“NEW NORMAL” begins in the Chanoyu Center
During this time, Urasenke Chanoyu Center is safely conducting business according to CDCand NYS instructions / requirements and doing our best to students and visitors though each person has different concerns about reopening the tea lesson.
As a tea practitioner, please think of others and be a little more careful about others, you can make our tea place more comfortable. Please protect you and others.
Most effective prevention depends on each person’s responsibility. You will not be able to attend tea class for 14 days after abroards and other states under NYS travel advisory. Please refrain from attending when you have any possibility to contact an infected person. Please be aware of the infection status of your family’s working places and your children’s schools. Please refrain from visiting the Center and attending class if you feel not good, you went to the place or the person that did not follow the Guidelines by CDC & NYS.
You MUST read and answer “Covid-19 Screening Questionnaire” and sign and submit “Waiver of liability related to Covid-19” by using your mobile phone.
Please do not use the center to meet the person.
An individual person has responsibility to protect others and your society. In the Chanoyu Center, please wear masks all the time, take 6 feet social distance, use hand sanitizer and wash your hands with soap.
Issues Executive Orders allowing commercial buildings to deny entry to individuals not wearing masks or face coverings. (5/28/20) to conduct temperature checks of anyone entering the building, (6/06/20)
Latest HVAC was installed 2 years ago in the Center. High quality AC Filter(HEPA comparable MERV-13 for commercial building) is replaced regularly. There are 2 vents for in and out separately. Outside air is circulated all the time. Air Eradication systems in tea houses installed to scrub air to remove airborne viruses and all particles which enter the air stream so that air discharge will be “clean”. UV-B lighting systems to remove airborne viruses and paricles for an extra protection will be installed in the Center’s Office area, an Annex and basement when it becomes available. Both systems do not affect the human body.
Surface is cleaned regularly. Door knobs and automatic water faucets will be replaced.
[In case, water faucets have not replaced in time] After wash your hands with soap, leave water is running, take a paper towel, turn off the water faucet and open the doorknob with a paper towel and discard it. Your hands are still clean.
Please bring your own pen. You are not able to borrow it any more. It remains the same that please bring your own towel to dry your hands in the Mizuya.
To avoid sharing an appointment sheet for the next lesson and pen, you will respond to the tea lesson’s invitation via Google Calendar by using your smartphone.If you do not have any mobile or PC, please make your appointment verbally at the reception desk. To view the tearooms and tea instructor’s name, you will be able to see the form on the page of our website. Screen monitor may be placed at the reception desk as an optional plan.
In the center Please wash your hands with soap as soon as you arrive at the center. Please wear a mask all the time in the center. It is difficult for you to take 6 feet social distance in the center due to a limited space. Please do not touch things if it is not necessary.
1 or 2 persons are limited in the library. Please use disinfectant after using. Please wash hands with soap before and after reading books. Please wear a mask and do not cough and sneeze toward the book. After borrowing, the book will be sanitized.
1 or 2 persons are limited in the changing rooms. Please use disinfectant after using. Please consider others, somebody may be waiting to change kimono outside the door.
When you use the space in the basement, take 6 feet physical distance with others. Please seat each other side by side or diagonally.
To tea instructors, 1 or 2 persons are limited in the Kitchen. Please use disinfectant after using.
Attending students per class 10 mats room: 1 instructor and 3 students. 7＆8 mats rooms: 1 instructor and 2 students. (1 student is cancelled per class.) Option: The third student comes late. The first student leaves. The hallway of ROJI and kitchen sides are not used. 4.5 mats room: not used due to too small space Option: 1 class moves to the Annex to have Ryurei class. Option: Cancel in the afternoon on Thurs., Fri., and in the morning on Sat.
Entering to the tea rooms Please use hand sanitizer.
MIZUYA Bigger side: Only 2 Teishu can prepare and clean. Smaller side: Only 1 Teishu can prepare and clean. Other students stay in the tea rooms.
Water faucets are remained or may be replaceed lever type if available.
Towels Tea bowls: Use kitchen paper towel Kensui: Use as usual Tatami: Use as usual. It must laundry them everyday.
Please use hand sanitizer after an individual lesson.
Tea room The length of Kyo-tatami is 191 cm, almost 6 feet. Please consider the seating location of the instructor and guests. For your reference.there is a seating map. Please wear a mask even if there is 6 feet physical distance with others, because eating and drinking are being taken care of. Please leave the Furuma or Shoji open, if necessary.
Funoyaki, any dry sweets Please use a tong. Please do not use your hands to pick them up. You may prefer to use the Kaishi instead of Kashibon.
Tea bowls and Chakin There are enough numbers of tea bowls and chakin. Please let the center's office know if you would like to bring your own tea bowl and chakin. After using them, these should be cleaned at your home. A half size of Kitchen Paper Towel may be considered as a chakin instead of fabric. Tea bowl must be cleaned with hot water before and after using it. Pick up a new chakin from the cleaned chakin box per tea bowl. UV-B lighting box may be considered to place, if it is in stock.
Usucha (more than 2 guests) ● Use new chakin and tea bowls from the 2nd guest. ● Kakufukudate (prepare tea bowls with matcha on the tray in advance) Instructors should consider how to proceed and who clean extra tea bowls. ● Student does not like any of the above, the guest takes his own tea bowl with matcha and his own sweets, the host pours hot water, and the guest makes his own tea. ● Gojifuku. Teishu makes a bowl of tea and drink ● If none of the above is not well, no drink and eat during keiko.
Koicha (more than 2 guests) We have tried to do it in March. ● Guest is Shokyoku only. Others are Kengaku. (Observing). ● Pouring hot water only. Learn how to handle the tea bowls as a guest part. ● Kakufukudate (please refer to the video message of Iemoto on 5/26) The 13th Grand Tea Master, Ennosai has created a new procedure in 1911. ● If none of the above is not well, no drink and eat during Keiko.
Tea Presentation We will follow along with the organizers request for.
All the above, it is considered to avoid infection from mouth only. For all of us, it is the first time to face it. Your suggestion and opinion are always welcome. It is going to take days until it is stable. It will adjust and change as appropriate to continue to do Keiko with the wisdom and cooperation of all students in the Chanoyu Center.
Thank you.
July 20th, 2020