Writing – Chanoyu Decoded

Kami Kamashiki and Kaishi

The kami kama-shiki, 紙釜敷, paper kettle-place, is a folded pack of papers that provides a place for the kama, 釜, kettle, when it is removed from the hearth. In Chanoyu, the hearth refers to the portable fu-ro, 風炉, wind-hearth, and the sunken ro, 炉, hearth, set in the floor. The kami kamashiki varies in number of sheets of paper, size, color, design, quality, etc. The choice of Sen no Rikyū is plain white mi-no gami, 美濃紙, beauty-thick paper, 8.8 x 6 sun kujira-jaku, and has twenty sheets of paper. The number 8 eight, in Japanese is hachi, 八, is symbolic of Infinity in Space and the auspicious...

Happy Birthday Zabosai Sama

Happy Birthday Zabōsai Sama, Sen Sōshitsu, XVI, Oiemoto celebrates his 69th birthday on June 7. Born in the year of the Monkey 1956. The hexagonal ceramic kōgō with amber glaze. Inscribed, 聴松風, by Ōhi Chōzaemon X. Choice of Zabōsai, 坐忘斎, Sit-forget-abstain. Inscription from Zen expression, Kan-za Shō-fū wo kiku, 閑坐聴松風, Tranquil-sit pine wind (hear)....

Chanwan Kazari

Cha-wan Kazari, 茶碗荘, Tea-bowl Dignify, in Garandō Pictured above is the tokonoma is as it might appear during the first seating of a Cha-ji, 茶事, Tea-matter, which is called sho-za, 初座, first-sit, and sho-iri, 初入, first-entry, before a Tea presentation of ‘Cha-wan Kazari’, 茶碗荘, Tea-bowl Dignify. Chawan Kazari and preparing the Tea, takes place in the gō-za, 後座, latter-sit, or gō-iri, 後入, latter-entry. The room is darkened to subdue the atmosphere as food and drink are offered. The word kazari has some issues. The Kanji for kazari in chawan kazari is 荘, also read sō. The common understanding of kazari in standard Japanese language is often understood...

Futaoki and the Number Five

Left: ao-dake hiki-kiri futa-oki, 青竹引切蓋置, green-bamboo draw-cut lid-place; H. 1.8 sun kane-jaku. Right: ho-ya gō-ro futa-oki, 火舎香炉蓋置, fire-house incense-hearth lid-place, bronze; H. 1.8 sun kujira-jaku; with design of un-ryū, 雲龍, cloud-dragon, five ana, 穴, holes, and five tsume, 爪, talons, topped with a model of a hō-ju, 宝珠, treasure-jewel. The form of the hoya futaoki is also based on the treasure-jewel, which is undifferentiated In Yō, 陰陽, Yin Yang, receptive penetrative. There are certain Tea utensils that are essential for preparing tea in Chanoyu. The kama, 釜, kettle, has no handle or spout for pouring water, so that the lid must be removed to access the water....

May Days of Chanoyu

The start of May in Japan is a busy season with many celebrations at the beginning of the month. Go–gatsu, 五月, Five-month, May, is also referred to as Sa-tsuki, 皐月, Rice planting-month as well as ta-ue, 田植, paddy-plant. From April 29, former Emperor’s Birthday, to May 5, Tan-go no Se-kku, 端午の節句, Edge-horse’s division-phase is called ‘Golden Week’. 1st Hachi-jū-hachi-ya, 八十八夜, Eight-ten-eight-night, mid-time of 21 days of cha-tsumi, 茶摘み, tea-pinch. Tea picking begins on April 21 in 2025. 3rd Ken-pō-ki Nen-bi, 憲法記念日, Constitution-law-account Desire-day, Constitution Day. 4th Midori no Hi, 緑の日, Green’s Day, former Emperor Hirohito’s birthday. 5thTan-go no Se-kku, 端午の節句, Edge-horse’s division-phase. It is Ri-kka, 立夏, Start-summer. The...

Buddha’s Gems: Chaki and Chanoyu

In Chanoyu, the utensils used to prepare a bowl of tea, are primarily useful, but some have symbolic associations. Sen no Rikyū’s Tea teacher, Take-no Jō-ō, 武野紹鴎, War-field Help-gull, espoused “Cha Zen Ichi Mi ”, which forever united Tea and Zen Buddhism. Images of the Buddha and other Buddhist deities have on their forehead a mark, gem, jewel, representing the urna, which is a long white hair that is symbolic of Buddha’s wisdom and enlightenment. In Japanese, urna is called byaku-go, 白毫, white-hair. A similar mark also represented by a gem or jewel or coloring on Buddha’s head at the base of a mound of hair on...

Chakin and Chasen in Offerings

Cha-sen, 茶筅, tea-whisk, take, 竹, bamboo, L. 3.8 sun kane-jaku, or 3 sun kujira-jaku. Shin cha-kin, 真茶巾, true tea-cloth, asa, 麻, hemp; 8 x 8 sun kujira-jaku. A new chakin prepared for purchase is folded in half and then folded in thirds. Bamboo artisans traditionally use the kane-jaku, 曲尺, bend-span, which equals 12 inches or 30.3 cm, and that weavers traditionally use the kujira-jaku, 鯨尺, whale-span, which equals 15 inches or 38 cm. The measurement of the chakin is 8, which, when divided by 3, is 2.666 to infinity. The number 6, in Japanese is roku, 六, which is symbolic of mizu, 水, water and Infinity in...

Buddha’s Gems: Chakin and Chanoyu

Every utensil is necessary in Chanoyu Tea presentations. From treasured bowls and tea containers to things that should be new, such as the cha-kin, 茶巾, tea-cloth, to wipe the cha-wan, 茶碗, tea-bowl, and the cha-sen, 茶筅, tea-whisk, to whisk the tea. If an object serves no purpose, it is not part of a true Tea. Many aspects of Chanoyu are influenced by Buddhism: Cha Zen ichi mi, 茶禅一味, Tea Zen one taste, is a well-known example. The conical cha-wan, 茶碗, tea-bowl may be based on the seed pod of the lotus, which is sacred to Buddhism. Perhaps there are utensils that may have been inspired by other...

Kaishi: Heart of Paper

Kai-shi, 懐紙, heart-paper; pack of white papers used by men, with kuro-mo-ji, 黒文字, black-letter-character, wooden pick to eat moist sweets, nama-ga-shi, 生菓子, live-sweet-of. Men’s kaishi measures 6.8 x 5.8 sun kane-jaku. Women’s kaishi measures 5.8 x 4.8 sun kane-jaku. Kaishi that is expressly made for Chanoyu is the Rikyū konomi, 好, choice, which is a pack of 30 sheets of paper, folded in half. Two-fold, ni-jū, 二重, two-tier, in Buddhism, refers to the two major schools – Mahayana and Theravada. Paper, wa-shi, 和紙, harmony (Japan)-paper, for kaishi is made from the wood fiber of various plants. The most common choice is kōzo, 楮, Japanese paper mulberry tree,...

Ro and Its Foundations: Robuchi Within and Beyond

Traditionally, the kama, 釜, kettle used February is a kama placed in the dai-ro, 大炉, large-hearth. In March, a tsuri-gama, 釣釜, suspended-kettle, is hung over the ro hanging from a chain or a bamboo pole. In April the suki-gi gama, 透木釜, spacer-wood kettle, is used. At neighboring Omotesenke, the reverse order is their tradition. In May the ro is closed, and the fu-ro, 風炉, wind-hearth, is returned to the Tearoom. However, some people follow the lunar kyū-reki, 旧暦, old-calendar, and in 2025, March continues the second lunar month. The 28th day of the second month of the lunar calendar the day of Rikyū’s suicide April, 19th. It...