Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Drinking vessels [lcsh]
This chawan is finished with a black Seto glaze that provides a feeling of formality and elegance. The chawan is accompanied by a paulownia box bearing calligraphy that describes its provenance.
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
The distinctive koma design used for this natsume is of Southeast Asian origin. The design has a long history of use in Japan. The Japanese name for the pattern likens it to a spinning top.
Fukusa are finely woven silk cloths designed for purifying tea utensils. The host folds and refolds the fukusa many times during the tea procedure (temae). This woman's fukusa is decorated with a pattern of green maple leaves on a pale green...
This fukusa is decorated with soft orange, white, and yellow stripes on a pink ground. Just as the fan (sensu) has come to represent the guest, the fukusa serves to signify the host's role in a tea gathering. The informality of decorated fukusa...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
This natsume is decorated in the clouds and brocade (unkin or kumonishiki) pattern, depicting cherry blossoms and maple leaves. The design suggests the passing of time, or the ephemeral nature of existence - a quality that takes the motif beyond...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Drinking vessels [lcsh]
This chawan for thin tea is decorated with vigorous white brushwork over a warm-toned glaze. The brushed pattern is known as hakeme, which originated in Korean pottery kilns. It was probably introduced to Japan through the acquisition of imported...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Drinking vessels [lcsh]
This chawan is a classic example of Zeze ware originating from the Kagero-en kiln. The waisted shape is relatively formal, and the piece has been decorated with an abstract brown, black and yellow glaze typical of the genre. Zeze is known as one of...
Furidashi are small containers designed to hold dry sweets. The design of this furidashi depicts a bridge, maples and cherry blossoms. It is shown here with a matching container for tea cloth (chakinzutsu), both designed for use in outdoor tea...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]
The chakin is a small white linen cloth that is used to clean and dry the teabowl. In the process of cleansing, the chakin also acts to purify the object it touches. The chakin is seen here folded in the traditional manner, as it would be used in...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
This small-sized (ko-hira) natsume was often used by its owner for chabako temae and is decorated with a wild orchid motif. It is very skillfully made, representing many hours of work on the part of the craftsperson. The natsume is accompanied here...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Drinking vessels [lcsh]
This chawan incorporates a motif known as pine arabesque (matsu karakusa) that emerges just above the foot of the bowl and continues up and over the lip. It is designed for thin tea. Kyoto ware (Kyo-yaki)
This informal kekkai, with its inventive use of the tsubo-tsubo motif, is designed to cohere the space around which tea is made when there are no adjacent walls.
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]
Kobukusa are small, square, silk cloths placed between tea utensils and the hand or floor. They are sometimes used to protect the hands from heat when a non raku-style teabowl (e.g., Hagi, Karatsu, Ido) is chosen for thick tea (koicha) service....
Chabako are used for a variety of seasonal tea procedures (temae) designed for outdoor presentation. The host outfits the box with a selection of all the utensils necessary to prepare tea for the guests. Sets of matching covers (shifuku) are used...
These covered lacquer bowls are generally used for the nimono, or main course of the formal kaiseki meal, though they may also be used for the soup course of the tenshin repast, a lighter, more informal meal. The nimono course, also known as...
Guests at a tea gathering are expected to bring a number of small items with them: folded white paper (kaishi); a yoji; fukusa, kobukusa; kochakin in a small case; and a folding fan (sensu). These items, with the exception of the sensu, are kept...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]
This style of creating pattern thorough incising and impressing seals originated in Korea. When brought to Japan, the grid-like patterns reminded the Japanese of a famous calendar produced at a temple in Mishima.Tthe technique and the ware...
Two small wooden boards (kizue) to be used in specific chabako procedures. The long board is used in the autumnal chabako dedicated to the moon (tsuki) and the single panel is used for the chabako known as wakei.
