Writings

Tying the Sanada himo, 真田紐, True-ricefield braid, ribbon of a hako, 箱, box, containing cha-dō-gu, 茶道具, tea-way-tool. Paper may cover the box to protect writing on the lid. Writing and identification on the front of the box is the shō-men, 正面, true-face.  The style of braid bears the name of Sana-da Masa-yuki, 真田 昌幸, True-field, a warlord of the 16th and 17th century, whose sword handles were bound in cords of such weaving technique.   The continuous braid is laid over the middle of box: it is not folded. The right loose braid is laid over the center and folded and turned under the center, and moved...

Sa-tsu bako, 茶通箱, tea-through box, ki-ji, 生地, life-ground, unfinished kiri, 桐, paulownia. Box intended for the transport of ma-tcha, 抹茶, powdered-tea. As with any fine Japanese object, it is acquired in a box that can be made of wood of various qualities, or paperboard. Tea, that is a gift, may be presented in a box that is also of various types and qualities. In Urasenke tradition, the preferred box is the Rikyū konomi, 利休好, Rikyū choice, ya-rō buta, 薬籠蓋, medicine-basket lid.  It is made of plain wood, ki-ji, 生地, life-ground, unfinished kiri, 桐, paulownia.     The pictured satsu bako is Rikyū konomi. Its measurements are given...

In Chanoyu, water is moved with a hi-shaku, 柄杓, handle-ladle, that is made of aged take, 竹, bamboo. The cup is called a gō, 合, join, and the handle is e, 柄. The handle retains the fushi, 節, node, located near the middle of the handle. There are essentially two types of hishaku. The sashi-toshi, 差通, distinct-through, which is the original style with the handle penetrating the side of the cup, and held with a tiny peg. The other type is called tsuki-gata, 月形, moon-shape, where the curved end of the handle is held in side of the cup creating a crescent likened to the moon.   ...

The sanbō is made of long thin sheets of wood, sugi, 杉, cedar, or hinoki, 檜 also 桧, cypress, that is scored and bent in a technique called mage-mono, 曲物, bent-thing. The ends of the sheets have a seam, to-jime, 綴じ目, bind-eye. The Kanji 檜 is composed of tree and meeting. It is believed that the etymology of the word hinoki is derived from the word for sun, 日の木, sun-’s-tree. This is substantiated by the fact this important tree was and is used in the construction of shrines, that ultimately are identified with the sun goddess, Amaterasu. This evergreen tree can grow to great size, and is...

The month of February is often identified with aspects of the lunar calendar, kyū-reki, 旧暦, old-calendar, which can cause a little confusion, and can cause things to be out of sync with events that are associated with the full moon.  The second month of the lunar calendar is called Kisaragi, and is written with the Kanji, 如月, which is read as Kisaragi, but according to the Kanji, it should be read jo-getsu, likeness-month. The word ki-sara-gi can be written with the Kanji, 衣更着, clothes-more-wear, because it is the coldest time of the year. The year 2022 has the first day of February coinciding with the first day...

  Pictured above: Toko-no-ma, 床の間, floor-’s-room; kake-mono, 掛物, hang-thing, ‘Mame-maki’, 豆撒, bean-throw, by Hanabusa I-tchō, 英 一蝶, Calyx One-butterfly (1652 – 1724); L. 6 shaku kane-jaku. Hana-ire, 花入, flower-receptacle, take, 竹, bamboo, ni-jū-giri, 二重切り, two-tier cut, by David Flanagan, Boston; L. 15 sun kane-jaku. Shin-en-rei, 神苑鈴, god-garden-bell, displayed on a plain wood san-bō, 三宝, three-treasures; H. 5.15 sun kane-jaku. Ro, 炉, hearth; ro-buchi, 炉縁, hearth-frame; ‘Kashiwa-ba Uba-guchi-gama,’ 柏葉姥口釜, Oak-leaf Old woman-mouth-kettle, tetsu, 鉄, iron, diam. 7 sun kane-jaku. Take dai-su, 竹台子, bamboo support-of; H. 20 sun kane-jaku / 16 sun kujira-jaku. Displayed on the  ji-ita, 地板, earth-board; Mizu-sashi, 水指, water-indicate, white porcelain; h. 4 sun kane-jaku; shaku-tate,...

The Shi-jin-jū, 四神獣, Four-god-creatures.   Kita, 北, north; Shō-ji, 正子, Correct-Rat; mid-night; Fuyu, 冬, Winter; Tō-ji,冬至, Winter-attain; Gen-bu, 玄武, Black-warrior. Turtle-snake formedwhen the Black Warrior wanted to be immortal and washed his stomach and intestines in a river. Northern quadrant of the seven celestial constellations; became Ta-mon-ten, 多聞天, Multi-hear-heaven.   Higashi, 東, east; asa, 朝, morning; Haru, 春, Spring; Shun-bun, 春分, Spring-divide; Sei-ryū, Azur-dragon; eastern quadrant of seven celestial constellations; became Ji-koku-ten, 持国天, Hold-country-heaven.   Minami, 南, south; hiru, 昼 noon; Natsu, 夏, Summer; Ge-shi, 夏至, Summer-attain; Su-zaku, 朱雀, Red-bird; southern quadrant of seven celestial constellations; became Zō-chō-ten, 増長天, Increase-long-heaven.   Nishi, 西, west; yu, 夕, evening;...