2020 – Urasenke Sydney

1 December 20201 December 2020

夏の茶室 Chashitsu in summer

It was really difficult to cope summer heat before air conditioning. Chajin tried very hard to make their guests feel a little cooler by special 点前 temae and utensils .

Here are some examples ;

・名水点 Meisui-date ( serving koicha with sacred water ) Photo 2

亭主 teishu gets some special water from a sacred spring and prepares in 木地釣瓶水指 kiji tsurube mizusashi ( timber bucket ). 水指 mizusashi is wetted as if it just comes from well and decorated with a sacred rice-straw rope with paper. The water is served to the guests before koicha.

・平水指 Hira-mizusashi ( large and flat mizusashi ) Photo3

A large water surface make you feel cool. It is used for both 濃茶 koicha and 薄茶 usucha 点前 temae.

There are different types of lids for it ;

大蓋 oobuta ( one piece large lid ) – The lid is leaned against 風炉先屏風 furosaki-byoubu or back of 水指 mizusashi opening.

割蓋 wari-buta ( two piece lid )

– with hinges Set 水指 mizusashi with its slit vertical and open left side .

– without hinges Set 水指 mizusashi with its slit horizontal and open front lid.

・葉蓋点前 Habuta-temae ( usucha-temae with a leaf as mizusashi lid ) Photo4

This was made up by 玄々斎 Gengensai XI using a lacquered cylinder of basket 花入 hanaire favoured by himself as 水指 mizusashi. He picked a leaf of paper mulberry tree form the garden and put it as a lid. The lid is sprinkled with water. Various leaves can be used if they don’t have nasty sap. After the lid is opened, the leaf is folded and put away in 建水 kensui.

・洗い茶巾 Arai-jakin ( usucha-temae with chakin floating in the water ) Photo 5

茶巾 chakin is folded triangularity and floating in the water in 茶碗 chawan. 茶杓 chashaku and 茶筅 chasen are set as usual. Before 茶筅通し chasen-tooshi, 茶巾 chakin is lifted over 茶碗 chawan to show water dripping and squeezed and folded properly.

・Use of glass ware Photo4 and 5

In old days glass ware were very precious. They were called 義山 Giyaman and most of them were imported from Europe. 水指 mizusashi, 茶碗 chawan, 蓋置 futaoki and 薄茶器 usucha-ki are often made with glass.

・Cool looking 菓子kashi Photo 6

Jelly-type sweet is popular in summer. Agar-agar and 葛 kuzu ( arrowroot ) starch are often used

・ Several flowers in 籠花入 kago-hanaire ( basket vase ) Photo 7

Three, five or seven different kinds of flowers are arranged in 籠花入 kago-hanaire.

籠花入 kago-hanaire doesn’t require 薄板 usuita ( board under vase) even in 畳床 ( tokonoma with tatami ).

17 November 202017 November 2020

* 初風炉の茶室 Tearoom for Shoburo ( first furo setting of the season )

May in Japan is a beautiful time, temperature is just right, fresh green new shootings are shining in the sun and late spring flowers such as irises, azaleas, wisterias, etc. are in flower.

In the tearoom, 炉 ro is now closed and 風炉 furo is set until the end of October.

風炉 furo was the only water boiling device until 炉 ro was introduced by 村田珠光 MURATA Jukou in late 15th century. Before 珠光 Jukou, 風炉 furo was a part of 唐銅台子皆具 ( bronze daisu- full set ) and 切掛風炉 kirikake-buro ( type of furo on which kama sits without kama stand ). During the time of 珠光 Jukou, 武野紹鷗 TAKENO Jouou and 利休 Rikyu various types of 風炉 furo were introduced.

・Types of 風炉 furo by material

– 土風炉 do-buro ( earthenware furo, lacquered and polished )

See Photo 3.

– 唐銅風炉 karakane-buro ( bronze furo ) See Photo 4.

– 鉄風炉 tetsu -buro ( cast iron furo See Photo 5

– 陶磁器の風炉 toujiki no furo ( porcelain furo )

– 板風炉 ita-buro ( almost a cubical timber box with openings at

the top and the front and with clay linings inside )

・Types of 風炉 furo by formalities

– 真 shin ; 眉風炉 mayu-buro ( top of front opening is linked like

eyebrow ) of 土風炉 do-buro See Photo 3.

– 行 gyou; 土風炉 do-buro without eyebrows, 唐銅風炉 karakane-buro

See Photo 4., brass furo, etc.

– 草 sou ; 鉄風炉 tetsu-buro, 陶磁器の風炉 toujiki no furo and

板風炉 ita-buro

・Types of 風炉 furo by shapes

– 切掛風炉 kirikake-buro ( with the top opening smaller than kama and

kama sits on the opening edge without 五徳

gotoku)

– 眉風炉 mayu-buro ( a kind of 土風炉 do-buro with an eyebrow like

link at the top of front opening 五徳 gotoku is

used. ) See Photo 3.

– 道安風炉 Douan-buro ( with a large U-shaped opening at the front

五徳 gotoku is used .)

– 面取風炉 mentori-buro ( a kind of 道安風炉 Douan-buro with beveled

top edge ) See Photo 4.

– 四方風炉 yohou-buro ( rectangular furo )

– 紅鉢風炉 benibachi-buro ( rather small porcelain furo )

– 欠風炉 kaki-buro ( a kind of 鉄風炉 tetsu-buro with some parts

missing suitable for the end of 風炉 furo season )

風炉 furo naturally becomes very hot, and a kind of board is placed under 風炉 furo to protect tatami.

・Types of 敷板 shiki-ita ( boards under 風炉 furo )

– 長板 naga-ita

– 半板 han-ita ( half of 長板 naga-ita in width)

– 大板 oo-ita ( large board, about 42x42cm square )

– 敷瓦 shiki-gawara ( porcelain board of about 30x30cm square )

for cast iron furo. SeemPhoto 9.

– 小板 ko-ita ( small Board, about 30x30cm square, can vary )

荒目板 arame-ita ( black lacquered with horizontal lines, the

spaces between them becoming gradually

narrower. Wider side is the front. ) for

土風炉do-buro See Photo 6.

掻合塗小板 kakiawase-nuri ko-ita ( black lacquered showing

timber grains ) for 土風炉

do-buro and 唐銅風炉

karakane-buro

See Photo 7.

真塗小板 shin-nuri ko-ita ( black lacquered ) for

唐銅風炉 karakane-buro See Photo 8.

– 丸板 maru-ita ( round black lacquered showing or

not showing grains )

・ Combinations of 風炉 furo and 敷板 shiki-ita

土風炉 do-buro = 荒目板 arame-ita or 掻合塗小板 kakiawase-nuri ko-ita

唐銅風炉 karakane-buro = 掻合塗小板 kakiawase-nuri ko-ita or 真塗小板 shin-nuri ko-ita

鉄風炉 tetsu-buro = 敷瓦 shiki-gawara

陶磁器の風炉 toujiki no furo = 掻合塗小板 kakiawase-nuri ko-ita

四方風炉 yohou-buro = 丸板 maru-ita

・灰形 hai-gata ( formation of sculpted ash in a furo by spoons )

– 二文字押切 nimonji oshikiri

This is the most standard 灰形 hai-gata and can be used for most

風炉 furo of different materials and shapes. See Photo 4.

– 二文字掻上 nimonji kakiage

This is used only for 鉄風炉 tetsu-buro. Make 二文字押切 nimonji

oshikiri first and draw seven, nine or eleven vertical lines.

– 丸灰押切 marubai oshikiri

This is also commonly used particularly for 切掛風炉 kirikake-buro.

The shape is lake a crater with a circular ridge. If there is 五徳 gotoku,

make the ridge at the back of claws of gotoku.

– 丸灰掻上 marubai kakiage

This is used for most of 鉄風炉 tetsu-buro. Make 丸灰押切 marubai

oshikiri first and draw 16 or 24 radial lines from the edge of furo

wall towards the centre leaving the space for charcoal pieces.

– 遠山 tooyama

This is used for 道安風炉 Douan-buro and 面取風炉 mentori-buro.

Make the front ridge slightly round and shape a mountain at back

right in 風炉 furo for 本勝手 hongatte ( conventional tearoom setting

) and at back left for 逆勝手 gyakugatte ( opposite format tearoom setting )

– 向山 mukouyama

This is used only for 中置 nakaoki. Make the front ridge slightly round

and shape a mountain at centre back.

Photo 1

・軸 jiku; 一行 ichigyou 「薫風自南来」前大徳積應老師筆

“ Kunpuu minami yori kitaru. ( Fragrant wind comes from the south. )”

written by Saki no Daitoku Rev. Sekiou

・花入 hanaire; 信楽砧春斎造

Shigaraki ware mullet shape by Shunsai

・薄板 usuita ; 杉蛤端 unlacquered cedar board

・風炉 furo ; 唐銅面取道安風炉寛斎造

bronze mentori Douan-buro by Kansai

・釜 kama ; 松地紋棗釜正芳造

natsume shaped kama with pine tree patterns by Seihou

・棚 tana ; 鵬雲斎大宗匠好竹寿棚静峰造

Houunsai Daisoushou favoured “ Chikuju-dana “ by Seihou

・水指 mizusashi ; 古染付葡萄棚水指写静山造

replica of old sometsuke grapevine trellis mizusashi by Seizan

・薄茶器 usucha container ; 紫陽花蒔絵中棗龍斎塗

middle sized natsume with hydrangea makie by Ryuusai

Photo 2

主菓子 omogashi ; 「落とし文」 “ Otoshibumi ( dropped love letter )”

“ otoshibumi “ itself means a kind of beetle which lays

eggs in a rolled leaf. That rolled leaf looks like a scroll

of letter which people used to drop in front of a

person they were in love in old days before emails and

even telephones. This sweet is very popular during the

season when fresh new leaves are beautiful.

菓子器 kashiki; 輪島塗真塗縁高

Wajima lacquered fuchidaka box

by Itoko Inoue

2 November 20202 November 2020

*晩春の茶室 Chashitsu in late spring.

炉 ro is a sunken hearth and produces heat to boil water and warm up the room. Room heater function is important during cold winter, that is why it is placed between the guests and the host.However, this function is not needed any more in late spring. 透木釜 sukigi-gama is often used during the last couple of weeks of April in Japan, just before moving into 風炉 furo season. 透木釜 sukigi-gama is a large and rather flat 釜 kama with a wing/ wings and it sits on 炉壇 rodan. It is large enough to hide red hot fire.A pair of wooden sticks are placed between kama wing and 炉壇 rodan to protect 炉壇 rodan and to improve air circulation. See Photo 2. 平蜘蛛 hiragumo-gama and 平丸釜 hiramaru-gama have a wing like Saturn’s ring. While 裏甲釜 uragou-gama has detachable wings. See Photos 1 and 4. It can be used as a usual kama without wings. This 裏甲釜 uragou-gama has a 共蓋 tomo-buta ( kama lid made of cast iron ) with 掻立釻 kaitatekan handle. It usually sits up at the front, and it is flipped back with 茶巾 chakin when 茶巾 chakin sits on the lid. See Photo 3. Several different timbered 透木 sukigi are available.利休好 Rikyu-gonomi—- 朴 hou ( magnolia)宗旦好 Soutan-gonomi—- 桐 ( paulownia)竺叟好 Chikusou-gonomi—- 桜 ( cherry wood )圓能斎好 Ennousai-gonomi—-梅（ plum wood )
透木釜 sukigi-gama is used in mid summer to hide red hot fire in 風炉 furo as well.

2 October 20202 October 2020

＊春の茶室 Chashitsu in Spring

There are some signs of spring arrival. 東風 kochi ( strong easterly wind ) is one of them. 釣釜 tsurigama ( hanging kettle ) is used in March to mid April in Japan. Gently swaying 釜 kama reminds us of 東風 kochi.
五徳 gotoku ( kama stand ) is removed from 炉 ro, a chain is hung from a hook called 蛭釘 hiru-kugi ( leach shaped hook ) on the ceiling and 釜kama is hooked on the chain with a handle called 弦 tsuru. Rather small and cylindrical 釜kama such as 筒釜 tsutsu-gama, 雲龍釜 unryuu-gama, 鶴首釜tsurukubi-gama, etc. is suitable for this. Also 五徳蓋置 gotoku-futaoki can be used, because real 五徳 gotoku is not in 炉 ro.
濃茶点前 koicha-demae and 薄茶点前 usucha-demae are as usual. When 釜 kama sways too much, it can be settled by holding at the 鐶 kan with both hands. 炭手前 sumi- demae needs extra steps to avoid damaging 炉縁 robuchi and 炉壇 rodan, and not to let hanging chain intervene your views.

・軸 jiku ; 一行 ichigyou 「春色無高下」前大徳宗津筆

“ Shunshoku mukouge. ( Spring colour are for everybody equally. )”

by Rev. Soushin

・花入 vase ; 朝鮮唐津認造

Chousen Karatsu ware by Mitomu

・香合 insence container ; 有田色絵丸文卵形深川製

Arita ware, egg shaped with circle patterns by Fukagawa

・釜 kettle ; 棗釜正芳造

date shaped kettle by Seihou

・棚 stand ; 宗旦好丸卓 Marujoku favoured by Soutan

・水指 water container ; 三島豊造

Mishima ware by Yutaka