On Sunday, July 7, 2024, a tea demonstration was held by UTLAA members including Zenshuji Sadobu under the direction of Soyu Yamashita at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Little Tokyo. The demonstration was part of a cultural event highlighting master blacksmiths from Echizen, Japan and a museum-quality collection of rare swords on display. Over 80 people attended the tea demonstration.

The demonstration was nagaita futatsuoki arai chakin temae. The narration was by Soyu Kennedy, who gave an easy-to-understand overview of the tea ceremony. 

The kakejiku, “Matsukaze” , was by Eiheji 76th Hata Zenji. The thin tea was made in a Amanogawa tea bowl made by Kaiho along with a beautifully curved Murano glass water jar. The tea caddy was Hinomaru Natsume, and the chashaku was made by Sotoshu North America International Missionary General Superintendent, Akiba Gengo Roshi with the poetic name of Sensei(筅聲). The wakaayu sweets were made by Zenya Nobuhatsu.

At every one of the three sessions, participants were focused on the demonstration and enjoyed the tea and sweets quietly.