Every Day a Good Day (日日是好日)

When I was ten, my parents took me to see a movie called 'La Strada'..

...by a director named Fellini.

It was about poor street performers. depressing, and in black-and-white.

I couldn't see the point.

We should've seen the Disney!

Sorry!

Just let me get by here.

Bye!

At 20. I was in university.

! was searching for something to dedicate my life to.

But my student days were flying by too fast.

The lecture was cancelled!

Didn't you hear?

No.

She blew the interview.

Everyone was starting out job-hunting.

! had no idea of what I wanted to do.

There'll be things you don't like about any job.

But if you like it...

Stay here tonight.

I 'was planning to.

Cousin Michiko lived alone. She'd come to Tokyo for school.

You go with the flow.

Whereas Noriko...

What?

You analyze too much.

Shut up.

With Michiko, everything seemed clear-cut.

But people said I was dull, too analytical, a plodder.

You know...

...she's really something.

Mrs Takeda. No one bows like her.

Mrs Takeda bows differently?

It's a regular bow. but it's different somehow.

'My name is Takeda Just the way she said that and bowed.

It was beautiful.

Huh?

I'm told she teaches Tea.

You didn't know?

No.

She's been doing it for years. All alone in that big house.

Why don't you study Tea?

Why?

Why not?

I'd prefer flamenco or Italian.

Great idea!

I'd like to.

Then do it! It's a fine thing.

Every girl used to before she got married.

So why not?

Michiko's going to.

Come with me, Noriko.

What a klutz!

Yes. they called me a klutz. too.

!/ hated it.

Anyway, now ! was going to study Tea.

It was spring.

Around here, right?

Let's see...

This way.

That way.

There it is.

Takeda

I'm nervous.

Hello!

Hello.

Oh, hello.

Please come in.

The other students come on Wednesdays...

You're all right?

But you're students. so we'll do Saturdays. Come in.

Thank you.

Just wait here, will you?

Wow.

It's huge.

Noriko...

What does that say?

I don't know.

'Every day a good day,' it says.

Haru Kuroki

Kirin Kiki

Mikako Tabe

Noriko Morishita

Written & Directed by Tatsushi Omori

EVERY DAY A GOOD DAY

All right...

'A balmy breeze comes from the south," the wall hanging says.

The spring breeze blows in two nice young ladies.

It's perfect.

Now. this silk cloth...

...is the napkin.

If you don't fold it properly it won't unfold the right way...

...so remember this.

Take the unstitched side...

...not the stitched sides, and put it on the right.

Good.

Now from the left, you fold it over.

Then bottom to top.

That's right.

Pick it up...

...fold again.

With your right hand, like this...

...take it and put it into your kimono.

Pretend you were wearing one.

Now take it out again.

Open it...

...and lift it by this corner.

Now bring the two corners together.

Yes, like that.

And hook it in your sash.

Pretend you had one.

All right? Now you fold it in half...

...and in half once again, and pull it out.

Then take this triangle...

Yes. let it drop.

Hold it with your forefingers and turn it sideways.

Snap it to shake off any dust. You try it.

Once more.

That's the sound.

Now raise it in your right hand...

...and fold it in three.

In three.

Like this...

Now fold that in half again...

...and holding it like that. fold once again.

Towards that other hand. and fold back where it sticks out.

Hold it away. then fold again.

Then with your right hand. place it on your knee.

That's the 'napkin folding'.

That's how it's done.

Now, here we have the tea caddy.

Take one.

With your napkin...

...you wipe the lid to purify it.

Left to right, far side and near side.

Far side. near side.

You wipe it clean.

Then back to the knee.

Now. since today is your first day...

...I'lllmake you some tea.

Help yourselves.

To the sweets.

There's no tea.

In tea ceremony. you eat the sweets first.

They're so cute!

"Iris buns'.

Use the paper there.

I give thanks.

You drink all the tea in the bowl, and make a noise at the end.

A noise?

Yes. That's a sign that you've finished all the tea.

That's so weird!

It is?

Really weird!

The next week

Now we'll practice the basic motions.

We'll do them separately.

You'll need to master each of them.

This is the tea whisk, and this is how you use it.

You lay the whisk...

...in the far side of the bowl. draw it towards you like this...

...and back with a turn of the wrist.

Set it down gently, hold the bowl with your left hand...

...and raise it, turning it as you go.

VII do that again.

Turn it the first time, yes. all the way around.

Once more. turning it.

And the third time.

What does this do?

That's to soften the whisk while making sure...

...the tips aren't frayed.

When you bring it down the fourth time...

...you don't raise it again.

Swish, swish, swish, swish...

You draw it towards you. then around, and out.

Why do you roll the wrist like that?

"Why'?

Um...that's just how it's done.

You put it back in...wait. no you don't.

You roll the bowl around to warm it.

One, two. three, and again.

Hold it, let go...

Hold it lengthwise. one, two. three.

Then fold it away from you three times. Once...

Hold it facing down, and then into the bowl.

Then take it again. and in the bowl...

...bring it down on the left...

...then circle to the right. back up, then down, out. and back in.

Why that pattern?

"Why." you ask?

I 'wouldn't know.

It doesn't matter what it means.

That's how it's done.

It might not make sense to you...

...but that's the Way of Tea.

The week after that

Today we'll practice making the tea.

This we call 'the procedure'.

First comes the simple 'thin tea' procedure.

This is the preparation area. It's like the tea room kitchen.