先生の家に招かれ、「お茶の先生だよ」と紹介された瞬間、私は大興奮しました。日本に来て茶道の先生を探そうと思っていたからです。

「来日して最初の週末に出会えるなんて！」

ご縁を感じた私は、すぐに

「入門したいです。弟子にしてください！」

とお願いしました。宗紅先生は笑顔で快く引き受けて下さり、私は早速次のお稽古から参加することになりました。

 

　During the course of the evening, I discovered that Sokou Sensei was a tea ceremony teacher, and at that moment I become very excited. After coming to Japan, I had planned on looking for a tea ceremony class, but I couldn’t believe my luck upon stumbling across a teacher on my first weekend in Japan! The connection I felt was immediate, and I declared,” please make me your disciple!" With a smile Sokou requested that I first attend a lesson, but for me my mind was already made up and decided to join up immediately.

 

　あの時に宗紅先生と出会っていなければ、今の自分はここにはいません。市役所勤務を経た後は、内弟子として十年間、様々なことを学ばせて頂きました。

 

　It is safe to say that if I hadn’t met Sokou Sensei at that time, I wouldn't be where I am today. After finishing my term working at city office, for 10 years I learned various things having to do with the world of tea ceremony as an apprentice.

 

　宗紅先生は海外へ茶道を広めることに熱心で、私は世界各国で開催されたお茶会へ同行しました。

『茶の湯英会話』教室をやってほしいとリクエストされた時は、お役に立てると嬉しく思いました。海外へ茶道を広める為には、まず日本人が英語で茶道を紹介できるようにならなければなりません。それ以降、私は『茶の湯英会話』教室を開催するようになりました。

　自分が教える為には、自分ももっと勉強しなければなりません。茶道熱は更に高まり、家元（不審庵）の短期講習会にも参加しました。

 

　As Sokou Sensei was very enthusiastic about spreading the tea ceremony overseas, and I accompanied her group to tea ceremonies held in various places around the world. Of course, in an international setting English is indispensable, and when I was asked to hold a "Chanoyu English Conversation" classes to help facilitate these exchanges, I was more than happy to be of help. To spread the tea ceremony overseas, Japanese people must first be able to introduce the tea ceremony in English. This was the beginning of holding "Chanoyu English Conversation" classes. And once again, In order to properly teach, I too need to study even harder. (over the years there were many new techniques that I needed to understand and try to master to facilitate the spreading of Chanoyu in a manner that satisfied my own sence of achievement/pride/etc. at times I felt that I had to do more and greater as people were looking to me for answeres. If I could answer, their expectations, that was a kind of stress on my part. As the same time I as also advised to now put that much effort into it. So shood I try my hardest of not? Perhaps sokou sensei had seen many people burn-put of chanoyu over the years. Watching as you tried your damdest to teach someone, but all they didn’t put their all into it was a letdown of sorts I gues, or maby it was laziness… who knows, only time and age will show wisdom. According to the person there are probably different things that they want to acheieve, or not achieve. Sprituality, health, socilazing, eating sweets, food, history, status symbol, understaning of their job, natural obligation.)

 As my fever for tea ceremony grew even more, and I participated in a short-term 1week seminar held at Iemoto in Kyoto (Fushinan.)

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　　　　　舞台の上でお点前を披露する私

　　　　（スペインでのお茶会にて）

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　この頃の私は毎日必死に生きていましたので、出会いというものがどれほど大切かを理解できていませんでした。しかし、今ふり返ってみれば、私のこれまでの人生は幾多もの素晴らしい出会いがあり、それらを積み重ねてここまで辿り着くことができたのです。

 

　The me of those days was just trying so hard to make an everyday living, that I didn't fully understand the importance of encountering people. Looking back upon it now, I have finally truly some to understand the numerous wonderful encounters I have experienced in my life so far, and the accumulation of the precious encounters has allowed me to arrive at this point.

 

　この頃にお稽古で出会った小林 勇雄先生は、私が務めていた市役所の裏にある小学校の校長先生をされていました。時々、一緒にランチをする仲になり、後に引退されてからは二人で小学校を訪れ、子ども達に茶道を広めました。

 

　Also, Around this time, I met Mr. Iso Kobayashi, who was also the principal at the elementary school behind the city hall where I worked. From time to time, I would sometimes visit his school for lunch, and after he retired, we would visit elementary schools together (as a じいじい＆ガイジンコンビ) and spread the tea ceremony to the children.

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　茶道は総合芸術と言われます。私は茶道をより深く理解する為に、和菓子作りや茶懐石、陶芸、庭造り、日本酒造り、三味線など、興味のあるものは何でも学びました。特に和菓子作りでは、お世話になった和菓子屋『壺屋』さんのお陰で、お稽古仲間に教えられるほどの腕前になりました。

 

　The tea ceremony is considered to be a comprehensive/integrated art. To achieve a deeper understanding of the tea ceremony and Japanese culture as a whole, I also felt compelled to learn about Japanese confectionery making, cooking kaiseki meals, doing pottery, constructing gardens/landscaping, architecture appreciation, brewing Japanese sake, playing shamisen, and other topics I was interested in. In particular, for making Japanese sweets, thanks to the Japanese confectionery shop "Tsuboya" who took great care of me, I could became skilled enough to give workshops to teach my fellow students.

 

　　

お干菓子作り　Sweets making

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三味線披露　 Shamisen performance

 

 

 

 

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結婚を機に関西へ

Marriage and moving to Kansai

 

　現在はご縁があって関西で暮らしています。

お茶の境地である京都の地で、表千家　家元教授　松本 英樹先生の元でお稽古に励みながら、宇治にある中村藤吉本店で働いています。

憧れの京都でお稽古ができること、その上仕事でもお茶に関わることができ、私はとても幸運です。

 

There was a period where I need to leave Japan according to visa requirements. As I spent my days away from Japan, the county I loved and yearned to return to, I was able to experience another wonderfull encounter.  Thanks to this encounter I now live in Kansai.

In Kyoto, the foundation of Japanese tea culture, I work at the respectable tea store of Nakamura Tokichi Honten in Uji, and practice under Hideki Matsumoto sensei, Professor of Omotesenke Iemoto. I consider myself to be very fortunate to be able to practice in Kyoto, which I have always dreamed of, and to be work involving tea.

 

中村藤吉本店では、国内だけでなく海外からのお客様にも茶道体験を通してお茶の素晴らしさを広めたり、日常生活の中でのお茶の楽しみ方などをご提案させて頂いたりしています。自分自身にとっても茶葉の勉強になり、お茶そのものを学ぶことができるので、大変興味深い日々を送っています。

 

At Nakamura Tokichi Honten, we spread the splendor of tea not only domesticly but also to our international customers through Tea Ceremony Experiences, and through proposing ways to enjoy tea in one’s daily life. It is also a very thought-provoking time for me as I learn about tea leaves and tea in and of itself.

 

 

アメリカにいた頃の私はシャイな性格でしたが、「日本をもっと知りたい」という情熱が、私の心の扉を開いてくれました。どんな機会も逃がさないように、受け入れ、チャレンジしてみるようになりました。日本と出会えたおかげで私の人生はより実り豊かなものとなったのです。

 

I use to have a shy personality (probably still do… ), yet my passion for "learning more about Japan" was the key to unlocking the door to my heart. I’ve come to accept and challenge myself in order to prevent even a single opportunity from slipping away. Thanks to encountering Japan, my life has become even more fruitful.

 

私が好きな茶道の言葉の一つに「一期一会」があります。私が今、茶道家になっているのは、これまでたくさんの出会いがあったから。

新しい扉を開くと、そこにまた新しい出会いが生まれる。茶道を通して、その楽しさをたくさんの人に味わって頂ければと思います。

 

One of my favorite expressions in tea ceremony is "Ichigo Ichie” (“one chance, one encounter" ie a “once in a lifetime chance). I am where I am now thanks to the various encounters with people I have experienced over the years.

When you open a new door, you open yourself up the chance for a new encounter. Through tea ceremony, I hope for many to be able to taste the joy of it.

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　表千家　講師　帝都　如菴