Frank Lloyd Wright was given a copy of The Book of Tea by the Japanese ambassador to the United States. One quote from Okakura Kakuzo's book influenced the way he interpreted space within his buildings.
Frank Lloyd Wright and The Book of Tea
The Beautiful Foolishness of Things
"Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle. Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things."This is just one of many serene scenes painted for us by…
Finding Tea Nirvana in the Shadow of Mt Fuji – Day 1
I hosted the Japanese American Society of Kentucky in my retail store on a Sunday morning in October where I gave a short lecture on Okakura Kakuzo and The Book of Tea. I ended my talk by telling my Japanese guests that I hoped very much to visit their country someday.Pay attention to what you…
Two Classic Tea Books of the 20th Century
Book of Tea, Edinburgh edition 1917Two landmark books on the subject of tea were published in the first half of the twentieth century. One, written by a William Ukers, was a massive two-volume reference set chronicling tea as a commodity. The other was an inspirational collection of essays from Japanese artist Okakura Kakuzo, who spoke…