Page 9 – Chanoyu Decoded

Go-gatsu

Go-gatsu, 五月, Five-month, bears the old lunar name of Sa-tsuki, 皐月, Swamp-month. This is the time of ta-ue, 田植え, ricefield-plant, transplanting rice into flooded fields, 皐, swamp. The flower called sa-tsuki, 皐月, swamp-month, is the name of a type of azalea (Rhododendron indicum), which blooms at this time. In 2022, the Tan-go no Se-kku, 端午の節句, Begin-horse ‘s Divide-passage, is held on May 5, which also begins the lunar month of the Snake, Mi, 巳. Tan-Go no Se-kku, is lunar festival, that is held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which in 2022 is June 3rd. This date more closely coincides with Bō-shu, 芒種, Grain-beard...

Tea in May

The cha-ire, 茶入, tea-receptacle, is made of brown tō–ki, 陶器, ceramic-container, in the form of shiri-bukura, 尻膨, bottom-swell, with mottled, glossy brown glaze, Kyō yaki, 京焼, Capital fired, by Ima-shiro Sato, 今城聡, Now-castle Wise, Ryū-ki gama, 龍㐂窯, Dragon-joy kiln, Kyōto. The chaire is a copy of ‘I-yo Sudare’, 伊予簾, That-previous Blinds, with zō–ge buta, 象牙蓋, elephant-tusk lid, and multi-colored striped silk bag, shi-fuku, 仕覆, work-cover, with pattern of ‘I-yo Sudare don–su,’ 伊予簾緞子, That-previous Blinds damask-of. Many years ago, this chashaku was a gift from the proprietor of a Cha-dō-gu-ya, 茶道具屋, Tea-way-tool-house, in Gi-on, 祇園, God-garden, in Kyōto. He told me that it was in the style of En-nō-sai, 円能斎, Circle-art-abstain, XIII Iemoto...

Chashaku and Sensu

The root end of the bamboo cha-shaku, 茶杓, tea-scoop, is at the same end as the handles of both of the sen-su, 扇子, fan-of. The distance between the bamboo fushi, 節, node, and the handle end of the chashaku and the papered section of the yellow sensu. The distance between the chashaku fushi and its scoop is similar to that of the handle of the black sensu. Were the curve of the scoop to be flattened, the measurement would be the same. The sensu is the implement of the kyaku, 客, guest, while the chashaku is the implement of the tei-shu, 亭主, house-master. The kyaku...

Tenmae and Temae

A procedure of preparing and making a bowl of tea is called a ten-mae, 點前, offer-fore. The Kanji, 點, is also written 点前, using 点, the simplification of the Kanji 點. Other preparations, are called te-mae, 手前, hand-fore. An older version of the Kanji for ten is 㸃, which more clearly separates the five aspects of the character. The Kanji may be seen as being composed of five Kanji representing the Go-rin, 五輪, Five rings, metaphysical principles. The following is an analysis of the Kanji 㸃. Uranau,卜, to divine; combines a Yō line and an In line. Kuchi, 口, mouth; symbolic of differentiated In and Yō. ...

Jizō and the Gotoku

Jizō is often depicted with a round bamboo, umbrella-shaped hat called an a-jiro gasa, 網代笠, woven-era-umbrella. It is fitted inside with a bamboo openwork ring called a go-toku, 五徳, five-virtues, (usually written in Katakana, ゴトク). It is most interesting to think that Jizō is so closely associated with the gotoku, five virtues of Buddhism. The devout wear such hats on their pilgrimages. Although they are made in various sizes, one of the standards has a diameter of 14 sun kane-jaku, the gotoku diameter is 6 sun kane. In Chanoyu, a similar hat or umbrella is used in the roji, and is called a ro-ji gasa,...

Tea in April

Following the principles of a particular tradition or school influences those choices. In modern times decoration and adornments that reflect the seasons is of greater importance than in the past. Choosing various objects for special reasons, creates an atmosphere that can be unexpectedly meaningful. It should be remembered that when choosing the utensils that they are appropriate for the guest. The tori–awase in the picture has a deep significance for the host. Kake-jiku, 掛軸, hang-scroll; ‘Matsu ko-kon iro nashi,’ 松無古今色, Pine no past present form, written by Oku-da Yuki-o, 奥田行朗, Inner-ricefield Transition-son , 58th abbot of Ō-baku-san Man-puku-ji, 黄檗山萬福寺, Yellow-oak-mountain Ten thousand-fortune-temple, U-ji, 宇治,...

A Petal Puzzle – Unryū Gama

Sen no Rikyū’s un-ryū gama, 雲龍釜, cloud-dragon kettle, is modeled on a Ming Chinese water vessel. The body of the kettle has the design of a dragon amid clouds and rain. The lid of the kettle has a design of many concentric rings that suggests water ripples. The lid has a geometric ball knob, tsumami, 摘み, pinch, with a loosely attached metal ring. The knob is set on an escutcheon, za, 座, seat, in the form of a multi-petalled flower. The flower appears to resemble a kiku, 菊, chrysanthemum and a hasu, 蓮, lotus. The question is which, or what flower is it? The escutcheon on the...

Unryū Gama

The unryū gama has a form that is unlike the many standard models used in Chanoyu, when it was created in the 16th century by Sen no Rikyū. The pictured kama is used with the ro, 炉, hearth, and there are smaller versions used with the fu-ro, 風炉, wind-hearth. In March, Urasenke uses a tsuri-gama, 釣釜, suspend-kettle, and quite often the unryū-gama is the preferred choice. It is recorded that Sen no Rikyū had the kettle made to copy a mizu-sashi, 水指, water-indicate, that was in the possession of Take-no Jō-ō, 武野紹鴎, War-field Help-gull. The mizusashi was a Chinese blue and white porcelain vessel with an...

Cha 茶月Tsuki

Cha茶月Tsuki is a continuous calendar of important events listed by month The dates given in this calendar are for Japan, and may be different dates in other parts of the world, because of the location of the sun. Chatsuki May 2024 Go-gatsu, 五月, Five-month, Satsu-ki, 皐月, Swamp-month. Satsuki no hana, 皐月の花, Swamp-month’s flower, is a kind of azalea that blooms at this time of the year, and are often pruned to form hillocks. Although the flowers are much admired in the garden, satsuki and every part of azalea plants can be poisonous or can cause some health distress, and therefore are unsuitable as chabana in the...

Rikyū Chū-natsume

One of the most important objects in Chanoyu is the Rikyū-gata chū-natsume, 利休形中棗, Rikyū-form middle-jujube. It is an essential container for ma-tcha, 抹茶, powder-tea, and is used to contain tea for both presentations of usu-cha, 薄茶, thin-tea, and koi-cha, 濃茶, thick-tea. The Rikyū-gata chū-natsume can be used in the simplest presentation of ryaku-bon, 略盆, abbreviated-tray, to the most formal using the dai-su, 台子, support-of. The height of the chū–natsume is 1.8 sun kujira-jaku. Lacquer artists traditionally use the kujira-jaku for their measurements. The diameter is 1.8 sun kujira, which is equal to the height. The Rikyū-gata chū-natsume is used to determine the distance between certain Tea utensils....