The essentials: 5. Do things ahead of time

The ancient tea master, Rikyu once said “Do things ahead of time”.  This is one of the seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which I introduced on the previous entry.

If there is a party, what time would you like to get there?  Would you be there earlier than it starts, just on time, or after it started?  I guess that this custom may vary in different countries.  In Japan, people get together on time or slightly earlier than it starts.  Maybe because, it is often said that it is better to do things 5 minutes ahead.    I assume that this kind of practice is somehow related with Rikyu’s “Do things ahead of time”.

What is the essential idea behind “Do things ahead of time” in tea serving?  I have almost the same understanding as common opinions.  Leeway of time will make a leeway on your mind.  A relaxed mind allows you to treat your guests with composure.  Eventually, it helps for serving good tea. 

My interpretation of Rikyu’s “Do things ahead of time” is that
leeway on your mind is important.

As I was writing this entry, I remembered my own experience when I was a student.  One day, on my way home, I saw a familiar businessman parking his car on a street one block away from my house.  I asked my mother what he was doing there.  She said that he was probably waiting to adjust the time for our appointment.  Before this incident, I thought that being early is always good but I realized afterwards that it may not be appreciated at times.  The host may not be ready at the time and you might make him/her rush.  I was impressed with how professional the businessman was.  Not only because of the time consideration, but also because he waited at a place not visible from our house.   This behavior comes from the spirit of thinking of others.    If you have the chance to visit your friend in Japan, try to be just on time or slightly earlier than the appointment.   

This interpretation may vary in the future as I experience and understand The Way of Tea more.

Related entries

The essentials of The Way of Tea

1. Prepare the tea just right

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

4. Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

5. Do things ahead of time

6. Have umbrellas ready even if it is not raining

7. Care about the guests

The essentials: 4. Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

The ancient tea master, Rikyu once said “Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer”.  This is one of the seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which I introduced on the previous entry.

In tea ceremonies, the position of the heath is usually close to the guests in winter and far in summer.  I think this scenario could be one of the examples of the essential.  However, I also think this lesson is not only telling us about actual temperatures.   The coolness or warmth can be expressed with the design of utensils, confections or hanging scrolls. 

In summer, you can use a flat-type water container, which creates a large water surface.  The appearance of water can provide some kind of coolness.   Thick and narrow types of a tea bowls are often preferred in winter.  They actually keep the tea warmer, but also their atmosphere creates visual warmth.  I think that these thoughtful hospitalities of the host can help create a better comfort for his/her guests.  In other words, you’d better have a good sense of the season.

I also have a further interpretation more than the sense of the season.  For instance, even if the host serves you a perfect taste of tea, would you be able to enjoy the tea in a very noisy place or in an extremely cold place?  Probably you wouldn’t…  I believe the environment is as important as the taste of tea.   Creating a comfortable environment for your guests is essential.  I think that the comfortable air condition is only one of the examples. 

My interpretation of Rikyu’s “Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer” is that
environment of things are very important.

This interpretation may vary in the future as I experience and understand The Way of Tea more.  

Related entries

The essentials of The Way of Tea

1. Prepare the tea just right

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

4. Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

5. Do things ahead of time

6. Have umbrellas ready even if it is not raining

7. Care about the guests

The essentials: 3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

The ancient tea master, Rikyu said “Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields”.  This is one of the seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which I introduced on the previous entry.

In a tea ceremony, flowers are displayed at the tokonoma alcove in the tea room.  They are usually seasonal flowers and simply arranged, never gaudy.  Even if there are many flowers in the field, we never bring them all into the tea room, not even if it is said to arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields.  The arrangement is usually composed of a few flowers which are carefully selected by the host to match the theme of the ceremony.

Some people interpret Rikyu’s statement as to “See the essences and express simply”.  I understand it when you think of the basics of the tea flower arrangement.  But, the interpretation, “See the essences and express simply” has a big difference literally from “Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields” for me.  I might need more training to understand better.

At the moment, I would simply interpret it as “Making things natural or being natural is important”.  Natural is the best.  I think it can be applied to the utensils, tea room and your behavior.  That could be why natural materials with minimum processing and without unnecessary decorations are preferred for the utensils and tea room.  And also, your behavior and movement in a ceremony should be natural.  Don’t put on airs.

This interpretation may vary in the future as I experience and understand The Way of Tea more.  

Related entries

The essentials of The Way of Tea

1. Prepare the tea just right

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

4. Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

5. Do things ahead of time

6. Have umbrellas ready even if it is not raining

7. Care about the guests

Koma 小間, “small tea room”

At our hatsu-gama, after we had the meal and tea hosted by our master, we had a chance to practice our tea preparation.  I was very happy and excited with the lesson.  Can you guess why?

Our master has two tea rooms in her house.  One is six-tatami-mat room and the other one is three-tatami room, which is recognized as the koma, a small room.  We practice the ceremony in the bigger room at usual lessons.  I have never used the small one.  Our master offered us to use the small room for our practice at hatsu-gama!  Finally yes!!  I have been always curious about the room and wanted to use it.  We, disciples had a couple of sessions by taking turns being the host and guests. 

Me sitting as a guest in the small room

Do I look good in kimono?

My wife, Hiro hosting in the small room

  

The room was indeed excellent.  Soft light was coming through the paper screen, and the room was a little darker than the other room.  You can see a natural-wooden pole, soil wall and elaborately designed ceiling, and can sit on tatami.  You are surrounded by nature. 

There are no unnecessary spaces.  The room is just perfect size.  It is cozy.  I think that in human psychology, people feel more secured and comfortable when they are surrounded with something.  In a restaurant, you will probably feel comfortable at a table in a corner or by a wall, rather than at one in the center of the hall.  I guess the same kind of theory also works in the small tea room, so I felt very relaxed.  Not only the physical proximity, but I also felt closer when it comes to psychological distance among the participants.   The closeness creates something more and the ceremony more concentrated.  I experienced that The Way of Tea is not only about savoring tea, but also savoring the space and time with others.

I believe that it is very rare to have such small room in Western architectures.  If you have a chance to come to Japan, I’ll encourage you to experience tea in a small tea room.  It will definitely be extraordinary.

Hanging scroll and flower in the tokonoma alcove in the small room

Hatsu-gama, the first tea ceremony of the year

It has been about a half year since we started learning from the current master.

The first tea ceremony of the year is called “hatsu-gama”.  Our master invited all of her disciples in it.  She requested us to wear kimono.  Hatsu-gama is different from the costmary lessons, which is a little more formal than usual. 

The two biggest differences from usual were that our master did the hosting, and meals were served. 

At usual lessons, we, disciples play a role of the host and serve tea to other students.  Our master sits next to us and just tells us what to do.  She sometimes shows examples of each action, but I have never seen her hosting an entire ceremony.  This was my first time to observe her serving.  I gazed ate her every single movement, because I wanted to learn something out of it.   I was especially impressed with her action for handling fukusa, silk cloth.  It was graceful and gentle.

We don’t have meals in our usual lessons, but meals are often served at some formal tea ceremonies.  At this hatsu-gama, a meal in a box was served for each guest.  I could tell that our master took a lot of time to prepare this meal, which was a traditional New Year dish.  Six guests enjoyed the meal over having some chitchast and talking about the meal.  I kind of experienced harmony and bonding in the tea room at noon of a fine winter Sunday.   I think it is probably the essence of The Way of Tea.

I truly enjoyed hatsu-gama.  I was happy celebrating the New Yare with our master and my peers in the special ceremony.  I realized again that experiences are important.

The essentials: 2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

An ancient tea master, Rikyu said “place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water”.  This is one of the seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which I introduced on the previous entry.  People have different interpretations for the essentials. 

In tea ceremonies, the host heats up the kettle ussing charcoals.  He uses different types of charcoals and each of them has specific shape and size.  There are proper procedures and manners for placing them in the hearth or brazier.  There are even certain positions for each charcoal in the hearth which can create stable heat during the ceremony. 

Does the said statement refer to preparing the heat fine only or is there more meaning to it?

Before guests come, you have to prepare a lot of things to boil the water.  If you don’t place the charcoal correctly, you won’t get enough heat to boil the water, or they will burn too fast and you won’t have enough heat left when you prepare the tea.  To serve good bowls of tea, proper placement the charcoals is very important.  It will affect the success of the ceremony.  I think that “placement the charcoals” refer to the preparations in general. 

My interpretation of Rikyu’s “Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water” is that
preparations of things are very important.

This interpretation may vary in the future as I experience and understand The Way of Tea more.

Related entries

The essentials of The Way of Tea

1. Prepare the tea just right

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

4. Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

5. Do things ahead of time

6. Have umbrellas ready even if it is not raining

7. Care about the guests

The essentials: 1. Prepare the tea just right

An ancient tea master, Rikyu said “prepare the tea just right”.  This is one of the seven essentials of The Way of Tea, which I introduced on the previous entry.  People have different interpretations of the essentials. 

How do you interpret “prepare the tea just right”?  Do you think there is an absolute way of preparing tea?  I think that “Prepare the tea just right” means “prepare the tea just right for your guests”.  The tea should be in an appropriate amount, temperature and density that your guests want.  You need to consider the guest’s condition, today’s weather or the situation.  It’s important that you need to think of each guest’s feelings and situations.  I don’t think there is an absolute preparation.

There is a famous episode for serving tea. 

One hot day, a samurai, Hideyoshi stopped by a temple on a trip for hawking.  A boy at the temple served tea to him.  The boy was highly evaluated by Hideyoshi with the three servings of tea. 

The boy prepared plenty of thin tea with lukewarm water first.  Hideyoshi drained the tea, and asked another serving.  The boy prepared the second tea with a standard way, hotter-thicker tea with smaller amount than the first one.  Hideyoshi had the tea and asked another serving.  The boy served thicker and much less amount of tea for the third.  Hideyoshi relished the tea and asked the boy why he served different teas.  The boy answered “You must have been thirsty, so I made the first tea easy to drink and to quench your thirst.  Your thirst must have got ease, so I made the smooth tea for the second serving.  Your thirst must have gone at the moment, so I made the third tea for you to savor the rich flavor”.  Hideyoshi loved his thoughtful wits.

I think this is a good example of “Prepare the tea just right”.

My interpretation of “Prepare the tea just right” is that

considering appropriate points on things is important.

My interpretation may vary in the future as I experience and understand The Way of Tea more. 

This will be the last entry of this year.  Thank you so much for reading my blog.  I’ll probably be back around the second week in January.  I wish you all a happy new year!!

Related entries

The essentials of The Way of Tea

1. Prepare the tea just right

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

4. Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

5. Do things ahead of time

6. Have umbrellas ready even if it is not raining

7. Care about the guests

The essentials of The Way of Tea

What are the essentials of The Way of Tea?  One day, a disciple asked his master.  The master was Rikyu, an ancient tea master who perfected The Way of Tea.   He answered it with the seven theorems, which are well-known as the essentials of The Way of Tea.  I think they seem too common, and also vague.

The seven essentials of The Way of Tea by Rikyu

1.    Prepare the tea just right

2.    Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3.    Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

4.    Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

5.    Do things ahead of time

6.    Have umbrellas ready even if it is not raining

7.    Care about the guests

“I’ve already known those things enough” the disciple said.  Rikyu replied “If you can do them all, I will be your apprentice.”  Rikyu probably wanted to say that doing basics naturally and perfectly is the most difficult.  Knowing and doing are different.

The abovementioned thought might be the first thing that Rikyu wanted to tell, but I still think that some of the theorems are ambiguous.  Do you get what Rikyu really want to say?   What does “Prepare the tea just right” really mean?  You can interpret it superficially, but it might have a great message behind.  I translated the seven essentials literally without getting my personal perspective involved.  So, I’d like you to interpret Rikyu’s words yourself.  There are different interpretations and opinions on each theorem.  I would like to introduce mine on the future entries. 

(Source: Ikkojin No.123, KK bestsellers, Aug. 2010)

Related entries

The essentials of The Way of Tea

1. Prepare the tea just right

2. Place the charcoal appropriately to boil the water

3. Arrange the flowers as if they were in the fields

4. Make it seem warm in winter, and cool in summer

5. Do things ahead of time

6. Have umbrellas ready even if it is not raining

7. Care about the guests

Fubuki, a utensil used in the tea lesson last night

Fubuki

Can you tell what this utensil is for?  There are many types of utensil existing in the world of The Way of Tea.  Our master introduces a new utensil in our class from time to time.  I like to show some of them sometimes in this blog.

This is a tea container.  Types of container are distinguished by their form.  The most common type is chunatsume which is often used in our lessons.  Last night in the lesson, we used a different type called fubuki.  Despite of the rounded form of chunatsume, fubuki has a cylindrical shape with chamfered edges. 

The entire ceremony with fubuki goes the same as chunatsume’s, but there are two very minor differences in its treating manner.   First difference is that of the holding position.  When you pick up the container, we hold chunatsume from upper-side, but you need to hold fubuki from right side.  Another difference is the motion of purifying.  In the beginning of the ceremony, we wipe the lid of the container with silk cloth to purify.  You need to wipe fubuki with straight stroke and rounded stroke with chunatsume.  You might think “what minor differences?!” and so what. 

I honestly don’t know the reason for the differences, but we learn these manners in the lessons.  I hope I can realize the reasons through my career and also I would like you to learn with me by reading my blog.

This is chunatsume.

Things in a sifter

My previous tea master and current master buy matcha from the same shop.  It’s an old small tea shop in the town.  I love the matcha from this tea shop; it’s the best ever.  The other day, I saw something unusual at the shop.

The lady at the shop usually take out matcha from boxes, but this time she went to mills and open a drawer under one of the mills.   In the drawer, there was a powdery substance spread from the mill.  She collected and scooped it and put it into a sifter. 

Which she gathered and put into a sifter.

I found something in the sifter.  The photo may not be so clear but you can still see something there.  They look like small balls.  Can you tell what they are? 

Well, the lady told me that they are the fruit of tea plant.  They are the things you can find after the flower wilts and its petals come off the plant.  She said that she puts them in the sifter to quicken the sifting.  She sifted matcha.  It was sure fast.  It was a new discovery at a usual shop.  She packed and wrapped the matcha with accomplished manner as usual.