Shitsurai in May

May is the month of Tango (端午), the first horse day, when we start taking botanical remedies from the fresh herbs: First we made a hair piece with the Shobu leaves to put on and heal by the fragrance. Then we were instructed how to hang the fresh leaves from the roofing to let the aroma go into the tea house to purify the space. In the afternoon, our teacher organized a tea ceremony, where we also enjoyed matcha with the seasonal sweets from Fujimaru. Then finally, she showed us how to brew wild herb tea. It was the first time one-time guests were allowed to participate in our master’s lesson, and we had such a blissful time together, exchanging inspirational thoughts and laughter.