Japanese Tea Ceremony

Discovery Chest Artifact Description Cards

http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/utensils.html Japanese Tea Ceremony

In 700 AD, tea was drunk to promote alertness. Chanoyu, sado, or 'the way of the tea' dates back to the Nara period and was used by Etiquette meditating Buddhist monks. In the 14th Century, it took a turn and became a highly elaborate and expensive pursuit for the nobility. 1. Be prompt in arriving so your host can begin on time. Tea ceremony, however, made a significant impact on society in 2. Remove your shoes when entering a Japanese the 16th Century. It was Sen no Rokkyu (1522-91) who created a home -- the host will provide slippers to wear. simple, minimalist aesthetic with utensils that echoed the 3. Drink the entire portion of tea (it will not be irregularities of the natural world. Other tea masters followed suit large) and eat everything served. with various approaches and tea ceremony has since evolved into 4. Turn the tea bowl slightly to avoid drinking tea three main Senke schools, which are Ura, Omote, and Mushakoji. from the front side. Other influential schools include Enshu, Yabunouchi, and Sohen. 5. Smoking is generally prohibited in the tea room. To the Japanese, drinking tea is not merely slurping beverage. It 6. Each implement used in a tea gathering involves a number of preparation and discipline that are (including scroll, flowers, and food) has been conducted according to a highly stylized etiquette. In a way, the thoughtfully selected by your host and has mental discipline involved in tea ceremonies is associated with special meaning. They should be treated as the fundamental training of a samurai warrior. objects of appreciation. Admire them and compliment your host with sincerity. This is the The traditional setting of a tea ceremony comprises a thatched most important responsibility of a guest. teahouse that is located in a landscaped garden. For a novice, the 7. After two or three days, call or write a note of proceedings and preparations are rather laborious; but thanks to express your appreciation. This is connoisseurs would understand and appreciate tea as an art form, known as korei or "thanking afterwards." which would take years of training and reflection. http://japanese-tea-ceremony.net/utensils.html Matcha Green Tea What is this? • Unlike regular green tea, matcha also uses the leaves and the stems of the plant, and is also aged, often for more than 30 years How is it made? • The leaves are hand harvested annually. Only the smallest, youngest/greenest parts of the plant—the two leaves at the tip of each new shoot—are picked. They are then steamed to preserve the color and nutrients, and to stop the enzymatic action within the leaves, then thoroughly dried in large cages equipped with heated blowers. The leaves are de-stemmed and de-veined, then kept refrigerated until they’re ready to be ground, using large granite wheels that rotate very slowly to avoid scorching, into a very fine powder known as matcha.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 2A – Tea Ceremony White Cloth (Chakin)

What is this? • Chakin is a linen or hemp cloth the host uses to ritually wipe the tea bowl after the guest has finished drinking Preparation • In the tea preparation room, the Chakin is washed, then carefully stretched to remove any creases and. It is placed in the tea bowl together with the whisk and the scoop. During the tea ceremony it is removed from the tea bowl and placed on the tea kettle. Different styles of Chakin are used for thick and thin tea.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 3A – Tea Ceremony Clay Tea Bowls (Chawan)

What is this? • Chawan is a handleless clay bowl used as a tea cup. How is it made? • Chawans are hand-shaped rather than thrown, and are made fairly porous by using low firing temperatures. Next, lead glazes are applied and the pieces are removed from the kiln while still glowing hot and allowed to cool in the open air.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 4A – Tea Ceremony Fresh Water Jar

What is this? • A container that holds water, either for tea or for cleaning the tea bowls after use.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 5A – Tea Ceremony Tea Whisk What is this? • A bamboo whisk used to whip the matcha tea into a froth. What is the history of the tea whisk? • Craftsmen have been making tea whisks since around 1333-1568. It all started with when Murata Juko, the founder of the Japanese tea ceremony, asked the second son of a Japanese lord to make him a tea whisk. How are these made? • The hollow stems of bamboo that are two to three years old are cut during the winter and bleached in the sun when it’s cold outside. The bamboo is cut to the required length, and the skin is scraped off. The bamboo tip is split into halves repeatedly, then dipped into hot water. Each bamboo strip is thinned down towards its end and curled. JAPANESE TEA PARTY 6A – Tea Ceremony Tea Scoop What is this? • Chashaku (tea scoop) is used to transfer the powdered tea from the tea container to the tea bowl. Usually, they are made of a narrow, thin piece of bamboo. They are generally about 18 cm in length. • Tea masters in Japan have traditionally carved their own bamboo chashaku, providing them with a bamboo storage tube (tsutsu) as well as a poetic name (mei 銘) that will often be inscribed on the storage tube..

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 7A – Tea Ceremony Tea Ladle

What is this? • Hishaku (tea ladle) is used to transfer either hot water to the kettle or fresh water to the tea bowl to clean it.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 8A – Tea Ceremony Paper Napkins (Kaishi)

What is this? • Kaishi are small sheets of washi (Japanese decorative paper) originally tucked in the chest of kimono. Soft but sturdier than regular paper napkins, kaishi have been used in Japan for more than a thousand years as memo pads, small plates to place sweets on, tissues, coasters, blotting papers and money envelopes.

• Today kaishi are mostly used in tea ceremonies, but people still appreciate them for their simple elegance and practicality.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 9A – Tea Ceremony Flower Basket (Hana-ire) What is this? • A container for displaying flowers, or a flower vase. Generally, there are three types found in tea ceremony rooms: one that sits on a flat surface, one which hangs from a hook on the alcove post, and one which hangs from the outer frame of the alcove. Hana-ire can be made of metal, ceramics, bamboo tubes, or materials woven into a basket. Generally speaking, metal vases are used for formal tea ceremonies, ceramic ones are used for semi-formal ceremonies, and bamboo or basket types are used for rustic, informal ceremonies. There are a great variety of shapes and types reflecting the tastes of the many tea masters.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 10A – Tea Ceremony Flower Basket Box

What is this? • A container for the Flower Basket

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 11A – Tea Ceremony Black Kimono

What is this? • A traditional Japanese dress worn during the ceremony What is it made of? • hemp, linen, silk, and satin weaves

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 1B – CLOTHES White Kimono

What is this? • A traditional Japanese dress worn during the ceremony What is it made of? • hemp, linen, silk, and satin weaves

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 2B - CLOTHES Japanese Ink Wash Painting

What is this? • East Asian brush painting that uses black ink – as used in East Asian calligraphy – in different concentrations. What’s the style of painting? • Ink Wash Painting has a preference for shades of black over variations in color, and an emphasis on brushwork and the perceived "spirit" or "essence" of a subject over direct imitation.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 2C – BOOKS / PAPERS Japanese Gourd What is this? • A calabash, bottle gourd, or white-flowered gourd, is a vine grown for its fruit, which can be either harvested young to be consumed as a vegetable, or harvested mature to be dried and used as a utensil. When it is fresh, the fruit has a light green smooth skin and white flesh What is it used for? • The hulu is an ancient symbol for health. In former times, doctors carried medicine inside it, so it has fabled healing properties. • Dried calabash are also used as containers for liquids, often liquors or medicines. Calabash gourds were also grown to house pet crickets, which were kept for their song and fighting abilities. • It can be made into a musical instrument, hulusi, a kind of flute.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 2D – OTHERS Chopsticks

What is this? • Two carved pieces of wood used as eating utensils

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 3D - OTHERS Japanese Flag Banners

What is this? • A banner printed with the Japanese flag What is the history of the flag? • A sun-disc flag was adopted as the national flag for merchant ships in 1870. The sun plays an important role in Japanese mythology and religion as the Emperor is said to be the direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. During the Meiji Restoration (when imperial rule was restored to the Empire of Japan in 1868), both the sun disc and the Rising Sun Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy became major symbols in the emerging Japanese Empire. Propaganda posters, textbooks, and films depicted the flag as a source of pride and patriotism.

JAPANESE TEA PARTY 9D - OTHERS