We are honored to welcome Souu Dobashi, an instructor of the Japanese tea ceremony in the Omotesenke tradition, visiting us from Tokyo. She will be sharing her beautiful collection of Chabako—portable tea sets—and guiding a workshop where you can explore the world of Nodate, a picnic-style tea ceremony, and the interesting world of tea ceremony. Participants will also have the rare opportunity to prepare and enjoy matcha, in both roles as a host and as a guest.
IG: Nodate_Treasury
Exhibition:
May 6th Tuesday – 13th Tuesday 2025
*Monday is closed.
View HERE to see the collection. The price and the availability will unveil on May 6th at 1PM.
Workshop:
DATE: May 9th Friday, 10th Saturday & May 11th Sunday
TIME: FRI&SAT: 10:30AM-1PM (2.5 Hours) SUN: 9:30AM-12PM (2.5 Hours)
FEE: $180/seat
MAX: 8 Seats each session
Topics Include:
- The four principles of the tea ceremony
- The history of the tea ceremony
- Stories of the relationship with samurai and aristocrats
- The difference in style between Omote (front) Senke and Ura (back) Senke
- The philosophy of the tea ceremony
- Tea utensils
- Nodate (open-air/picnic-style tea ceremony)
- Demonstration
- Hands-on experience
- Contemporary applications of the tea ceremony
About the instructor, Souu Dobashi
Started to study Omotesenke Tea Ceremony in 2011 under Sosui Sekimoto, professor of Omotesenke, and studies under Yoshimizu Sosho, the master of the Suigetsu-kai.
Instructor at Omotesenke Fushin’an since 2024
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Message from Keiko Shinomoto, co-owner of Tortoise General Store
Last summer, my 13-year-old son and I visited her home and saw her incredible tea set collection tucked inside her writing bureau. It felt like discovering a dollhouse—each drawer revealing a new treasure. Souu was like a child at play, sharing stories behind each piece with such joy. She said she spent special moment alone at home by doing tea ceremony for herself. Matcha is extreamly popular here and there nowadays, but the experience stayed with us, and by the end of the year, the idea to host an exhibition of her collection was born.
My husband and I first met Souu at IDEE in Tokyo, where we worked before moving to the US in 2003. In addition to being a tea master, she is also a designer—she even designed the clock you may recognize in our shop!
We hope you’ll join us for this special exhibition and enjoy the same delight and inspiration we felt in her presence!
Warmly, Keiko Share
Workshop: Explore Nodate Treasury – Matcha culture in nature
“Explore Nodate Treasury – Matcha culture in nature
■ Exhibition：May 6th Tuesday – 13th Tuesday 2025
*Monday is closed.
■ Workshop：May 9th Friday, 10th Saturday & May 11th Sunday
＊TIME: FRI&SAT: 10:30AM-1PM (2.5 Hours) , SUN: 9:30AM-12PM (2.5 Hours)
■ Place：Tortoise General Store
https://shop.tortoisegeneralstore.com/
■ Address：12701 Venice Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066
Message from Souu(Yoko) Dobashi
I am honored to be able to hold a matcha workshop and tea box exhibition at the Tortoise General Store in Los Angeles, which carries fun pun clock. I have been into the world of tea boxes for more than 10 years because I wanted to bring the tranquility that I get from my hobby of tea ceremony to my apartment life which does not have a tea room. A tea box is a set of tea utensils. Opening the box and unraveling it is a special time when I can face myself as neither a “mother” nor a “wife” nor a “daughter”.
In a corner of my living room and dining room, I keep seasonal matcha bowls and tea utensils in a writing bureau, where I usually make matcha tea to refresh myself between housework and work. When I travel or visit friends, I assemble my utensils according to the theme of the day. Some are from the Edo period, some are from contemporary artists, some were handed down to me, and some I acquired overseas. All of them have various historical backgrounds and are filled with the breadth of a long time. Some are expensive, some are not, but they all have one thing in common: they are favorites. There is only one rule for tea boxes, and that is that there should be nothing to dislike about them, including their ease of use.
Last year, when Keiko from Tortoise came to our house with her son, I opened the drawers and pulled out various items, as usual, and had them choose their favorite teacups for a cup of tea or a cup of tea, and we played with them. Her son said, “Mom, this is the EXPERIENCE I always talk about!” I was so happy that we could share our joy beyond the borders of countries and ages. Then one day, I received a proposal from Keiko that was like a beautiful poem, and we started working together on ideas to realize this exhibition.
Mr. Taku and Mrs. Keiko of Tortoise General Store were my bosses at IDEE, and my son, who is studying abroad in LA, has also been a great help to them. I am very much looking forward to sharing a special time with them and the people of LA, as they are branding craftsmanship from all over Japan to the global market.