OneWorld Chakai Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the most frequently asked question regarding the Urasenke Midorikai OneWorld Chakai. Please keep tuned to this page for updates and news. You can catch the OneWorld Chakai live stream on our website or watch on Facebook. We hope to see you there!

Is there a schedule available?

I’d like to participate – but how?

There are two ways to participate:

1. “Offline”, for which all you need to do is sign up, make tea on May 3, and send in your report with a representative photo, using the report form we will send you.
2. “Online live-streaming via Zoom”. For this, sign up to be a teishu or a viewer (virtual guest), and if you wish, add the names and email addresses of your non-Midorikai alumni tea friends, for their participation as observers. Your online presentation as teishu doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t need to look like a professional video production, it just needs to be heartfelt and real. This entire live-streaming UMAA endeavor was launched just recently and is very experimental. The zone coordinators will quickly be sending teishu, viewers, and observers pertinent instructions and technical information, so that everything will run as smoothly as can be, and we will have a successful virtual relay chakai that travels around the world on May 3.

What setup should I prepare, such as background & utensils; how far should the camera be placed; do I need to speak anything?

There is no set format for teishu of the live-streaming chakai. But, please limit yourself to an usucha temae. You need not necessarily conduct a full blown temae. Maybe you want to simply whisk a bowl of tea and talk a little about a jiku, or a favorite poem or seasonal flowers. If you have a garden, tearoom or dedicated tea space, you might wish to share a short panorama video view with the viewing audience.

There might be possibility for video haiken of certain utensils in some situations. If you don’t have many tea utensils with you, it is fine to use whatever you have, and be creative with mitate/borrowed utensils. If you have nothing at all with you right now, you could even do karademae/tea without utensils. What is important is not what you do, but that you show up and take part. We leave the rest to your imagination.

The zone coordinators will send all teishu a practical guide before the event to help answer technical questions about how to optimize the video streaming experience. 

Will we be able to see other teishu or observers around the world freely?

As long as you are on the list of registered participants you can view at any time, room allowing.  You are not limited to viewing only your time zone.

Is there flexibility around WHEN we can do our offering?”

There is some flexibility – not all zones are full but some are near capacity. If you cannot participate in the relay during your time zone it may be possible to schedule for another time – please contact your zone coordinator as soon as possible.

Do I have to wear kimono in order to participate?

Kimono attire is absolutely NOT REQUIRED.  Please wear any Japanese or Western attire that is appropriate for the tea room.

Can observers be added later?

Zoom registration is now closed, but you are welcome to view any time on our live stream page or at our Facebook page.

What about online security?

We are making online security for this event a priority and many people are diligently working behind the scenes to make this event a success.

For more information, please see the Urasenke Alumni OneWorld Chakai security page.