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66-419: Chaki ( 茶器 ) is a Japanese term that literally means "tea implement". In the vocabulary of Japanese tea ceremony , it broadly means (1) any implement used in the practice of chanoyu , and more narrowly means (2) the caddy for the powdered green tea ( matcha ) used in the tea-making procedures, although usually this implies (3) the caddies used in the procedures for making thin tea ( usucha ). In this article,

132-470: A chaji is called "doing temae ". There are many styles of temae , depending upon the school, occasion, season, setting, equipment, and countless other possible factors. The following is a short, general list of common types of temae . Chabako temae ( 茶箱手前 ) is so called because the equipment is removed from and then replaced into a special box known as a chabako ( 茶箱 , lit.   ' tea box ' ) . Chabako developed as

198-1069: A gold leafed underside, though today lids are usually created from other materials made to resemble ivory. According to Sadler, chaire were originally used in China in the Song period as bottles for oil or medicine, and were imported into Japan for use as tea caddies up to the end of the Ashikaga or start of the Tokugawa period . Chaire can be divided into two broad types: karamono and wamono (sometimes referred to as kuniyakimono ). Karamono are chaire that originated in or are made to resemble those created in China , while wamono are those that originated in Japan . These can be further subdivided by kiln or potter as well as shape. Karamono chaire are classified by shape: Wamono chaire are classified by

264-452: A convenient way to prepare the necessary equipment for making tea outdoors. The basic equipment contained in the chabako are the tea bowl, tea whisk (kept in a special container), tea scoop and tea caddy, and linen wiping cloth in a special container, as well as a container for little candy-like sweets. Many of the items are smaller than usual, to fit in the box. This gathering takes approximately 35–40 minutes. Hakobi temae ( 運び手前 )

330-427: A decorative wallet or tucked into the breast of the kimono . After the meal, there is a break called a nakadachi ( 中立ち ) during which the guests return to the waiting shelter until summoned again by the host, who uses the break to sweep the tea room, take down the scroll and replace it with a flower arrangement, open the tea room's shutters, and make preparations for serving the tea. Having been summoned back to

396-495: A formal tea gathering ( chaji ( 茶事 , 'tea event') ). A chakai is a relatively simple course of hospitality that includes wagashi (confections) , thin tea, and perhaps a light meal. A chaji is a much more formal gathering, usually including a full-course kaiseki meal followed by confections, thick tea, and thin tea. A chaji may last up to four hours. The first documented evidence of tea in Japan dates to

462-404: A little before the appointed time and enter an interior waiting room, where they store unneeded items such as coats, and put on fresh tabi socks. Ideally, the waiting room has a tatami floor and an alcove ( tokonoma ), in which is displayed a hanging scroll which may allude to the season, the theme of the chaji , or some other appropriate theme. The guests are served a cup of

528-709: A low ceiling, a hearth built into the floor, an alcove for hanging scrolls and placing other decorative objects, and separate entrances for host and guests. It also has an attached preparation area known as a mizuya . A 4.5-mat room is considered standard, but smaller and larger rooms are also used. Building materials and decorations are deliberately simple and rustic in wabi style tea rooms. Chashitsu can also refer to free-standing buildings for tea. Known in English as tea houses, such structures may contain several tea rooms of different sizes and styles, dressing and waiting rooms, and other amenities, and be surrounded by

594-466: A name given to the object. Broadly speaking, an usucha-ki is a wooden vessel with a lid, designed to hold powdered tea for making thin tea. Traditionally, usucha-ki are hand-carved from wood or bamboo, and usually are lacquered . They may also feature designs painted, applied, or carved into them, using for instance the maki-e or raden techniques. Today, cheaper, mass-produced plastic usucha-ki are also available. The name natsume comes from

660-530: A nugget in the same manner as the pu-er tea is today. This then would be ground in a mortar, and the resulting ground tea mixed together with various other herbs and flavourings. The custom of drinking tea, first for medicinal, and then largely for pleasurable reasons, was already widespread throughout China. In the early 9th century, Chinese author Lu Yu wrote The Classic of Tea , a treatise on tea focusing on its cultivation and preparation. Lu Yu's life had been heavily influenced by Buddhism, particularly

726-438: A person walks through the tea room chashitsu , and the different seating positions. The use of tatami flooring has influenced the development of tea. For instance, when walking on tatami it is customary to shuffle, to avoid causing disturbance. Shuffling forces one to slow down, to maintain erect posture, and to walk quietly, and helps one to maintain balance as the combination of tabi and tatami makes for

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792-465: A slippery surface; it is also a function of wearing kimono, which restricts stride length. One must avoid walking on the joins between mats, one practical reason being that that would tend to damage the tatami . Therefore, tea students are taught to step over such joins when walking in the tea room. The placement of tatami in tea rooms differs slightly from the normal placement in regular Japanese-style rooms , and may also vary by season (where it

858-411: A table, or outdoors, using a thermos pot in place of the tetsubin and portable hearth. In the ryūrei ( 立礼 ) style, the tea is prepared with the host seated on a chair at a special table, and the guests also seated on chairs at tables. It is possible, therefore, for ryūrei -style temae to be conducted nearly anywhere, even outdoors. The name refers to the host's practice of performing

924-473: A tea garden called a roji . Seasonality and the changing of the seasons are considered important for enjoyment of tea and tea ceremony. Traditionally, tea practitioners divide the year into two main seasons: the sunken hearth ( 炉 , ro ) season, constituting the colder months (traditionally November to April), and the brazier ( 風炉 , furo ) season, constituting the warmer months (traditionally May to October). For each season, there are variations in

990-426: Is a simple procedure for making usucha (thin tea). The tea bowl, tea whisk, tea scoop, chakin and tea caddy are placed on a tray , and the hot water is prepared in a kettle called a tetsubin , which is heated on a brazier. This is usually the first temae learned, and is the easiest to perform, requiring neither much specialized equipment nor a lot of time to complete. It may easily be done sitting at

1056-520: Is heated in a raised brazier. The weather determines the exact time to use the sunken hearth or brazier. During the time of year when the brazier does not provide enough heat to the room for the guests to be warm, but the hearth was too warm, the Chajin could cover the hearth with the lid, and put the brazier on top of it. The location of the hearth or brazier is the biggest change between seasons, however, there are many other changes that are made, such as

1122-491: Is in 1575. As the terms imply, koicha is a thick blend of matcha and hot water that requires about three times as much tea to the equivalent amount of water than usucha . To prepare usucha , matcha and hot water are whipped using the tea whisk ( 茶筅 , chasen ) , while koicha is kneaded with the whisk to smoothly blend the large amount of powdered tea with the water. The host serves thin tea to each guest in an individual bowl, while one bowl of thick tea

1188-446: Is limited to a few formal comments exchanged between the first guest and the host, in the usucha portion, after a similar ritual exchange, the guests may engage in casual conversation. After all the guests have taken tea, the host cleans the utensils in preparation for putting them away. The guest of honour will request that the host allow the guests to examine some of the utensils, and each guest in turn examines each item, including

1254-478: Is over. A tea gathering can last up to four hours, depending on the type of occasion performed, the number of guests, and the types of meal and tea served. Every action in chadō – how a kettle is used, how a teacup is examined, how tea is scooped into a cup – is performed in a very specific way, and may be thought of as a procedure or technique. The procedures performed in chadō are known collectively as temae . The act of performing these procedures during

1320-412: Is possible to rearrange the mats). In a 4.5 mat room, the mats are placed in a circular pattern around a centre mat. Purpose-built tea rooms have a sunken hearth in the floor which is used in winter. A special tatami is used which has a cut-out section providing access to the hearth. In summer, the hearth is covered either with a small square of extra tatami , or, more commonly, the hearth tatami

1386-487: Is said that among the military class the most precious possessions were first Tea-caddies, second writings and third swords. For this was the order in which they were presented by the Shogun to one he desired to honour. The term chaire (茶入) generally refers to a relatively small ceramic jar with a lid, used to hold the tea powder for use in making thick tea ( koicha ). The lid is traditionally made from elephant ivory with

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1452-430: Is shared among several guests. This style of sharing a bowl of koicha first appeared in historical documents in 1586, and is a method considered to have been invented by Sen no Rikyū. The most important part of a chaji is the preparation and drinking of koicha , which is followed by usucha . A chakai may involve only the preparation and serving of thin tea (and accompanying confections), representing

1518-500: Is so called because, except for the hot water kettle (and brazier if a sunken hearth is not being used), the essential items for the tea-making, including even the fresh water container, are carried into the tea room by the host as a part of the temae . In other temae , the water jar and perhaps other items, depending upon the style of temae , are placed in the tea room before the guests enter. Obon temae ( お盆手前 ) , bon temae ( 盆手前 ) , or bonryaku temae ( 盆略手前 )

1584-630: Is the name for a spinning top . Originally from southeast Asia, it also became a popular motif. It can be categorised as a shimamono . Kōdai-ji bun natsume (高台寺文棗) is named after Kōdai-ji in Kyoto and features the imperial chrysanthemum seal and the paulownia seal of the regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi . The most important pottery of the Cha-no-yu is first the Cha-ire and then the Cha-wan . It

1650-419: The roji to the tea house. They remove their footwear and enter the tea room through a small "crawling-in" door ( nijiri-guchi ), and proceed to view the items placed in the tokonoma and any tea equipment placed ready in the room, and are then seated seiza -style on the tatami in order of prestige. When the last guest has taken their place, they close the door with an audible sound to alert

1716-409: The temae performed and utensils and other equipment used. Ideally, the configuration of the tatami in a 4.5 mat room changes with the season as well. During the sunken hearth season, the Chajin opens the sunken hearth in the middle of the tea room. Water is heated using the sunken hearth. The sunken hearth is the only form of heat in the room during the winter. During the brazier season, water

1782-502: The Kinki region of Japan. However, the interest in tea in Japan faded after this. In China , tea had already been known, according to legend, for more than three thousand years (though the earliest archaeological evidence of tea-drinking dates to the 2nd century BCE). The form of tea popular in China in Eichū's time was dancha ( 団茶 , "cake tea" or "brick tea") – tea compressed into

1848-456: The natsume or jujube fruit, which some usucha-ki are said to resemble. Strictly speaking, the word natsume should only be used to refer to vessels which have a slightly convex top and body that gradually narrows toward the base, but in practice any usucha-ki may be referred to as a natsume . Since natsume are used for thin tea, they are the first chaki that a tea student learns to use. A lacquer artist named Haneda Gorō, who lived in

1914-466: The samurai class but also to the general public, leading to the establishment of various tea ceremony schools that continue to this day. Zen Buddhism was a primary influence in the development of the culture of Japanese tea. Shinto has also greatly influenced the Japanese tea ceremony. For example, the practice of purifying one's hands and mouth before practicing the tea ceremony is influenced by

1980-642: The 9th century. It is found in an entry in the Nihon Kōki having to do with the Buddhist monk Eichū ( 永忠 ) , who had brought some tea back to Japan on his return from Tang China . The entry states that Eichū personally prepared and served sencha (tea beverage made by steeping tea leaves in hot water) to Emperor Saga , who was on an excursion in Karasaki (in present Shiga Prefecture ) in 815. By imperial order in 816, tea plantations began to be cultivated in

2046-586: The Shinto purification ritual of misogi . The architectural style of the chashitsu and the gate that serves as the boundary between the tea garden and the secular world have been influenced by Shinto shrine architecture and the torii (shrine gate) . Much less commonly, Japanese tea practice uses leaf tea, primarily sencha , a practice known as senchadō ( 煎茶道 , 'the way of sencha') . Tea gatherings are classified as either an informal tea gathering ( chakai ( 茶会 , 'tea gathering') ) or

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2112-532: The Zen– Chán Buddhist school. His ideas would have a strong influence in the development of the Japanese tea. Around the end of the 12th century, the style of tea preparation called tencha ( 点茶 ) , in which powdered matcha was placed into a bowl, hot water added, and the tea and hot water whipped together, was introduced to Japan by Buddhist monk Eisai on his return from China. He also took tea seeds back with him, which eventually produced tea that

2178-452: The best quality tea leaves used in preparing thick tea. Historically, the tea leaves used as packing material for the koicha leaves in the tea urn ( 茶壺 , chatsubo ) would be served as thin tea. Japanese historical documents about tea that differentiate between usucha and koicha first appear in the Tenmon era (1532–1555). The first documented appearance of the term koicha

2244-513: The best quality tea – that was grown in Kyoto , deriving from the seeds that Eisai brought from China. The next major period in Japanese history was the Muromachi period , pointing to the rise of Kitayama Culture ( ja:北山文化 , Kitayama bunka ) , centered around the cultural world of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and his villa in the northern hills of Kyoto ( Kinkaku-ji ), and later during this period,

2310-546: The best-known – and still revered – historical figure in tea, followed his master Takeno Jōō 's concept of ichi-go ichi-e , a philosophy that each meeting should be treasured, for it can never be reproduced. His teachings perfected many newly developed forms in architecture and gardens , art , and the full development of the "way of tea". The principles he set forward – harmony ( 和 , wa ) , respect ( 敬 , kei ) , purity ( 清 , sei ) , and tranquility ( 寂 , jaku ) – are still central to tea. Sen no Rikyū

2376-460: The concepts of omotenashi , which revolves around hospitality . Murata Jukō is known in chanoyu history as an early developer of tea as a spiritual practice. He studied Zen under the monk Ikkyū , who revitalized Zen in the 15th century, and this is considered to have influenced his concept of chanoyu . By the 16th century, tea drinking had spread to all levels of society in Japan. Sen no Rikyū and his work Southern Record , perhaps

2442-530: The era of Higashiyama culture and did lacquer work for Ashikaga Yoshimasa , is credited as the originator of this style of container for powdered tea which at first, as a rule, was black-lacquered. Records of tea gatherings held by Sen no Rikyū reveal that he used natsume , and that in his day natsume were used for koicha (thick tea). The basic type is the "Rikyū shape" ( 利休形 Rikyū-gata ), which comes in three sizes: large ( 大棗 ō-natsume ), medium ( 中棗 chū-natsume ), and small ( 小棗 ko-natsume ). With

2508-598: The first and last bows while standing. In ryūrei there is usually an assistant who sits near the host and moves the host's seat out of the way as needed for standing or sitting. The assistant also serves the tea and sweets to the guests. This procedure originated in the Urasenke school, initially for serving non-Japanese guests who, it was thought, would be more comfortable sitting on chairs. The Japanese traditional floor mats, tatami , are used in various ways in tea offerings. Their placement, for example, determines how

2574-482: The host, who enters the tea room and welcomes each guest, and then answers questions posed by the first guest about the scroll and other items. The chaji begins in the cool months with the laying of the charcoal fire which is used to heat the water. Following this, guests are served a meal in several courses accompanied by sake and followed by a small sweet ( wagashi ) eaten from special paper called kaishi ( 懐紙 ) , which each guest carries, often in

2640-481: The hot water, kombu tea, roasted barley tea, or sakurayu . When all the guests have arrived and finished their preparations, they proceed to the outdoor waiting bench in the roji , where they remain until summoned by the host. Following a silent bow between host and guests, the guests proceed in order to a tsukubai (stone basin) where they ritually purify themselves by washing their hands and rinsing their mouths with water, and then continue along

2706-400: The incense, utensils, and clothing worn. During the winter, a type of incense known as Neriko, a type of incense that is formed into pellets, is used. Jin or Byakudan are used in the summer, and during the end of spring or the beginning of autumn, the Chajin puts out Kokukobei or Umegako. Guests drink tea from a more cylindrical style of bowl in the winter to keep in heat, and use a flat bowl in

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2772-417: The inner, or spiritual, experiences of human lives. Its original meaning indicated quiet or sober refinement, or subdued taste "characterized by humility, restraint, simplicity, naturalism, profundity, imperfection, and asymmetry" and "emphasizes simple, unadorned objects and architectural space, and celebrates the mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials." Sabi , on the other hand, represents

2838-414: The long history of chadō and are active today. Japanese tea ceremonies are typically conducted in specially constructed spaces or rooms designed for the purpose of tea ceremony. While a purpose-built tatami -floored room is considered the ideal venue, any place where the necessary implements for the making and serving of the tea can be set out and where the host can make the tea in the presence of

2904-409: The more casual portion, and the host will return to the tea room to bring in a smoking set ( タバコ盆 , tabako-bon ) and more confections, usually higashi , to accompany the thin tea, and possibly cushions for the guests' comfort. The host will then proceed with the preparation of an individual bowl of thin tea to be served to each guest. While in earlier portions of the gathering conversation

2970-412: The more essential components of tea ceremony are: Procedures vary from school to school, and with the time of year, time of day, venue, and other considerations. The noon tea gathering of one host and a maximum of five guests is considered the most formal chaji . The following is a general description of a noon chaji held in the cool weather season at a purpose-built tea house. The guests arrive

3036-439: The more relaxed, finishing portion of a chaji . The equipment for tea ceremony is called chadōgu ( 茶道具 ) . A wide range of chadōgu is available and different styles and motifs are used for different events and in different seasons. All the tools for tea are handled with exquisite care, being scrupulously cleaned before and after each use and before storing, with some handled only with gloved hands. Some items, such as

3102-557: The names of kilns (production centers) and potters. The kilns in Seto , in the old province of Owari (present Aichi Prefecture), are considered the original Japanese kilns to produce chaire, and so traditionally the chaire from the Seto kilns do not fall into the category called kuniyakimono or "provincial ware". Also, the various kilns in Kyoto are not regarded as "provincial ware". Japanese tea ceremony The English term " Teaism "

3168-403: The orthodox Rikyū-gata natsume, typically finished in plain black lacquer inside and out, the lid fits onto the body at about 7/10 the distance up from the base. There is tremendous variation among the other different types and sizes of natsume, however. For example, the diameter of the flat type ( 平棗 hira-natsume ) generally is about twice the dimension of the vessel's height. Koma (独楽)

3234-412: The other equipment used for the occasion, and the chaki is among the items the guests pay particular attention to. Chaki are classified both by material and shape, as well as by the type of tea preparation (thin tea or thick tea) for which they are used. Chaki can be divided into two broad categories: those made of ceramic, and those made of wood or bamboo. Normally, ceramic chaki are for use in

3300-401: The outer, or material side of life. Originally, it meant "worn", "weathered", or "decayed". Particularly among the nobility, understanding emptiness was considered the most effective means to spiritual awakening, while embracing imperfection was honoured as a reminder to cherish one's unpolished and unfinished nature – considered to be the first step to satori , or enlightenment. Central are

3366-402: The preparation of the utensils is complete, the host prepares thick tea. Bows are exchanged between the host and the guest receiving the tea. The guest then bows to the second guest, and raises the bowl in a gesture of respect to the host. The guest rotates the bowl to avoid drinking from its front, takes a sip, and compliments the host on the tea. After taking a few sips, the guest wipes clean

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3432-649: The procedures to make thick tea ( koicha ), and are called chaire ( 茶入 , "tea container")( ja ) or koicha-ki ( 濃茶器 ;　"implement for thick tea"). Wood or bamboo chaki normally are for use in the procedures to make thin tea, and are also called usucha-ki ( 薄茶器 ), "implement for thin tea," often abbreviated usuki ). Commonly these are of the shape category called natsume ( 棗 , " jujube "), and so usucha-ki in general tend to be loosely referred to as natsume . Both chaire and natsume are further classified according to country of origin, materials and shape, and in some cases by potter or, in special cases,

3498-453: The regent ordered his teamaster to commit ritual suicide . The way of tea was never so closely intertwined with politics before or after. After the death of Rikyū, essentially three schools descended from him to continue the tradition. The way of tea continued to spread throughout the country and later developed not only from the court and samurai class, but also towards the townspeople. Many schools of Japanese tea ceremony have evolved through

3564-410: The rim of the bowl and passes it to the second guest. The procedure is repeated until all guests have taken tea from the same bowl; each guest then has an opportunity to admire the bowl before it is returned to the host, who then cleanses the equipment and leaves the tea room. The host then rekindles the fire and adds more charcoal. This signifies a change from the more formal portion of the gathering to

3630-491: The rise of Higashiyama culture , centered around the elegant cultural world of Ashikaga Yoshimasa and his retirement villa in the eastern hills of Kyoto ( Ginkaku-ji ). This period, approximately 1336 to 1573, saw the budding of what is generally regarded as Japanese traditional culture as it is known today. The use of Japanese tea developed as a "transformative practice" and began to evolve its own aesthetic, in particular that of wabi-sabi principles. Wabi represents

3696-417: The seated guest(s) can be used as a venue for tea. For instance, a tea gathering can be held picnic -style in the outdoors, known as nodate ( 野点 ) . For this occasion a red parasol called nodatekasa ( 野点傘 ) is used. A purpose-built room designed for the wabi style of tea is called a chashitsu , and is ideally 4.5- tatami in floor area. A purpose-built chashitsu typically has

3762-431: The summer to release heat. Different designs are depicted on the tea bowl based on the season. During the summer, participants wear a kimono made up of one layer to ensure that it is not too hot. However, outside the summer, participants wear a double-layered kimono so they will be warmer. There are two main ways of preparing matcha for tea consumption: thick ( 濃茶 , koicha ) and thin ( 薄茶 , usucha ) , with

3828-405: The tea caddy and the tea scoop. (This examination is done to show respect and admiration for the host.) The items are treated with extreme care and reverence as they may be priceless, irreplaceable, handmade antiques , and guests often use a special brocaded cloth to handle them. The host then collects the utensils, and the guests leave the tea house. The host bows from the door, and the gathering

3894-510: The tea ceremony with his own interpretation, introduced a much smaller chashitsu (tea house) and rustic, distorted ceramic tea bowls specifically for the tea ceremony, and perfected the tea ceremony based on the aesthetic sense of wabi . Sen no Rikyū's great-grandchildren founded the Omotesenke , Urasenke , and Mushakōjisenke schools of tea ceremony, and the tea ceremony spread not only to daimyo (feudal lords) and

3960-441: The tea room by the sound of a bell or gong rung in prescribed ways, the guests again purify themselves and examine the items placed in the tea room. The host then enters, ritually cleanses each utensil – including the tea bowl, whisk, and tea scoop – in the presence of the guests in a precise order and using prescribed motions, and places them in an exact arrangement according to the particular temae procedure being performed. When

4026-423: The tea storage jar which has the name Chigusa , are so revered that, historically, they were given proper names like people, and were admired and documented by multiple diarists. The honorary title Senke Jusshoku  [ ja ] is given to the ten artisans that provide the utensils for the events held by the three primary iemoto Schools of Japanese tea known as the san-senke . Some of

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4092-403: The term applies to definition 2. The caddies generally referred to as chaki are relatively small lidded containers, and are not storage vessels. In preparing to perform a tea-making procedure ( temae ), the host carefully selects the caddy for the matcha that will be used, and, as an important part of the preparations, neatly places the matcha into it. The chaki is chosen to harmonize with

4158-404: Was at its height. However, it was increasingly at odds with the rustic and simple aesthetics continuously advertised by his tea master, which the regent increasingly saw as a threat to cementing his own power and position, and their once close relationship began to suffer. In 1590, one of the leading disciples of Rikyu, Yamanoue Sōji , was brutally executed on orders of the regent. One year later

4224-426: Was coined by Okakura Kakuzō to describe the unique worldview associated with Japanese tea ceremonies as opposed to focusing just on the ceremonial aspect . In the 1500s, Sen no Rikyū revolutionized Japanese tea culture, essentially perfecting what is now known as the Japanese tea ceremony and elevating it to the status of an art form. He redefined the rules of the tea house, tea garden, utensils, and procedures of

4290-493: Was considered to be the most superb quality in all of Japan. This powdered green tea was first used in religious rituals in Buddhist monasteries . By the 13th century, when the Kamakura shogunate ruled the nation and tea and the luxuries associated with it became a kind of status symbol among the warrior class , there arose tōcha ( 闘茶 , "tea tasting") parties wherein contestants could win extravagant prizes for guessing

4356-592: Was the leading teamaster of the regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi , who greatly supported him in codifying and spreading the way of tea, also as a means of solidifying his own political power. Hideyoshi's tastes were influenced by his teamaster, but nevertheless he also had his own ideas to cement his power such as constructing the Golden Tea Room and hosting the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony in 1587. The symbiotic relationship between politics and tea

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