Last month, our dear Tea Fellow and shifuku artist, Kyle Whittington, traveled to Kyoto for his Shifuku Exhibition at Kaikado, which opened on September 28th and continued throughout October. Taking advantage of his visit, we hosted a Special Members Event at our Kyoto office, where Kyle shared his journey into the art of shifuku creation.
During the event, we learned about the intricacies of shifuku making, including the special fabrics used and the symbolism behind their colors. Following a cozy tea chat, Kyle, who also practices the Ueda Soko style of tea ceremony, graciously performed a tea ceremony demonstration. The experience was elevated by refreshing organic Matcha from Akahori Seicha, accompanied by exquisite and mouth-watering wagashi crafted by our Tea Fellow and wagashi artist, Juliette Doutreleau.
It was a wonderful occasion to gather and share some tea and tea stories together.