Bob Bruno ”If anyone is looking for a fun, interesting, and relaxing thing to do, take this class offered by Yufuko Kurioka and David Galbraith. Making and drinking tea in the Japanese Tea Ceremony manner is a wonderful and enlightening experience. And it's a fun thing for a family, too.”
The Japanese tea ceremony is a 500-year-old practice concerned with the cultivation of focus, respect and mindfulness. The purpose of No-gate Tea is to bring this practice to a general audience in a relaxed manner.


Upcoming workshops and retreat​ in May 2019


5/4/19 (Sat.) 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. in Moraga
Discovering The Japanese Way of Tea for the Family
5/8/19 (Wed.) 1:00 – 2:30p.m. in Berkeley
The Japanese Way of Tea & putting kimono on workshop
5/14/19 (Tue.) 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. in Berkeley
Making wagashion Early summer theme & Discovering the Japanese Way of Tea basics

One Day retreat in Scotts Valley
5/19/19 10:00 -3:30p.m.
Yoga, Macrobiotic diet & Tea ceremony

​5/22/19 (Wed.) 10:00 – 12:00p.m. in Berkeley
Learning about Japanese fermentation and Making miso with Aedan Fermented
5/25/19 (Wed.) 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. in Moraga
The Japanese Way of Tea & putting kimono on workshop


To see the details, please scroll down.  
information updated on April 15, 2019

Making early Summer theme wagashi from scratch
&
the Japanese Way of Tea basics
​in Berkeley

2/16/2019, 1:00 - 4:00p.m.
Come to make beautiful early summer Japanese tea sweets!
In this three hours workshop, you are learning 
1. making the Japanese Sweets dough called 'nerikiri-kiji (練り切り生地)'.
2. techniques to shape the dough into a beautiful 'wagashi'.
3. the basic manner of being a guest at the Japanese Way of Tea
First, Manami (wagashi pâtissier) will demonstrate, and you will be participating in making the dough (nerikiri-kiji). 
And then, you are making some beautiful moist Japanese style sweets (和菓子). They are called 'omogashi (主菓子)' at the tea ceremony. Over the centuries the omogashi have become an important cultural element of the tea ceremony for their ability to express the theme of the get-together. You can make 4 sweets and take them home! 
After a short break, we will conduct a casual tea ceremony in the No-Gate Tea style. A small omogashi will be served on a small plate called 'mei-mei-zara (銘々皿)'. You can chose a plate and take home it as well. You may be serving or may be served a bowl of tea, and will learn how to perform your role in the Japanese Tea Ceremony. 
The workshop is limited to eight participants
​
Tuition:
Early bird special $ 80 (Please sign up by 5/1)
$85 after 5/1.
The tuition includes instruction, handouts, all the materials, take-home sweets, a small plate and the tea ceremony.

For the questions and sign-up, please contact Yufuko at <nogatetea@gmail.com>
The purpose of No-gate Tea is to bring tea practice to a general audience in a relaxed manner. No experience is needed for making sweets nor for the tea ceremony. Please bring an apron, but all other materials are provided. The ceremony takes place on chairs and tables.

May 19 (Sunday)
One Day retreat in Scotts Valley
Yoga, Macrobiotic diet & Teaceremony
with Shinobeau (Wanowa) & Yufuko (No Gate Tea)

​<schedule>
10:00 - 12:15 -- Yoga and Meditation 
12:15 - 1:30 -- Macrobiotic lunch & introduction to the macrobiotic diets
nature walk
2:00 - 3:00 -- Japanese Tea ceremony and meditation
<Tuition>
$60 
To register, contact Shinobeau (Wanowa) 

Yoga & Meditation

Macrobiotic Lunch

Japanese Tea Ceremony
Picture
About Shinobeau and Macrobiotic Diet
Shinobeau loves to experiment in her test kitchen daily to come up with ways to incorporate the age-old traditional Japanese and Eastern food wisdom into modern health-conscious eating in the West. Shinobeau hold certifications in Kushi Macrobiotics Foundation; Numerous Bakery/Desserts certifications from HomeMade Association.
The macrobiotic diet was first developed by a Japanese philosopher called George Ohsawa. He believed in a holistic approach to health incorporating many lifestyle aspects, from diet and exercise to meditation and even the ‘yin and yang’ energy of particular foods. Macrobiotics focuses on choosing organic, locally grown and seasonal produce.

Learning about Japanese fermentation ​and
​Making miso with Aedan Fermented​
​in Berkeley

Date: 5/22/2019 (Wed.)
​Time: 10:00 -12:00p.m.

Join the hands-on Miso (味噌) making workshop lead by Mariko Grady, the founder of Aedan (the award winning traditional Japanese fermented foods producer).
You will take home 4 pounds of baby miso that you crafted. Your baby miso will be fully mature after six months of aging at home. Also a beautifully handcrafted fermentation jar made just for this workshop (optional) is available. The high fired iron-rich clay jar gives the best environment for the baby miso, and it last for your life time. 
This workshop includes:
1) Hand crafted 4lb baby miso.
2) Stories of the traditional Japanese method of koji (麹) fermentation,
3) Tasting different kinds of misos and koji products, 
4) Hands-on workshop of learning how to make your own Miso. (We mash the freshly cooked soy beans, koji and salt together!) 

Mariko will bring Aedan’s freshly made Organic Rice Koji (麹: an essential living culture for the Japanese Pantry) and Organic Soy Beans to share the Japanese traditions. ​
address:
2620 Warring St. Berkeley, CA​
Cost
$65
You can order a handcrafted miso fermenting jar directly from an artist for $100 (Sold $200+ at a gallery) If you like to order a jar, please order by 5/5

What to bring:
an apron
a big jar (about 1/2 gallon)

Contact: Yufuko <nogatetea@gmail.com>
Homemade miso is especially tasty and healthy. And it’s so much fun to dig your hands into perfectly prepared soft soybeans and freshly made koji. And you can make your miso as just you like it: you can make it lumpy or smooth.
Putting kimono on workshop
-- Learning how to ware kimono

The workshop will begin with help you through the steps of putting on your kimono. Please bring your own kimono to participate in this fun practice! 
When we are dressed in kimono, demonstration of tea service will begins.
​By acting out of the choreography of Tea Ceremony (where the participants play the role of guests), you will be cultivating focus, respect and mindfulness. 
The Way of Tea acts these values out in a pleasant drama in which you are one of the actors. 

This workshop is open to everyone. No experience is needed.
The class will be taught in Japanese and English.​
クラスはバイリンガルですので、日本語でもお問い合わせください。​
To register, contact Yufuko Kurioka at <nogatetea@gmail.com> 
Fee for the workshop: $20/person. 
6 participants maximum.
​
in Moraga
5/25/2019 (Sat.) 2:30 - 4:00p.m.
​​Address: 1675 School Street - Moraga, CA
Questions and sign-up, please contact Yufuko at <nogatetea@gmail.com>
in Berkeley 
5/8/2019 (Wed.)  1:00 - 2:30p.m.
​Address:​ 2620 Warring St. Berkeley, CA​
'Making a bowl of Tea' workshop ​for the family!

This workshop in the Japanese Way of Tea cultivates the principles of appreciation and respect in personal relations, such as child-parent, couples, or friends. 
This short version of the workshop will review the basic practice of serving and being served in the Japanese Way of Tea setting. We will begin with a demonstration of tea service where the participants play the role of guests. Then one person of each group will make tea for the partner/ other family members, following step-by- step instruction of the sensei.
No age requirements. No experience is needed.

The class will be taught in Japanese and English.​
クラスはバイリンガルですので、日本語でもお問い合わせください。
Dates & Location:
in Moraga: 1/26/2018 
    Address: 1675 School Street Moraga, CA 94556

in Berkeley: TBA
    Adress: 2620 Warring St. Berkeley, CA.

​Tuition & fees: 
$35 for two/ +$15 for additional family members  
Limited to 8 participants; Minimum enrollment 5
Questions and sign-up, please contact Yufuko at <nogatetea@gmail.com>
Send an email note that includes your family members name.
Dates: TBA
maximum enrollment: 8/ minimum enrollment: 5.
Tuition & Fees: $120/ 5 weeks course  
($25/ session for the continuation students)
a starter kit: $40-50 (optional)
Questions and sign-up, please contact Yufuko at <nogatetea@gmail.com>

Discovering the Japanese Way of Tea Level 1
& Continuation

This unique five-week course consists of lectures and workshops in 
​the Japanese Way of Tea.
 
​The lectures will provide participants with a background in the history, culture, refinement and tradition of the classical Japanese tea ceremony. 
Each week you will learn new steps in the choreography of tea ceremony so that the end of the course you can perform a simple tea ceremony at home.
 
This class is offered in English and Japanese.
​クラスは日本語と英語のバイリンガルです。
​​
Location: BDK America Moraga Office
​Address: 1675 School Street - Moraga, CA
​(925) 388-0067 (BDK America office hours 10:00 - 5:00, M-F)
​

Yoga of Tea Ceremony -'Making a bowl of Tea'
​for all levels

The workshop begins with a short presentation and demonstration of the Japanese Way of Tea. During the demonstration, under a guiding hand, you will be practicing a simplified manner of tea service. You will be learning how to be a guest.  
​And then, you will practice how to serve tea at a tea ceremony, following step-by- step instruction just like you will follow the instruction at a yoga class. 
​
This workshop is open to everyone. No experience is needed.
The class will be taught in Japanese and English.​
クラスはバイリンガルですので、日本語でもお問い合わせください。
To register, contact Yufuko Kurioka at <nogatetea@gmail.com> 
Fee for the workshop: $20/person. 
6 participants maximum.
​​
in Moraga
TBA
​Address: 1675 School Street - Moraga, CA
in Berkeley 
TBA
Address:​ 2620 Warring St. Berkeley, CA​
send us an e-mail!
more workshops coming up!
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