The Japanese Tea Ceremony

[Kazimiera]

The Japanese Tea Ceremony in 6 Steps - Rivertea Blog

Source: http://www.rivertea.com/blog/the-japanese-tea-ceremony-in-6-steps/

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Imagine a moment of inner peace while enjoying a small cup of tea surrounded by serenity and tranquility. This is the first image that comes to my mind when thinking about the Japanese “way of tea”.

A few weeks ago, on the second part of the article “Japanse Tea Ceremony (Part II)“, you learnt about the types of the Japanese tea ceremonies and the tools needed to accomplish this complex ritual. In this last part of the article you’ll find out what the basic steps of the Japanese tea ceremony are and what exactly happens during each stage.

Steps of the Japanese Tea Ceremony

The Japanese Tea Ceremony may seem a bit too complex to understand with so many existing types, tools and specific vocabulary, but in fact the tea ceremony involves the practical and aesthetical matcha preparation and the attempt to connect with the guests, and sometimes with nature at a high spiritual level.

The steps of the ceremony are most of the times the same, with slightly different variations depending on the season, school, time of day and so on. The summertime outdoor version seems the most enjoyable as you can also connect with nature while leaving all the mundane worries aside.

Step 1: The Host Prepares for the Ceremony

Preparation for the tea ceremony sometimes starts weeks earlier before the actual day when the ceremony takes place. The host needs to send formal invitations to the guests and to prepare his/ her soul for the ceremony by leaving behind all worldly thoughts and just focusing on obtaining a certain harmony and equilibrium within himself or herself.

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The practical preparation starts with choosing the right tools depending on the season and on the part of the day the ceremony will take place. The host goes on by cleaning the tea room (garden, if it’s summertime), the tools and changing the tatami (the Japanese carpets used on the floors of Japanese traditional homes). If the ceremony will also involve a meal, than the host needs to start preparing it very early in the morning.


Step 2: The Guests Prepare for the Ceremony

The guests also need to prepare spiritually for the ceremony before actually participating. They need to purify their hearts and thoughts and leave the worldly worries behind.

Before entering the tea room or garden where the ceremony will be held, the guests have to wait for the signal of the host which will announce them that the host is ready to receive them. They also need to wash their hands in an attempt to symbolically get rid of the “dust” from the outside world.

After the host gives them the signal, they will enter the tea room through a small door which obliges them to bow as a sign of respect to the host and to the preparations she or he has made.


Step 3: Cleaning the Tools

The actual preparation of matcha doesn’t start until the host brings in the tools, cleans them in front of the guests before using them. The cleaning of the tools is aesthetically done with concentration and highly graceful movements.

These movements can differ from a type of ceremony to another, but what is always important in all the Japanese tea ceremonies is the graceful posture of the host and aesthetic value of the way things are done during the ceremony. No unnecessary movements or words are allowed during the ceremony, all the things starting with the tools and ending with the guests’ behavior have to be in harmony with each other.

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Step 4: Preparing Matcha

After the tools are perfectly clean and aesthetically displayed, the preparation of matcha begins. We have dedicated an entire article to matcha green tea, so feel free to check it out for detailed explanation regarding matcha preparation. Usually the host adds in the tea bowl three scoops of matcha per guest. After adding the powder, the hot water is also added to the bowl and the composition gets whisked into a thin paste. More water is added afterwards.


Step 5: Serving Matcha

The host presents the prepared tea bowl to the main guest and they exchange bowls. This first guest admires the bowl then rotates it before taking a drink. The guest wipes the rim of the tea bowl then offers it to the next guest who repeats these movements. These movements are repeated until the bowl reaches the last guest which passes it back to the host.


Step 6: Completing the Ceremony

After all the guests have taken a drink of tea, the host cleans the bowl. The host will also rinse and clean the tea whisk and scoop again.

The guests need to inspect the tools used in the ceremony after they have been cleaned as a sign of respect and admiration for the host. They carefully and respectfully examine the utensils using a cloth when handling them with extreme caution. After this phase is over, the host gathers the tools and the guests exit with another bow to complete the ceremony.

The extraordinary journey through the world of Japanese tea ceremony has come to an end. I hope you have enjoyed every part of it. Feel free to tell us your own experience with the Japanese tea ceremony if you ever had the chance to participate to one.

[Kazimiera]

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[Deneb]

Beautiful. I really like japanese refinement, so different from chinese vulgarity.

[Kazimiera]

Source: http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/history.html

Drinking of green tea was known in China from the fourth century. Tea plants didn’t grow in Japan until the first seeds were brought from China during the Tang dynasty (China 618-907), when relations and cultural exchanges between the two countries reached a peak.

In the eighth century the first mention of a formal ceremony involving the drinking of tea is found. However, at this time it probably didn’t look much like the tea ceremony we know these days. Also, during the eighth century a Chinese Buddhist priest wrote a book on the proper method of preparing tea. The book was called “Cha Ching” and taught the correct temperature of hot water and the use of tea vessels. It is said that today’s style of the tea ceremony evolved largely through the influence of this book.

During the Nara period (Japan 710-794) tea plants were grown in Japan and mainly consumed by priests and noblemen as medicine. Toward the end of the Tang dynasty in China, the drinking of tea was going through a transformation from medicine to beverage, but due to deteriorating relations between the two countries this transformation did not reach Japan till much later. The Japanese were forced to mold and cultivate their own traditions and culture around the tea. Tea was a rare and valuable commodity from the Nara period to the Heian period (794-1192) so rules and formalities were based on this concept. Had tea been native to Japan or more readily available, it is almost certain that the tea ceremony would not have been created.


Kamakura period in Japan.

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In 1187 Myoan Eisai, a Japanese priest, traveled to China to study philosophy and religion. When he came back, he became the founder of Zen Buddhism and build the first temple of the Rinzai sect. It is said that he was the first one to cultivate tea for religious purposes, unlike others before him who grew tea for medicinal use only. He was also the first to suggest and teach the grinding of tea leaves before adding hot water. A Sung emperor named Hui Tsung, referred to a bamboo whisk used to whisk the tea after hot water was poured over it in his book Ta Kuan Cha Lun (A General View of Tea). These two methods formed the basis for the tea ceremony as we know it today.

Some hostility was created among monks who didn’t like Eisai’s newly introduced religious ideas which he had imported, but the Kamakura shogunate, who were among his first converts, helped him succeed in enlisting protection. In 1211, Eisai was the first to write a treatise on tea in Japan. In his treatise, Kissa Yojoki (Tea drinking is good for health) Eisai suggested that the drinking of tea had certain health benefits and cures for; loss of appetite, paralysis, beriberi, boils and sickness from tainted water. According to him it was a cure for all disorders, so this perhaps was the main reason that the Tea Ceremony gained such popularity.

Tea in the thirteenth century and the Samurai

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Tea started to spread outside of the Uji district where it had mainly been grown since the beginning. But by now popularity and so demand was growing rapidly and called for plantations all around Japan. The samurai class, who loved everything about the Sung dynasty including the Tea ceremony, embraced it wholly and caused even greater popularity of the ritual preparation of green tea.

In 1333, the Kamakura shogunate fell which led to civil wars in the whole country. A new class of people came into existence, the Gekokujou (parvenus). These nobles whose extravagant lifestyles attracted much attention from the public, often held tea parties for their friends called Toucha. In this game the guests were tested on their abilities to distinguish between Honcha (genuine tea) and other tea. Soon betting accompanied these games and great valuable prices were presented to winners which added to the excitement of the game.

Originally the guests were given ten cups of tea, but this number increases to twenty, thirty and eventually one hundred cups per person. If there was a great number of people attending the party, it would have been impossible to provide every guest with one hundred cups. Although followed procedures are unknown, the guests probably passed cups from one the next. This technique of passing around tea bowl probably explains why only one tea bowl is used during today’s Tea Ceremony.

However strange this habit of sharing might seem to us now, it probably has its roots in the Samurai class. The Samurai had strong family ties, and when the family would gather on important occasions, it was custom for the lord to take the first sip of Sake from a large cup and then pass it among his retainers as a reaffirmation of their close bonds.

Tea ceremony during the Muromachi period

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During the Muromachi period, Japanese architecture went trough a transformation from the formal palace style adopted in the Heian period, to a simplified style used by the Samurai. The next transformation was from Samurai style to the Shoin style which used elements of temple architecture. For the tea ceremony some of the Shoin design details were adopted, such as the alcove (Tokonoma), the pair of shelves (Chigaidana) in the side of the alcove, and the side-alcove desk (Tsuke-shoin). Of course Taami mats were used to cover the floor in the Shoin style.

The Samurai nobles made it their hobby to perfect the way of decorating the alcove, the shelves in the side alcove. The Shoin desk became fixed, with the aim of arranging a small number of utensils and articles in a way that was aesthetically and functionally.

After some time, the Shoin was used to serve tea ceremonially by the Douboushuu. All the utensils used by them came from China and were placed on a large utensil stand (Daisu).

Murata Shukou : The Founder of Chanoyu

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When people of other classes became interested in the tea ceremony enjoyed by the Samurai class, they started having small tea gatherings in smaller and less lavish rooms which were appropriate to their status. From this the small room called Kakoi came into existence.

One of the best designers of smaller tearooms was a Zen priest called Murata Shukou. He later became known as the father of the tea ceremony because the etiquette and spirit of tea were originated by him. At the age of eleven he entered into priesthood at Shoumyou Temple until he was twenty. Ten years later he returned to priesthood at Daitoku-ji Temple under the monk and teacher Ikkyuu Soujun to practice Zen meditation. Later he was rewarded for his profound understanding of Zen and received a diploma signed by the Chinese monk Yuanwu. After this, he spend the rest of his days in his tea room in Nara to perfect the tea ceremony, and give lessons to anyone interested in learning the art. To all his students he tried very hard to instill the true spirit of simple, Zen-inspired tea.

Another important procedure initiated by Shukou, was that he himself would serve the tea to his guests. He preferred the intimate and personal atmosphere of a small room which could fit five to six people. The four-and-a-half-mat room that he had devised to create a more tranquil atmosphere during the tea ceremony had its origins in the Zen philosophy he had studied in Kyoto at Daitokuji Temple.

In a letter to his favorite pupil, Harima no Furuichi, Shukou outlined his own basic concept of the art of Chanoyu and his personal philosophy of aesthetics. He wrote about the idea of refined simplicity, or Kakeru, and about the importance of understanding the aesthetic qualities of sober-colored pottery from Bizen and Shigaraki. From his letters it can also be learned that he took great pains to study the best method of combining Chinese and Japanese tea utensils.

Toward the end of the Muromachi period, the tea culture reached its peak, and tea devotees were given different titles to distinguish their relation to the art. Chanoyusha was the name given to a professional teacher of the tea ceremony like Shukou. A Wabi-suki was a teacher distinguished by three particular qualities: faith in the performance of tea, an ability to act with decorum befitting a proper master, and excellent practical skills. Finally, the Meijin not only met all the qualities of a wabi-suki, but was a collector of fine Chinese tea utensils as well.

[Kazimiera]

Source: http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/utensils.html

Tea equipment is called Dōgu (道具, literally tools). A wide range of Dōgu is necessary for even the most basic tea ceremony. A full list of all available tea implements and supplies and their various styles and variations could fill a several-hundred-page book, and thousands of such volumes exist. A tea devotee would have to be in possession of almost all of these Dōgu in order to hold a Chaji (a full tea ceremony with Kaiseki meal) and to teach students during Keiko. Purchasing and collecting all these Dōgu will take a lifetime and a small fortune since prices can go extremely high for antique tools or ones made by famous artists. The following is a brief list of the essential components:

Glossary of Utensils

Cha-ire (茶入) (tea caddy)

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The cha-ire is usually tall and thin (but shapes may vary significantly) and has an ivory lid with a gold leaf underside. Cha-ire are usually ceramic, and are stored in decorative bags called Shifuku.

The Cha-ire tea caddy is used when making thick tea called Koicha for the guests. As the Cha-ire is considered to be a high ranking piece of tea equipment (more about: tea utensils ranking), it is ritually cleaned with the Fukusa before scooping out the powdered green tea. Shokyaku will ask for Haiken, or viewing, of this tea caddy when all guests have finished drinking.


Chakin (茶巾) (hemp cloth)

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The Chakin is a rectangular, white, linen or hemp cloth used by Teishu to ritually cleanse the tea bowl after a guest has finished drinking the green tea and returned it.

In the Mizuya preparation room, the Chakin is washed, then carefully stretched to remove any creases and folded two times over the length and two and one-third in width. It is placed in the Chawan together with the Chasen and Chashaku. During the tea ceremony it is removed from the Chawan and placed on the Kama or kettle lit. Different styles of Chakin are used for thick and thin tea.


Chasen (茶筅) (whisk)

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Tea-whisks are carved from a single piece of bamboo. Though they are to mix hot water with powder green teanecessary part to serve tea, Chasen whisks themselves aren't considered as Dōgu.

Chasen are made of three kinds of bamboo: They are either made of smoked bamboo, fresh bamboo, or dried bamboo, and their heads are either fine, medium, or rough. Which type of Chasen one uses, depends mainly on the type of tea served. Types of tea are thick tea Koicha, or thin tea Usucha.


Chashaku (茶杓) (tea scoop)
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Chashaku tea-scoops are carved from a single piece of bamboo or ivory. It is an important utensil to get the matcha proportions correct. A bamboo Chashaku in the most casual style is with a nodule in the approximate center. They are used to scoop tea from the Chaire or Natsume into the Chawan. Larger scoops are used to transfer tea into the tea caddy in the Mizuya, but these are not seen by guests. Different styles and colors are used in various tea traditions.


Chawan (茶碗) (tea bowl)

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Arguably the most essential implement; without these,chawan tea could not be served or drunk at all. Chawans are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, and different styles are used for thick and thin tea. Shallow bowls, which allow the tea to cool rapidly, are used in summer; deep bowls are used in winter to keep the green-tea hot for longer time. Bowls are frequently named by their creators or owners, or by a tea master. Bowls over four hundred years old are said to be in use today, but probably only on unusually special occasions. The best bowls are thrown by hand, and some bowls are extremely valuable. Irregularities and imperfections are prized: they are often featured prominently as the "front" of the bowl. Broken tea bowls are painstakingly repaired using a mixture of lacquer and other natural ingredients. Powdered gold is added to disguise the dark color of the lacquer, so this repair is often referred as Kintsugi or "joint with gold", and additional designs are sometimes created with the mixture. Bowls repaired in this fashion are used mainly in November, when tea practitioners begin using the Ro, or hearth, again, as an expression and celebration of the concept of Wabi, or humble simplicity.


Fukin (布巾)

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Hemp cloth used to wipe the Chawan clean after having served a bowl of macha-tea to a guest. It is usually placed on the Kama lit during tea preparation. It is also used when refilling the Mizusashi with the Yakan to prevent water from spilling.


Fukusa (袱紗) (silk cloth)

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The fukusa is a square silk cloth used for the ritual cleansing of the Chashaku and the Natsume, and to handle a hot Kama lid. Fukusa are sometimes used by guests to protect the tea implements whilst examining them (though usually these fukusa are a special style called Kobukusa or Dashibukusa). Fukusa are most often monochromatic and unpatterned, but variations exist. There are different colors for men (usually purple) and women (orange, red), for people of different ages or skill levels, for different ceremonies and for different schools. Some schools, including the Urasenke, prefer to introduce variants with brocades or patterns, while some prefer to use simpler ones. The size and way of making Fukusa was purportedly established by Sen-no-Rikyu's second wife, who was also an expert of this way.


Furo (風炉) (portable brazier)

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A portable brazier used in the spring and summer seasons. Furo have a variety of shapes and the earliest ones were made of bronze but later iron and clay braziers became common. The unglazed clay Furo coated with black lacquer was preferred for formal use. It was placed on a lacquered board to prevent heat damage. The iron type was set on a paving tile. On the edge of a Furo a fire window or cut-out opening provided the necessary draft to keep the Sumi burning properly. A bed of ashes (Hai) was laid inside the Furo and the Sumi placed on top was lighted. The Kama was then set directly on the bronze or iron brazier, but a trivet was used for a clay brazier. Kama for portable ranges were slightly smaller than those used for fixed hearths (Ro).


Futa ( 蓋 ) (Kettle-lit / Kama-lit)

The lit of the Kama is usually referred to as the Futa. This lit is usually made of iron and has a handle made of various shapes. However, the Mizusashi also has a lit called Futa in Japanese, but "the lit" is understood to be that of the Kama.


Futa-oki (蓋置) (lit and ladle rest)

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Fairly in the beginning of the tea ceremony ritual, the lit (Futa) of the kettle (Kama) is still in its place to keep the water warm. At this time the bamboo ladle (Hishaku) is placed on the Futa-oki until the first scoop of hot water needs to be drawn from the Kama. At this time the Hishaku is held in the left hand, while with the right hand the lit is removed from the Kama. Once the lit is placed on the Futa-oki, the Hishaku will be placed on the Kama when not in use.

The Futa-oki can be made of bamboo with often a nodule in the approximate middle. In some cases, this Futa-oki will be displayed on a small shelf (Tana) before and or after the ceremony, then a Futa-oki other than bamboo needs to be used. A bamboo Futa-oki will never be used to display on the Tana.


Hibachi (火鉢) (fire bowl)

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The Hibachi is a utensil placed in the backroom or Mizuya and is only used for preparatory purposes. In the Hibachi the Sumi are fired up and kept burning before arranging them in the Ro or Furo. They can be a large round earthen ware pot or a bigger wooden box.


Hishaku (柄杓)(Ladle)

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This is a long bamboo ladle with a nodule in the approximate center of the handle. It is used to transfer hot water from the iron pot (kama) to the Chawan when making tea. And from fresh water container (Mizusashi) to the Chawan and the Kama in certain ceremonies. The Hishaku is usually carried into the room with the Kensui and Futa-oki. Sometimes the Hishaku is displayed (Kazaru) on the Tana before the ceremony starts and again when the tea ceremony has finished.

Different sizes of Hishaku are used for different ceremonies and in different seasons. A larger version is used for the ritual purification undergone by guests before entering the tea room at the Tsukubai in the garden.


Kama / Chanoyugama (釜) (iron pot, or kettle)

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The kama is used to heat the water for making the tea. The Kama is made from iron or copper. The Kama has a lit (futa) which is removed when starting to make tea and placed back at the end when all guests have had enough cups of tea. The tea ceremony Kama lids (Chanoyugama Futa) are made of cast iron, and forged at the same time as the body to match the bottoms perfectly. However, lids can also be made of bronze, copper, brass, silver and even from an ancient bronze mirror. Sometimes the Kama is moved in order to put new charcoal (Sumi) in the fire or to be hung or in very rare cases to be displayed in the Tokonoma. Two loops are cast on the shoulder to attach rings when the Kama is to be hung or carried. Kama that passed from generation to generation have special names derived from the history of the owner, the Kama shape, pattern, mouth or finish. Kama are usually round with rounded, squarish or sloping shoulders. Kama mouths have diverse shapes. Some are turned inward, others outward, while others are wide or narrow or notched. Often Kama have the shape of an ogre face, but they may have the face of a biting lion, distant mountains, pine cones, or bamboo shoots. Kama bottoms are rounded, flat and round, or flat and square.


Kensui (建水) (waste water receptacle/ bowl)

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A waste-water container into which either hot or cold water is poured after a Chawan has been rinsed during a tea ceremony. It is made of metal, clay or plain, thin wood bent into a shallow cylindrical shape. But a bowl-shaped Kensui is most common. Some kensui are lacquered. A clean Kensui is used for each tea ceremony. Disposing of the waste water is considered an unclean task and reuse in front of guests is considered a discourtesy.


Mizusashi (水指) (cold-water container)

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Natsume (棗) (tea caddy)

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The natsume is named for its resemblance to the natsume fruit (the jujube). Natsume powdered green tea holder for usuchaIt is short with a flat lid and rounded bottom, and is usually made of lacquered or untreated wood. Cha-ire and natsume are used in different ceremonies; normally cha-ire is used when serving koicha, and natsume for serving Usucha.

The Natsume is considered a high-ranking tea utensil and is therefore ritually whipped with the Fukusa. It can be displayed (Kazaru) on the Tana after the guests have viewed it during Haiken.


Shifuku (仕覆)(drawstring pouch)

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Usually a tea caddy (Cha-ire) is put in a drawstring Shifuku draw-string-pouch for Chairepouch (shifuku) made of very fine material, such as high quality silk gold brocade, damask or striped silk called Kantou, from China, and carried into the tea ceremony room. The gorgeous material of the bag is also appreciated at a tea ceremony. The shifuku is considered a valuable item in the ceremony and the chief guest (Shokyaku) will often ask to view the pouch more closely (Haiken) when the tea ceremony is over.

One Cha-ire tea container can have a set of three to five different Shifuku so that the same Cha-ire can be used at different tea gatherings so that the guests won't see the same pouch over and over again.


Kobukusa (古帛紗) or Dashibukusa (出帛紗) (silk cloth)

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A cloth approximately 15.15 cm or 6 inches square, which, unlike the cloth called dashibukusa, is generally of richer and thicker, brocaded and patterned fabric. Both the people on the hosting side of a Temae (tea ceremony) , as well as the guests, should each carry one. If wearing kimono, it is kept in the breast of the kimono. Guests not wearing kimono might carry it in their Kaishi wallet. The kobukusa is sometimes used by guests to protect the tea implements whilst examining them. Depending on the circumstances, the host may put one out with the tea, and because of this, kobukusa are also referred to as dashibukusa ("fukusa for serving"). The Dashibukusa is supplied with the maker's or designers name and in some cases with a poetic name. During the tea ceremony ny guests might inquire about the origins and the name so be prepared. If no name is provided you can make one up as you please, maybe in tune with the theme of the tea meeting or the season.


Ro (炉) (sunken hearth)

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This hearth is used during autumn and winter when it is cold. In the Tatami flooring a hole is created to put the kama in. The Kama being surrounded by a box-like frame will warm up faster and stay warm longer, moreover, it provides an image of warmth during the colder seasons. In case of the Ro, incense used is Neriko which are tiny kneaded balls from mixed woods, spices, and herbs, instead of Kouboku aromatic wood. The preparation ritual will be slightly different from the Furo procedure in spring and summer but the basics are the same.


Yakan (薬缶) (water pitcher)

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The Yakan is used to refill the Mizusashi at the end of the tea ceremony in order to return the room in the same state as it was found at the beginning when the guests came in. Depending on the amount of water used during the ceremony to make tea for the guests, the same amount will be poured back into the Mizusashi from the Yakan. The Yakan is carried with the left hand in front of the body at belly level since it is not such an important item. With the right hand a Chakin silk cloth is held under the spout to prevent water from spilling while walking and it is pressed on the lit while pouring the fresh water into to the Mizusashi.

[Kazimiera]

Source: http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/guests.html

Several guests can be invited to a tea ceremony. For a small meeting the average number of guests would be around four or five. The first guest or guest of honor is called Shokyaku, the second guest is a Jikyaku, and the others are called simply Kyaku. Also the last guest has a special name which is Tsume. These guests have a special ranking and a sitting order in the Chashitsu. According to their sitting order or ranking they have fixed duties to perform during the tea ceremony. For example, the Shokyaku who is the principal guest is the main person to communicate with the Teishu. The Shokyaku will ask the Teishu where certain tea utensils are from, where they were made, and who made them. When the Shokyaku asks questions, he or she has to use a humble language, a clear voice, consider the correct timing so to not create trouble for the tea-host, and always thank the Teishu for providing an answer. (See: Dialog between Shokyaku and Teishu )

Receiving and eating Wagashi

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Usually one of the first things brought into the Chashitsu is a bowl or dish with sweets called Wagashi. Teishu will sit in front of the Shokyaku and place the dish in between them. Teishu bows and verbally indicates that these are sweets for the guests to eat. Shokyaku bows back and with both hands moves the bowl to the right. These sweets are not to be eaten immediately but only when Teishu has warmed the Chawan with hot water from the Kama and discarded the waste water into the Kensui.

The Hachi with Wagashi, may they be moist or dry, is moved with two hands in front of the knees. Kaishi paper is usually a bunch of square washi paper sheets folded in half. The outer sheet is removed and placed on top of the Kaishi pile and then placed in front of the knees. When Omogashi (moist, main sweet) is served, it is usually accompanied by Kuromoji,which are sweet picks. Kuromoji look like chopsticks but have an obvious wooden look. The Kuromoji are usually placed on the lit and have to be placed on the Kaishi before removing the lit. The lit of the Hachi is lifted with both hands, and then the right hand grabs the lit above the left hand. (lit is vertical) The left hand moves to hold the lit underneath and it is placed up-side down next to the Hachi. The Kuromoji is picked up by the righ hand with little assistance of the left hand and one piece of Omogashi is transferred to the Kaishi paper. Now the Kuromoji must have some sticky jelly or Anko paste from the Omogashi stuck to it so it needs to be wiped with the kaishi before returning it to the Hachi. Place half of the Kuromoji on the corner of the Kaishi. Fold the corner of the Kaishi over the Kuromoji and pull the Kuromoji so that any sticky material is wiped-off by the paper. The lit is returned on top of the Hachi in the reverse order and Kuromoji is placed on the lit. Use both hands to slightly lift the Hachi and move it to the left as far as possible. The Jikyaku and following guests will take the sweets in the same way.

Drinking Koicha

Pick up the Chawan

Koicha is served together with a Dashibukusa. Shokyaku will stand up, walk to the Chawan, and sit down in front of it. With the right hand the dashibukusa is placed on the palm of the left hand. Then the Chawan is placed on top of the dashibukusa. Shokyaku walks back to his seat and sit down. The Chawan is placed in front of the knees with the dashibukusa next to it on the left but not on the same Tatami. Kimono or clothes are re-arranged before continuing.

Apologies and bows

Chawan is picked-up again and placed on the same Tatami but on Shokyaku's left side. Shokyaku will apologize for drinking before others. Then, pick up the Chawan and place it in front of his knees, bow to the Teishu and say: "Otemae chodai itashimasu".

Ready to drink

Place the Dashibukusa on the palm of the left hand and the Chawan on top. At chest height with the right hand the Chawan is turned clockwise two times so that the Shomen comes to the left. Make sure to lift the Chawan properly in order not to damage the fragile Dashibukusa. Raise the Chawan a little higher with simultaneous little knot toward the Teishu to indicate one is about to start drinking. Koicha is shared with three people altogether, so take about three sips to leave enough for the the next two guests. When Shokyaku has tasted enough, the Chawan is placed in front of the knees again.

Wiping the rim

Now, the rim needs to be wiped with a Kaishi. Take one Kaishi from the stack and fold one of the corners over the rim where the Macha is. Be careful not to wipe too deep into the bowl because that would be wasting good Macha. This wiping of the rim is more a "gesture" of cleanliness than actual cleaning. Fold the Kaishi one more time and wipe the rim again. Place Kaishi in the left sleeve of the Kimono. When the tea-bowl has passed all the guests during Koicha, the Tsume and Shokyaku will move close to the Teishu where the Tsume will return the bowl to the Shokyaku. The Shokyaku will inspect the Chawan one more time to make sure it is not damaged, then return it to the host by placing it at the same location where the Teishu had placed it before.

Usucha

During Usucha the Shokyaku will ask the other guests if they had enough or want to drink more green tea. If all guests had enough, the shokyaku will ask the host to clean up and to finish the tea ceremony.

[Kazimiera]

Source: http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/scroll.html

Hanging scrolls with calligraphy

Calligraphy, mainly in the form of hanging scrolls, plays a central role in the tea ceremony. Scrolls, often written by famous calligraphers, Buddhist monks, tea masters or iemotos are hung in the tokonoma (alcove) of the tea room. They are selected for their appropriateness for the season, time of day (early morning/morning/afternoon/evening), or theme of the particular ceremony. The host has to consider all these aspects and then set the correct tone for the tea ceremony. All other utensils, equipment and sweets need to be carefully selected to create a harmony as well as bringing about the individual beauty of everything used and displayed in the room. Calligraphic scrolls may feature well-known sayings, particularly those associated with Buddhism, poems, descriptions of famous places, or words or phrases associated with tea ceremony. A typical example might have the characters "wa kei sei jaku" (和敬清寂, harmony, respect, purity and tranquility). Some contain only a single character; in summer, kaze ("wind") would be appropriate. Hanging scrolls that feature a painting instead of calligraphy, or a combination of both, may contain seasonally appropriate images, or images appropriate to the theme of the particular ceremony. Rabbits, for example, might be chosen for a nighttime ceremony because of their association with the moon. Scrolls are sometimes placed in the waiting room as well.

A kakejiku or Kakemono is a Japanese scroll painting or calligraphy mounted with brocade fabric edges on a flexible backing, so that it can be rolled for storage. As opposed to makimono, which are meant to be unrolled laterally on a flat surface, a kakemono is intended to be displayed vertically as part of the interior decoration of a room. When displayed in a chashitsu (teahouse) for the tea ceremony, the choice of the kakemono (hanging object) and its complementary flower arrangement help set the spiritual mood of the ceremony.

The host has gone through much trouble to find the most appropriate Kakemono for this particular season and occasion. Thus upon entering the tea room the guest goes directly to the alcove to examine and appreciate the hanging scroll before exchanging greetings with the host.

In contrast to the byōbu (folding screen) or shohekiga (wall paintings), kakemono can be easily and quickly changed to match the season or occasion.

The kakemono was introduced to Japan during the Heian period, primarily in the form of Buddhist images for religious veneration, or as a vehicle to display calligraphy or poetry. From the Muromachi period, landscapes, flower and bird paintings, portraiture, and poetry became the favorite themes.

Two styles of scrolls:

Standing Scroll is a hanging scroll of which the width is shorter than the height, it is called a Tatejiku and used for the Japanese tea ceremony.

Side Scroll is a hanging scroll of which the width is longer than the height, it is called a (Yokojiku) and is not appropriate for the tea ceremony.

Two types of Tatejiku

The first type of Tatejiku hanging scroll is one with calligraphy, which can be further divided into several kinds; Bokuseki, Kohitsu, Shousoku, and Gasan.

Bokuseki (墨蹟) calligraphy refers to writings by Chinese Zen priests and recently by priests of Daitokuji-temple in Kyoto.

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Kohitsu (硬筆) calligraphy written by emperors, court nobles, and women between the tenth and thirteenth century which is the Japanese Heian period.

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Gasan (画賛) calligraphy are letters or poems written by tea masters. These letters were mounted on scrolls and contained "critical remarks" and views on the tea ceremony.

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The second type of Tatejiku is paintings which can be divided into several kinds; Kara-e, Suiboku, and Nanga. These paintings show birds, flowers, or landscapes.

Kara-e (唐絵) paintings display the various scenes of Chinese nature.

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Suiboku (水墨) paintings are done with charcoal and are in black and white only for a most simplistic image.

http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/images/suiboku.jpg


Nanga (南画) was a school of Japanese painting which flourished in the late Edo period among artists who considered themselves literati, or intellectuals. While each of these artists was, almost by definition, unique and independent, they all shared an admiration for traditional Chinese culture.

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