TAKU | Tea Ceremonialist, Design + Strategy

Taku Okamoto, co-founder of the Oboro Tea House in Kyoto, joins us as Tea Master in Residence for a three-day journey into the Way of Tea @parkhotelmondschein Across four carefully curated sessions, he shares tea as a living practice of mindfulness, sensual awareness and quiet connection. From morning rituals with yoga and matcha to sound, ceremony and the art of the perfect bowl, each workshop invites a deeper attunement to nature, presence and the senses. All sessions are open to arise members and guests. Photos @di.atmos #arisebodymind #teamasterinresidence #teaceremony #matcha #mindfulmoments

One more proof that dreams come true.. Our dearest friend Taku Okamoto @tk_oka , founder of @oboro.tea in Kyoto (some of you already met him there!) comes to visit KŪKAI by the end of the month to bring you 3 amazing experiences: _ Small learning sessions about Omotenashi (philosophy of hospitality) and Wabi (philosophy of beauty) - the most favourite topic for KUKAI team. We learn about it every day and care to share with you Why we do. _ Tea Tasting. Brewing Gyokuro, 2 single cultivar organic and one non-organic Blend Matcha with curated wagashi selection. _ Mindful Tea Ceremony. Candle light, small workshop of ceremony etiquette, after which Chado magic unfolds. We are finalising agenda and lining up the events. More info will follow up. In order to make sure you get a spot please drop us your email in the DM so we can share with you directly all the info on the schedule, prices, payment and description of what you will experience in these deep meaningful moments. Email will be sent out before 15 Aug. Please give us insights on your preferences I will definitely join:

Inside a 100 year old teahouse in the backstreets of Kyoto, every detail of Oboro invites you to slow down. Soft candlelight flickers against traditional walls. The scent of tatami and incense linger in the air. You’ll be welcomed with a seasonal sweet and tea. The heart of the ceremony involves matcha, prepared with care and intention. Here you’re invited to be present, to listen to the sound of water pouring, the whisper of the bamboo whisk, the stillness between each gesture. Oboro is more than a tea ceremony. It’s a kind of meditation, a reminder that intention lives in silence, in ritual, in the spaces between words. 🍵 💌Check out @oboro.tea for more info~ Follow me at @amberjapantravels for more quiet Japan~ #Kyoto #OboroKyoto #TeaCeremony #Japantravel

🍵 DER JAPANISCHE DESIGNER UND TEEMEISTER TAKU OKAMOTO ZU BESUCH AN DER HGK BASEL 🍵 Im Rahmen der aktuellen Lecture Series zum Thema «Return» des Institute Digital Communication Environments (IDCE) an der HGK Basel hat am 9. März 2026 der japanische Designer und Teemeister Taku Okamoto, Absolvent des Master-Studiengangs Digital Communication Environments am IDCE der HGK Basel, einen Vortrag mit anschliessender Teezeremonie gehalten. Taku Okamoto wurde in Kanazawa, Japan, geboren und hat ein Master-Studium am IDCE der HGK Basel absolviert. Nachdem er in Amsterdam, Hongkong und Tokio im Bereich Design und Designberatung gearbeitet hatte, zog er nach Kyoto und gründete das Unternehmen Oboro, das achtsame Teezeremonien anbietet. Dank seiner langjährigen Erfahrung als Teemeister schafft Taku Okamoto Erlebnisse, die das japanische Kulturerbe mit einer zeitgenössischen Perspektive des Wohlbefindens verbinden. Heute ist er ein international gefragter Teemeister für achtsame Teezeremonien. Taku Okamoto kehrte im Rahmen einer zweiwöchigen Reise durch Europa anlässlich seines Referats an die HGK Basel zurück. Für die aktuelle Vortragsreihe «Return» hat das Institute Digital Communication Environments (IDCE) sieben Alumnae:i eingeladen, an die HGK Basel zurückzukehren, um über ihre berufliche Entwicklung seit ihrem Abschluss in den Bachelor-, Master- oder International-Master-of-Design-Studiengängen des IDCE zu sprechen. ℹ️ Weitere Informationen ➡️ www.oboro.co 📸 @marcoantonio_photo #hgkbasel_fhnw #hgkbasel_nextgeneration #art_education #design_education #kunst #design #study_with_us #welcoming #joyful #transformativ #basel #dreispitz @fhnw.ch #zeroemission #newwork #futurehealth @hgkbasel_idce #visuelle_kommunikation #visual_communication #digitale_räume #digital_spaces #digitale_kommunikation #digital_communication #digitale_umgebungen #digital_environments #typografie #typography #idce @tk_oka @michaelrennerbasel @oboro.tea

RETURN | Lecture Series Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst, Dreispitz 2026.03.09 Basel, Switzerland Returning to Basel 12 years after graduation, I was invited to give a lecture as part of the series RETURN. How might we create a tea room? — The Journey from Visual Communication to Tea Ceremony Two major earthquakes deeply changed the course of my life and eventually led me to Switzerland. There, I encountered an unexpected connection between modernity and tradition. My journey westward nurtured a new way of thinking about how tea could be communicated within the context of everyday life. In this lecture, I shared my personal journey and reflected on how human-centered design can be applied to traditional culture. I also spoke about the creation of Oboro and the life that has unfolded through it. Credit: @marcoantonio_photo

Tea Ceremony Residence Hotel Schwarzschmied 2026.03.02 – 03.07 Lana, Italy Experience a quiet encounter with Japanese tea ceremony during a special residence at Schwarzschmied. A moment for self-reflection, connecting modern life with tradition through calmness, water, and nature. Set within the thoughtful atmosphere of Schwarzschmied and shaped by the people who bring it to life, this residence offers a space to slow down, reconnect, and experience tea in a deeper way. Credit: @brigitte______k

CHA DO - Parkhotel Mondschein 2026.02.27 – 03.01 Bolzano, Italy I had the pleasure of hosting a short residency at Parkhotel Mondschein. During these days, we explored tea through different forms of practice: – Yoga & Tea – Sound & Tea – Mindful Tea Ceremony – Matcha Workshop Each session became a quiet moment to slow down, taste, and realign. Thank you to everyone who joined.

The friends we make throught tea are friends that last a lifetime. As a japanese proverb suggests - “One pot of tea, one encounter of a lifetime” - the simple act of sharing tea creates bonds and memories that persist long after the matcha cup is empty. 🍵 More about last week immersion in the way of tea with @tk_oka on my last Substack publication, link in bio! #chado

Raising a cup with @tk_oka san Domo arigato. Thank you for the visit. 🍃 以茶会友 (yǐ chá huì yǒu) through tea make friends Cha-nomi-tomodachi . #chajin #chado #chadao #thewayoftea #teaculture

Presence A tea ritual Oboro, Kyoto

[Archive] Maison Naga - Nuit Blanche Kyoto 2025 A holistic pairing of yoga and tea. We combine yoga and tea to guide attention through three shifts: Dynamic yoga movement with kōji dark tea, warming the body, supporting release. Nadi Shodhana and guided meditation with Labrador tea, bringing focus back to the breath. Matcha prepared with guided narration quietly— slowing perception until the flow of time becomes tangible. A choreography for the awareness.

Matcha Workshop @nohgahotel.kiyomizu