The sensu is an essential part of Chanoyu. It is the emblem of the guest, just as the fukusa is the emblem of the host. I wondered why the sensu for men and women in Chanoyu are those particular sizes and styles. The sensu for a man is 6 sun kane-jaku, and that for a woman is 5 sun kane-jaku. Six is an In number to complement his Yō, and five is a Yō number to complement her In. Special sensu may be 7 sun kane-jaku, as well as other sizes. Both of the sensu for men and women have the same number of ribs, hone, 骨,...
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The height of Rikyū’s take futa-oki, 竹蓋置, bamboo lid-rest, measures 1.8 sun kane-jaku, 1.8 寸曲尺, “inch” bend-span: also 18 bu (分) kane-jaku, 180 rin (厘)kane-jaku. The 1.8 sun kane-jaku measurement equals 1.44 sun kujira-jaku. Ideally, the bamboo lidrest is made of freshly cut green bamboo: ao-dake, 青竹, green-bamboo, hiki-kiri, 引切, draw-cut (sawn), futa-oki. Is the origin of the aodake futaoki a sakazuki made of aodake, and perhaps for drinking o-mi-ki , お神酒, hon.-sacred sake, at a Shintō ritual? The green bamboo cup at the right, ao-dake sakazuki, 青竹盃, green-bamboo sake cup, h. 2” – 1.7 sun kane-jaku. The height of the green bamboo futaoki used by Take-no...
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In Chanoyu, the sunken hearth is opened on the first day of the Wild Boar of the tenth month. According to Japanese traditional architecture, the ro is a permanent part of a Tearoom, which is usually covered over when not in use. Therefore, the floor has to be opened to reveal the hearth, hence “opening” the ro. The traditional opening of the hearth, ro-biraki, 炉開, hearth-open, should occur on the first I no hi, 亥の日, Boar’s day, of the tenth month. of the kyū-reki, 旧暦, old-calendar. This day varies greatly, as the Zodiac cycle of twelve animals is different each year. In addition, the “tenth month”...
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