my tea ceremony notebook

host - ryakubon temae

Enter the tea room with your fan. Address the teacher: Okeiko onegai itashimasu. Address the guests: Kyakusama onegai itashimasu. Back up out of the tea room.

Sit at the tearoom threshold with the okashi tray in front of you, facing you. Rotate the tray ninety degrees clockwise, twice, so it's now facing the guests. Stand and bring the okashi tray into the tearoom. Sit diagonal from the first guest, place the tray in front of her. Back up a bit, then bow. Bring your right knee close to your left knee, extend your left leg to the left, and move you right knee leftward again. Stand and return to the preparation area.

Sit at the tea room threshold with the chawan, natsume, chasen, chakin, and chashaku on a tray. (The chawan should be in the middle of the tray, with the chakin sitting inside it and the chasen resting on the chakin. The chashaku should be upside-down on the edges of the right side of the chawan. The natsume should be on the tray at a 12 o'clock position.) Place the tray in front of you and to your right. Bow. Pick up the tray and carry it into the tearoom.

As far as I've observed, when entering the tea room the right foot passes first over tatami edges, and when leaving, the left foot passes first over tatami edges.

Set the tray down in front of the ofuro, fairly close to it.

Go back to the preparation room and return with the kensui (waste water bowl). Set the kensui down to your left so that the front of it is in line with the front of your knees, not too close to the fusuma.

[Close the tea room door by pulling it most of the way closed and then pushing it the last inch or so.]

Fold the fukusa. Keep in mind: keep arms rounded, don't hold fukusa too low.

Wipe the natsume and chashaku.

To wipe the natsume, wipe clockwise from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock, then counterclockwise from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. Rotate the fukusa on this second stroke so that at 3 o'clock the fold is "horizontal", then slide it left so it covers the lid. Release the fukusa so that it unfolds to cover the lid, spread your thumb around the lid, slide the fukusa forward (away from you) a bit, and wipe from left to right, keeping your four fingers together. Set the natsume down on the far side of the tray, to the left.

To wipe the chashaku, have fukusa folded between thumb and index finger. Pick up the chashaku by the sides and rotate it upright as you bring it toward you and low. Hold the chashaku in the right hand on its top and bottom. The tip should face slightly downward. With fukusa in left hand, wipe from base to tip and back, being careful not to apply pressure to the ridge in the middle. The out-stroke should be on horizontal surfaces, and the in-stroke should twist from horizontal surfaces to vertical surfaces. Repeat with completely horizontal strokes. Do one last out-stroke, carefully wiping the end, and set down the chashaku on the tray at a 4 o'clock position with the tip resting on the tray and the step resting on the tray's edge.

Set down the fukusa on the left side of the tray with your right hand.

Remove the chasen from the chawan and set it down (always standing up on the handle) to the right side of the natsume.

You always pick up the chasen from the chawan with your right hand in a particular way. Brace the thumb of your right hand and your non-index fingers on the chawan rim. Using your index finger to lift the handle off the edge of the chawan, grasp the handle between the thumb and index finger, lifting the chasen out of the bowl.

Partially unfold the chakin that's on the bottom of the chawan. As you do so, rotate the chakin so it drapes over the side of the chawan, with half inside and half outside.

Wipe the chawan by grasping the chakin with thumb and index finger. Each wipe should be about half to two-thirds of the way around the rim; do three and a half wipes. The important thing is that the chawan should end up facing you. Wipe the inside of the chawan. Set the chawan back down on the tray.

Take the chakin out of the chawan. Put the chakin down on the tray.

Place the fukusa upright on the kettle lid and close the lid.

Pour hot water into the chawan with your right hand holding the upside-down fukusa on the kettle.

Examine the tines of the chasen. Pick up the chasen as described above and look closely at the tines as you rotate it (clockwise from your right hand's perspective) while lowering it back down into the chawan. Rotate wih your whole arm, not just your wrist. Your left hand should be holding the chawan with your thumb and index finger extended near the rim; the other fingers should be gently curved, with the side of your middle finger touching the side of the chawan. Do this twice.

Rinse the chasen. Touching the chawan with your left hand facing upward and to the right, swirl it quickly back and forth in the hot water. Finish by gradually moving your left hand away from the chawan as you make a clockwise circular sweep with the chasen (trace out a hiragana "no"). Put the chasen on the tray, to the right of the natsume.

Empty the chawan.

Pick up the chashaku and tell the guest, Okashi wo douzo.

Use the chashaku to transfer tea to the chawan.

Pick up the natsume with your left hand (by the sides) and the chashaku with your right hand. Keep the natsume over the chawan and slightly to the right of it. Holding the chashaku with your pinky and ring finger, remove the natsume lid with the thumb, index, and middle fingers of your right hand. Put the lid at about the 4 or 5 o'clock position on the tray. Transfer your grip on the chashaku to hold it like a pencil. Scoop from the right side of the natsume, cutting through the mound of matcha with the side of the chashaku. Around two big scoops or three medium scoops seems to be the right amount. Put the lid back on the natsume, return the natsume to the top left area of the tray, and return the chashaku to its former position.

Pour hot water into the chawan.

Mix.

Return the chasen to the top right area of the tray.

Rotate the chawan so it's facing away from you.

Pass the chawan to the main guest.

...

Rinse chawan: pour hot water into the chawan and discard the water into the kensui.

Clean the chasen above the chawan pouring the hot water (???), and rinse the chasen in the chawan. Discard the water into the kensui again.

Clean chashaku.

...

[Offer chashaku and natsume to guests for examination (haiken)].

Return the ryakubon to the preparation area.

Return the kensui to the preparation area.

Come back to the tearoom for "end greetings". Okeiko arigato gozaimashita.

guest

general

Attire: long skirt, not-low-cut top, thick white socks, no jewelry.

Enter the tea room quietly. Ideally, this is done while seated, keeping your fan in front of you on the floor.
Take the fan in your right hand.
Stand from your right foot, walk to the tokonoma, and sit down.
Place the fan in front of you.
Make a formal bow.
View the scroll, and then the flowers and the flower container.
Make another formal bow.
Stand from your left foot.
Crossing the kayoi-datami and then the ro-datami, walk to the dogu-tatami. Cross the tatami edging with your right foot, being careful not to step on the edging.
Sit in front of the kettle.
...
Sit down.
Some opening bows? Not clear on this either.
Sweets will be passed around. When the person to your right gets the plate, says osaki ni and bows, bow in return.
If the person to your right is the chief guest, there will be some time between when she gets the plate and when you can pick it up. The host will say Okashi o douzo. Respond, Okashi o itadakitashimasu.
Bow to the guest on your left and say osaki ni.
Pick up the tray of sweets and put it down in front of you, outside the tatami edging.
...
Take out your kaishi paper and set it down in front of you with the folded side toward you.
For moist sweets: Use the big chopsticks to transfer a sweet to your kaishi paper, wipe off the tips of the chopsticks on the kaishi paper, and return the chopsticks to the sweets tray.
For dry sweets: Touch the tray with your left hand facing upward and to the right. With your right hand take a sweet and place it on your kaishi paper.
...
You are served your chawan, with the front toward you.
Place the chawan between you and the guest to your right, inside the tatami edging.
Bow and say Oshouban itashimasu.
Place the chawan between you and the guest to your left, inside the tatami edging.
Bow and say osaki ni.
Place the chawan in front of you inside the tatami edging.
Bow and say otemae choudai itashimasu (thank you for the tea) to the host.
Pick up the chawan so that it rests in your left palm and you're holding the side with your right hand.
Rotate the chawan clockwise twice so the front is away from you. Pick it up on each rotation, not letting it grind on your palm.
Drink with your hands pretty much in that same position.
To finish it off, make a quick, loud slurp.
Wipe off the part of the rim that you drank from with your thumb and index finger, left to right.
Wipe your thumb and index finger on your kaishi paper.
Rotate the chawan counterclockwise so it's again facing you.
Set the chawan down outside the tatami edging.
Place you palms on the tatami and get a closer view of the chawan.
Crouching with your elbows against your knees, pick up the chawan (but not very high!) with both hands to examine and admire it.
Put the chawan back on the tatami with the front facing the host.
If you are the shokyaku, after the last guest has returned her tea bowl and the host is pouring out the rinse water into the kensui, say, Douzo oshimai o. [sp???]

hakobi usucha temae

Introductory greetings. "Hakobi usucha no o-keiko wo onegai itashimasu." "Kyaku-sama wo onegai itashimasu." or "Kyaku-sama wa, yoroshiku onegaishimasu."
Bring in the o-kashi.
Bring in the mizusashi. Kneel with your kneeline in line with the ro frame and extend your arms a bit. Set down the mizusashi in the center of the mat.
Bring in the natsume in your right hand, held slightly above the tea bowl (with whisk, chakin, and chashaku) in your left hand. Set them down in front of the mizusashi.
Bring in the kensui with futaoki and hishaku, closing the fusuma on your way in.
Sit at an angle to the ro.
Set down the kensui and immediately pick up the hishaku with your left hand.
Balance the hishaku with your right hand and, in one smooth motion, reach under your left arm to grab the futaoki. The hishaku in your left hand should move naturally with your torso. Set down the futaoki to the right of the ro.
Turn the hishaku diagonal and set it down on the futaoki. The bottom of the hishaku should be parallel with the floor when it first makes contact with the futaoki.
Move the kensui further back toward your feet and the fusuma. It should be pretty well hidden back there.
Move the tea bowl in front of you and a little away from you.
Move the natsume between the tea bowl and your knees.
Purify the natsume. Place it on the line between the ro and mizusashi, to the left.
Purify the chashaku. Place it on the natsume.
Take the chasen and put it on the line between the ro and mizusashi, to the right.
Move to the tea bowl toward you, to the center of the area in front of you.
Hold the fukusa in your left hand between your hitosashiyubi and nakayubi. Pick up the hishaku with your right hand and give it to your left hand. Take the fukusa with your right hand.
Use the fukusa to open the kettle lid. (Lift the lid and tilt it away from you to let any condensed water drip off. Bring it toward you as you naturally straighten your torso. Avoiding the corner of the ro frame, bend again to place the lid on the futaoki.)
Set the fukusa to your left.
Pour a ladleful of hot water into the tea bowl. (How do you get your hand in the right position on the hishaku?)
Chasen toshi. (Take the chasen and sit it down on the side of the bowl. Lift it up twice to examine it. Set it down only very briefly before swirling it around in the hot water and setting down the chasen. Discard the hot water.)
Clean the tea bowl with the chakin. Put the chakin back on the kettle lid.
Take the chashaku with your right hand and tell the first guest, "O-kashi wo douzo."
Take the natsume with your left hand. Use your right hand to remove the lid and place it around the 4 or 5 o'clock position relative to the tea bowl.
Put two or three scoops of tea in the bowl.
Put the lid back on the natsume and return it.
Put the chashaku back on top of the natsume.
Pick up the mizusashi lid with your right hand, bring it over your knees, grab around the 10 o'clock position with your left hand, and lean it against the left side of the mizusashi.
Fill the ladle but use only about half to 2/3 of the water, pouring the rest back in the kettle and settings down the hishaku.
Whisk, rotate the tea bowl, and serve, placing the tea bowl at around the 2 o'clock position relative to the futaoki.
Once the first guest has had her first sip of tea, put the fukusa back on your belt.
When the guest returns the tea bowl, look at it briefly as you support it with your left hand (but don't shift the bowl's weight) and set it down with your right hand.
Pour hot water into the bowl and discard it.
When the first guest says, "Douzo o-shimai wo," respond at first by pausing with the tea bowl over your left knee and one hand bowing. Set down the tea bowl and bow with both hands as you respond, "Dewa o-shimai itashimasu."
Pour cold water into the bowl and do chasen toshi, this time swirling the chasen before examining it once.
Discard the cold water, and place the chakin inside the tea bowl before setting it down.
Put the chasen in the tea bowl.
Pick up the chashaku with your right hand.
Move the kensui back and toward the fusuma.
Wipe the chashaku with the fukusa, place it on the tea bowl (on the right side, facing down), pat off the fukusa (you may move your left knee back to reach the kensui), and return the fukusa to your belt.
With your right hand, return the natsume to its original position in front of the mizusashi, right side.
Pick up the bowl with your right hand, give it to your left hand, and place it in its original position in front of the mizusashi, left side.
Scoop cold water into the kettle.
Holding the hishaku with your left hand, return the kettle lid to the kettle.
Put the hishaku on the futaoki, this time with no sound.
Pick up the mizusashi lid with your left hand, give it to your right hand as you rotate it to horizontal, and put it back on the mizusashi.
no haiken option:
- Pick up the hishaku and hold it horizontally, sliding your right hand leftward, partly up the handle.
- With your left hand pick up the futaoki and give it to your right hand. You can rest the hishaku against the futaoki as you're carrying them.
- Rotate your body counterclockwise so you're facing the mizusashi.
- With your left hand pick up the kensui.
- Rise from your left foot.
- Sit down in front of the closed fusuma. Set the kensui down in front of you, futaoki to the right, hishaku resting on the kensui with the ladle part completely outside the kensui.
- Open the fusuma door.
- Rise from your left foot and exit.
- Return, pick up the chawan and natsume, and exit.
- Return, pick up the mizusashi, and exit, bowing outside the doorway.
- Put away your fukusa quickly.
haiken option:
- Pick up the hishaku with your right hand and give it to your left hand as you rotate it away from you and set it down on the kensui.
- Pick up the futaoki with your right hand, placing it on your left palm.
- Holding the right side of the kimono, rotate your body counterclockwise so you're facing the mizusashi.
- Place the futaoki under the hishaku handle. (You'll need to shift your hold on the futaoki.)
- Move the tea bowl "above" the kensui, by the fusuma.
- Pick up the natsume and place it in your left palm.
- Rotate clockwise so you're square with the tatami. The tatami edging on the side of the ro frame should be centered in front of you. Make sure to rotate backwards as well as clockwise so you end up with room in front of you.
- Set down the natsume in front of you.
- Purify the natsume. (In addition to what you did before, open the lid, look at it, set it down, and wipe the top edge.
- Rotate the natsume and put it out for the guests.
- Return fukusa to obi.
- Rotate counterclockwise so you're facing the mizusashi again.
- Pick up the chashaku.
- Rotate back to temae position.
- Set out the chashaku for the guests.
- Turn back to face the mizusashi.
- Pick up the hishaku, futaoki, and kensui and take them out, opening the fusuma door of course along the way.
- Return for the tea bowl, which you'll carry symmetrically with both hands.
- Return for the mizusashi, closing the door as you exit.
- When the guests are done with haiken, open the door, enter, and sit in front of the utensils.
- Answer questions. :)
- Place the natsume on your left palm, take the chashaku in your right hand, and exit, bowing at the door.
Return with your fan for final greetings: "Hakobi usucha no o-keiko arigatou gozaimasu." "Kyaku-sama arigatou gozaimasu."

glossary

aisatsu: greeting
chaseki: tea room
haiken: viewing of tea utensils by guests
hantou: host's assistant
hishyaku: ladle
higashi: dry sweet


jibun: time; season
jikyaku: second guest

kama: kettle
kata: forms for executing actions common to many tea procedures
keiko: training, practice
kohai: junior
kyaku: guest

sabaku: to fold the fukusa in the prescribed manner during a tea procedure; to level off the accumulation of tea powder in a tea bowl with the tip of the chashaku after pouring it from the chaire
sempai: senior
sensu: folding fan
shichijishiki: chanoyu training exercises
shokyaku: first guest (guest of honor)


teishu: host
tume: last guest

warigeiko: the learning of kata

useful phrases

: I understand the word X.
: What does X mean?
: Like this?
: Here?
konohen: this area; around here

	obon temae (a.k.a. bonryaku temae, a.k.a. ryakubon)	usucha hirademae
matcha type	usucha	usucha
natsume	X	X
chaire
chashaku	X	X
chakin	X	X
chasen	X	X
fukusa	X	X
kobukusa
hishaku		X
tana		sometimes
chawan	X	X
bon	X
hakobi		sometimes
kama	X	X
chabako
mizusashi		X
kensui	X	X
futaoki		X