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Tea Ceremony Utensils

Chawan (Teabowl)

Seiji, Tenmoku-chawan and Ido-chawan are made in China or Korea. Raku-chawan, Seto and Seto and Ogi are Wamono, made in Japan.

Plain chawan such as Korai-chawan and Raku-chawan are used for koicha (thick tea). And fancy chawan, for usucha (thin tea). A pot chawan is used in Ro season (November through April), and a shallow chawan is used in Furo season (May through October).

Chashaku (Teascoop)

The chashaku is a sort of a spoon to scoop the powdered green tea. It is made of ivory, bamboo, mulberry, maple tree, cherry tree, ume tree and so on. The chashaku made of ivory or jointless bamboo is called shin-no-chashaku (a chashaku in formal use). The chashaku made of mulberry or bamboo with joint in Kiritome is called gyo-no-chashaku (a chashaku in semiformal use). The chashaku made of bamboo with joint in the middle, or a wood except mulberry is so-no-chashaku (a chashaku in informal use). The old chajin (a man who is accomplished in tea ceremony) and busho (general) made the chashaku for themselves, and name it its own name, called mei.

Chasen (Tea whisk)

The chasen is used to make tea. It is classified into Araho and Kazuho.

Kazuho has thin and sparse ear at the head, and is used for usucha (a thin tea). Araho has thick and dense ear at the head, and is used for koicha (a thick tea).

Chajin (a man who accomplished in tea ceremony) should try to use a new chasen whenever he meets some guests else.

Usuki, Natsume (Container for powdered thin tea)

Containers for usucha (powdered thin tea) are generically called usuki. Natsume is a sort of usuki,and is generally used. It is named after jujube, a plant. And it is classified into Dai-natsume, Chu-natsume, sho-natsume. Shinnuri, coated by Kuro-urushi (black-lacquered) are regarded as regular, but in Edo era, natsume which has makie (gold-lacquered) has started to be made. Besides natsume, some ceramic manufactures are used as usuki.

Nakatsugi
It is cylindrical, and its joint of lid is in the middle of body.

Kouaka
It has red lid and black body.

Yukifuki
Its edges of the lid and the bottom are similarly filed off.

Mentori
It has flat lid and its edge is filed off.

Konrinzi
Godaigo-Tenno (the Emperor) is said to be like it at the Yoshino Konrinzi Temple.

Chagama (Teakettle)

The Chagama is one of important thing in a tea set. So Sen Rikyu sang of importance of the Chagama in a Tanka (a Japanese traditional poem).

The Chagama is classified into Ashiya, Tenmei, Kyosaku and Kantosaku. We can classify it according to size, big one for Ro (a sunken hearth) and small one for Fro (a brazier). And it is named for its shapes and designs.

Chaire (Container for powdered thick tea)

The chaire is container for koicha (powdered thick tea). It is classified into Karamono (Chinese-style) and Wamono (Japanese-style). And it is named for various shapes.

Katatsuki, Bunrin, Nasu, Marutsubo, Shirihari, Daikai, Naikai are in general use. Karamono is made in China. Most of Wamono is made in Seto, Bizen and Takatori. The chaire always has a pouch, called Shifuku. The old chajin (a man who is accomplished in tea ceremony, prize the chaire so highly that some busho (general) in Edo era considered a Chaire to be in apposition with a castle.