This style of tray, known as a hanagatabon or flower-shaped tray, is designed for use in the hana (flower) temae, a chabako tea procedure for the spring season. The red-lacquered edges of this tray suggest stylized petals, and the center of the...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Scoops [lcsh]
This chashaku, with its central node, is a classic example of the informal (so) style. It is accompanied by a silk brocade cover (fukuro) - part of a set of fabric covers (shifuku) designed for chabako. The brocade pattern is known as setsugekka...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Scoops [lcsh]
This chashaku, crafted in dark bamboo, was fashioned by Goto Zuigan Roshi, 503rd abbot of Daitokuji ZenTemple in Kyoto, Japan, and first Zen master to Hounsai Daisosho, the 15th generation Urasenke Grand Master. The work exhibits a strong and...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Scoops [lcsh]
This chashaku is crafted from bamboo in the informal (so) style. The maker has given this piece a dignified air, balancing the large node against the straight grooves and pointed tip.
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Scoops [lcsh]
Tea utensils are often classified by their degree of formality. This elegant chashaku is crafted in the formal (shin) style, as it lacks the "node" typical of more informal pieces, and is made from ivory, considered to be a formal material.
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. ...
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 high-shouldered chaire (katatsuki) is housed in a patterned silk cover (shifuku) known as sasazuru donsu, featuring the auspicious pine, bamboo, and plum motif, which symbolizes long life, nobility, and hope. Seto ware (Seto-yaki)
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]; 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.
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]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
This natsume features a design of bush clover (hagi) and pampas grass (suzuki) that suggests the autumn season. They are two of the seven autumn grasses. Maki-e.
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
This chaire is fashioned in the popular high-shouldered (katatsuki) form with glaze work typical of the Zeze kilns. The shifuku (cover) that accompanies it is fashioned from a satin (donsu) fabric known as Fujitane (a family name), which bears a...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
This Japanese-made chaire is intended to resemble a highly valued Chinese bunrin or apple-shaped tea caddy. It is paired with a cover (shifuku) of blue and gold sasazuru donsu, bearing the auspicious pine, bamboo, and plum motif which symbolizes...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
This chaire is typical of the glazed containers (modeled on early imported Chinese wares) used to hold powdered thick tea. This example is fashioned in the high-shouldered (katatsuki) shape, and features a glaze typical of the Seto kilns. The silk...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
This chaire in the daikai shape is paired with a cover (shifuku) made of a beautiful donsu fabric featuring motifs of plum, cherry, and tortoise shell. Shifuku for this style of chaire are tied with a special knot designed to fall open with one...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; Tea caddies [lcsh]
This middle-sized ( chu) natsume, in the formal (shin-nuri) style, is a classic example of the genre. Here, the natsume is paired with an otsubukuro - a small silk bag shaped like those formerly used for rice from Otsu intended for the imperial...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]; tea caddies [lcsh]
The 14th generation Urasenke master Tantansai (1893-1964) designed this unlacquered nakatsugi of mulberry wood to be used by students studying the wakin temae. The wakin temae, created by 11th generation Urasanke master Gengensai (1810-1877),...
Japanese tea ceremony [lcsh]; Tea making paraphernalia [lcsh]
This unlacquered paulownia box is designed to hold both a ceramic caddy for thick tea (chaire) and lacquered caddy for thick tea (natsume) for the satsubako tea procedure (temae), one of a set of four orally transmitted temae. When a guest...