Category: Writing

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 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,...

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,...

  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 for December 2024 Jū-ni-gatsu, 十二月, Ten-two-month. One of the old names for the lunar 12th month is Shi-wasu, 師走, Master-run. There may be a name connection with the Asian zodiac. The 12th month is the last month of the year, and the last Asian zodiac sign is the I, 亥, Wild Boar, and the actual animal is the inoshishi, 猪. An alternative writing for inoshishi is 亥の獅子. ...

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....

Tying the Sanada himo, 真田紐, True-ricefield braid, ribbon of a hako, 箱, box, containing cha-dō-gu, 茶道具, tea-way-tool. Paper may cover the box to protect writing on the lid. Writing and identification on the front of the box is the shō-men, 正面, true-face.  The style of braid bears the name of Sana-da Masa-yuki, 真田 昌幸, True-field, a warlord of the 16th and 17th century, whose sword handles were bound in cords of such weaving technique.   The continuous braid is laid over the middle of box: it is not folded. The right loose braid is laid over the center and folded and turned under the center, and moved...