Utensils for Japanese Tea Ceremony

The host brings together Various utensils to evoke the season and theme of the Tea ceremony.

 

• 釜Kama Kettle
• 風炉Furo Brazier
• 水指Mizusashi Water container
• 棗Natsume Tea container
• 茶碗Chawan Tea bowl
• 茶杓Chashaku Whisk
• 柄杓Hishaku Ladle
• 蓋置Futaoki Lid rest
• 建水Kensui Rinse water receptacle

 

利休七種 RIKYU SHICHI-SHU RIKYU’s 7 selection

Rikyu selected his favorite tea bowls which were made by CHOJIRO who is the 1st RAKU family. And he named all of them.

 

• 筒茶碗TSUTSUCHAWAN

  

Tea bowl for winter. A bowl, most often ceramic, intended for the preparation and drinking matcha.
This type of chawan is called TSUTSU-CHAWAN is used in Winter. The shape is a little bit longer than normal one, so the tea in that kind of tea bowl is not easy to be cool down.

• 平茶碗HIRACHAWAN

Tea bowl for Summer. A bowl, most often ceramic, intended for the preparation and drinking matcha.
This type of chawan is called HIRA-CHAWAN is used in Summer. The shape is a little bit wider than normal one.

• 建水KENSUI

Into which water used to rinse the chawan is emptied.

• 水指MIZUSASHI

Water vessel used in conducting temae. The water is for rinsing the tea bowl and tea whisk, for adding water to the kettle when required, etc. The mizusashi has a strong presence that contributes to the overall atmosphere.

• 茶筅CHASEN

It is made of a single length of bamboo and used to whisk/blend koicha thick tea and usucha thin tea.

• 香KO, Insence container 香合KOGO

At a much casual Tea ceremony, instead of a charcoal laying, there may be an incense container on display placed on a specially folded paper kettle rest. Kogo for Summer: made of wood so on. Kogo for Winter: made by ceramic.

• 蓋置FUTAOKI

Used to set the lid of the kettle on, and also to rest the cup end of the hishaku on.
中節NAKABUSHI: Lid rest for Winter: made of bamboo which node is on top 天節TENBUSHI: Lidrest for Summer: made of bamboo which node is middle

 

• 扇子SENSU

In the Tea ceremony, a particular kind of folding fan is used. It is a representative item that guests keep on their person and use to express respect. Men’s sensu is approx 18 cm in length. Women’s sensu is approx 15 cm in length.

 

• 柄杓HISHAKU

The two types used for temae are made of bamboo. The waiter ladle used at the TSUKUBAI is made of Japanese cedar.

 

• 茶杓 CHASHAKU

Tea scoop most is made of bamboo, though there are some which are made of wood or other materials.

 

• 釜KAMA

For CHANOYU, cast iron handle-less kettles are used. There are many styles.

 

• 花入HANAIRE

小堀遠州 武一重切花入 銘 上露 Enshu Kobori(1579~1647) “UWATSUYU” Uwatsuyu means dewdrops on the leaf or grass.

花入の形状 KINDS OF HANAIRE

 

• 炭SUMI

We also show the charcoal temae (炭手前 SUMITEMAE) to to the guests. Charcoal is used for Charcoal temae. We use many kinds of charcoal style. Charcoal temae is performed in front of the customer by the host, and the host put charcoal in the sunken hearth or brazier.

 

• 銅鑼DORA

  

During the tea gathering(CHAJI), there is a break time(NAKADACHI)the guests sitting at the special seats (KOSHIKAKE-MACHIAI) in the garden (ROJI). While the guests having the break time, the host prepares for the next process. When the host ready to start, she gongs the DORA to tell the guests.

 

• 水屋MIZUYA

Which connected to the tea room. The term nizuya, roughly meaning ” water quarters” alludes to the fact that this is a space where water is available for rinsing, filling, and otherwise readying things.