That's not a tea caddy, that's an incense burner!

[chamekke]

Because I know a lot of people here love natsume-s and chaire-s, I just want to give y'all a quick heads-up.

This item, listed today on Rikyucha as a "tea caddy":

http://www.rikyucha.com/item/list2/18471/



...is not a tea caddy. It's a kouro, or incense burner. I own one of these pewter beauties myself; bought it a long time ago on eBay. Which explains, incidentally, why the "inside lid" (mentioned so puzzledly by Rikyucha) is missing! The lid is meant to have holes, so that the scent can escape.

Even comparatively knowledgeable sellers, such as Rikyucha and kofudo_jp, do sometimes misidentify items as being tea-related when they're not. Caution is always a good idea! If it doesn't look like a duck, and doesn't quack like a duck... it may not be a tea ware at all.

[britt]

Even comparatively knowledgeable sellers, such as Rikyucha and kofudo_jp, do sometimes misidentify items as being tea-related when they're not.

Although not a tea vessel, many vendors list incense burners in the tea ceremony section of their online shops. I believe that incense burners are used (or used to be) in the tea ceremony to mask the odors from the charcoal.

[chamekke]

Even comparatively knowledgeable sellers, such as Rikyucha and kofudo_jp, do sometimes misidentify items as being tea-related when they're not.

Although not a tea vessel, many vendors list incense burners in the tea ceremony section of their online shops. I believe that incense burners are used (or used to be) in the tea ceremony to mask the odors from the charcoal.

Incense is indeed used in Chadou, primarily to mask charcoal odours, although the attractiveness of the scent is also important. Usually the incense in question is placed into the ash below the kama (kettle), where it can slowly heat and release its aroma. (If you're using an electric-powered hearth, there is a slot built into the base where you can insert the incense.)

In wintertime, nerikou is used; it's a moist incense, kneaded into ball form, whose base is honey or plum fruit. In the warmer months, squares of sandalwood (byakudan) are used instead. One of the items displayed in the tokonoma is an incense holder or kougou. Wooden kougou, both lacquered and plain, are used in the summer months, while ceramic kougou are used exclusively in winter (my guess is it's because the nerikou can exude oil, which is less likely to leave a permanent stain on ceramic).

From what I've been told, incense burners like this aren't usually used in the tearoom itself. There is one temae or procedure where you share incense together, but it's "enjoyed" out of a koudou cup, the type used in the incense ceremony, which is passed from guest to guest. There may be a temae in which a highly decorated incense burner like the one under discussion can be used, but so far in my several years of study I haven't yet heard of one. Which doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, of course; there are many dozens of temae, and some of them are both advanced and "secret" (not written down).

[britt]

Wow, this Tea Ceremony stuff sure gets complicated! You seem to have learned an awful lot for a student who has only studied this for a couple of years. Thanks for so willingly passing along to us what you have learned.

I'm glad that drinking matcha doesn't require going through the ritual each time, but it is very interesting just how meticulous and well-thought-out the ritual actually is. Gardens, scrolls, flower arranging, incense, etc. I can see how mastering this can take a lifetime.

I think the only thing more difficult to learn than the Tea Ceremony is how to get the tea from a gaiwan into those tiny little cups!

[chamekke]

I think the only thing more difficult to learn than the Tea Ceremony is how to get the tea from a gaiwan into those tiny little cups!

I can believe it! It probably takes a lot more hand-to-eye coordination than I've got, that's for sure.

Actually, looking back at my first posting, I think I was careless in the way I stated my point.

Some sellers (not the aforementioned ones) will attribute almost any Japanese item as being from the matcha tea ceremony when it's nothing of the kind. But what I meant to say was that even the more experienced sellers of tea-ceremony items will misidentify things on occasion, e.g. the "tea caddy" (natsume) that turns out to be an incense burner. Even Hiromitsu sometimes misidentifies wares, and they are one of the higher-end sellers on eBay. I'm sure that it's partly to do with English not being the seller's first language. Whether or not the misidentified item really does have to do with the matcha tea ceremony - it's a matter of pot luck.

So my point wasn't to arrogantly criticize these decent sellers, who like all of us can make an honest mistake from time to time. It was simply to suggest that would-be buyers be extra-cautious when they're tempted to buy something that isn't obviously a {fill in the blank}. It doesn't so much matter if you're buying an item for yourself, but it would be quite embarrassing to buy a teabowl as a gift for a tea teacher, only to be told that it's actually a kashiki (sweets bowl) ... or possibly something else again. I've made a couple of expensive mistakes myself!

[britt]

But what I meant to say was that even the more experienced sellers of tea-ceremony items will misidentify things on occasion, e.g. the "tea caddy" (natsume) that turns out to be an incense burner. Even Hiromitsu sometimes misidentifies wares, and they are one of the higher-end sellers on eBay.

I would expect these mistakes from Westerners, but the fact that the Japanese make the same mistakes on listing tea ceremony items shows just how complex the tea ceremony actually is!

So my point wasn't to arrogantly criticize these decent sellers, who like all of us can make an honest mistake from time to time.

I've never seen you post anything that wasn't very informative and polite or that was in any way arrogant. I apologize if anything I posted made you think otherwise. This is good information you've passed along and it is very relevant to most forum members, as I think we all make online purchases. It is very easy to be deceived online, and the misrepresentations aren't always intentional.

[joelbct]

Wow, this Tea Ceremony stuff sure gets complicated!

Indeed. I myself am content to enjoy my tea and modest teaware collection, and leave the tea ceremony esoteria to the experts.

I attended an introductory ceremony at Urasenke NY, and while it is fascinating and I love the aesthetic, I don't have the time nor really the desire to embark upon a formal course of study.

An aside, I know the Tea Ceremony is influenced by Zen, but it seems to me that the most "Zen" thing to do is just to drink the tea...

[britt]

joelbct:

"And yes Britt I concur, the Tea Ceremony gets quite complicated.

I myself am content to drink my tea and enjoy my small Chado teaware collection. I attended an introductory ceremony at Urasenke NY, and while it is fascinating and I love the aesthetic, I don't have the time nor really the desire to embark upon a formal course of study."



I drink matcha almost daily, and I find the tea ceremony intriguing, yet I have no desire to ever become a formal student. I do, however, hijack certain elements from the tea ceremony and use them in other areas.

I've learned to be more open-minded about the wabi-sabi concept, which I believe refers to the beauty of the imperfect. Now I can appreciate, after actually using them, some items such as matcha chawan that I had previously thought were very ugly. Other items like this still look ugly to me, but at least now I am open to the concept. I think items like these need to be used before a final judgment is placed on them.

A perfectly formed and symetrical item like most Kyo and Arita can become boring after regular use, while an unsymetrical one like Hagi can remain interesting for quite a long time (I'm not really much of a Hagi fan). I think the earthy feel that is present with the wabi-sabi teaware is very appropriate for tea, which is one of nature's greatest gifts to man (and women!).

Although I always liked simplicity, I had far too many pictures, etc. hanging on the walls of my apartment. Most were given to me as gifts, or had belonged to my parents, so I felt obliged to hang them all in the L-shaped living/dining area. I recently removed everything and hung one picture that suits my taste on each wall, with none on one wall. I replaced my mother's cherished Kincaide with an unknown and apparently very old (mine is a copy) Japanese print that had always been one of my favorites (crickets on stalks of pampas grass highlighted by a full moon). I'm sure some would call the room barren or empty, but what is there is now the center without too many distractions. Although I didn't follow formal tea ceremony rules, nor do I intend to, I must admit to it's influence.

[chamekke]

An aside, I know the Tea Ceremony is influenced by Zen, but it seems to me that the most "Zen" thing to do is just to drink the tea...

I sometimes think that tea students' attitude towards these things should echo T.S. Eliot in "Ash Wednesday":

Teach us to care and not to care.
Teach us to sit still.

(Especially after sitting 20 minutes of seiza!!)

[chamekke]

britt, I really appreciated your posting. It took me a while, too, to grok the wabi-er teabowls; but now I prefer them, on the whole, to the more elaborate Kyoyaki pieces (pretty and seasonal though the latter may be). The plainer bowls are more versatile, since they can suit many moods and occasions, and often have a special character that reveals itself over time. And as you say, sometimes they have a beauty that only becomes apparent after actually being used for tea. (Sometimes the beauty is primarily tactile!)

Although I always liked simplicity, I had far too many pictures, etc. hanging on the walls of my apartment. Most were given to me as gifts, or had belonged to my parents, so I felt obliged to hang them all in the L-shaped living/dining area. I recently removed everything and hung one picture that suits my taste on each wall, with none on one wall. I replaced my mother's cherished Kincaide with an unknown and apparently very old (mine is a copy) Japanese print that had always been one of my favorites (crickets on stalks of pampas grass highlighted by a full moon). I'm sure some would call the room barren or empty, but what is there is now the center without too many distractions. Although I didn't follow formal tea ceremony rules, nor do I intend to, I must admit to it's influence.

I'd love to see your print... pampas grass is one of my favourite Japanese motifs*, as is the full moon.

I think your approach is a really skilful one, and probably very refreshing for visitors. Unfortunately I am a bit of a packrat myself - very un-wabi - so mostly I end up "circulating" my pictures in order to have only a small number up at any one time. Thank goodness for storage lockers!

*Summer teabowl (not completely wabi however ) :

[britt]

britt, I really appreciated your posting.

Thanks chamekke. Coming from a student of the tea ceremony, this comment makes me think maybe I am beginning to understand at least part of this.

I'd love to see your print... pampas grass is one of my favourite Japanese motifs*, as is the full moon..

But not the crickets, huh? If I possibly can, I'll try to get you a picture. I've looked online but I don't know what the pic is called, so I'm not sure what to search for. I'm a bit behind the times technology-wise as I have no camera. I'll try to find something.

The pic was given to me a long time ago by a previous girlfriend. She purchased it from the NY Museum of Fine Arts. It came unframed and wasn't very expensive. I had it mounted in a natural wood frame carved to look like bamboo. I didn't like the first mounting (unmatted but also uncropped) so I had it redone and added a mat. I'm thinking of redoing it once again, unmatted and cropped right to the pictures edge. I think the bamboo-like frame and no mat would suit this print much better, as it appears that the original is quite old.

Summer teabowl (not completely wabi however

Very nice! This bowl is rustic but it is also very attractive. I've liked all the teaware I've seen you post here and on your blog. I especially like some of the great prices you have aquired these items for! I'm not such a good or patient shopper myself.

I don't own either chawan I've linked to, but FYI here's a couple of them featuring a full moon.


Here's a full moon and pampass grass chawan from chanoyu-teatoys.com:




And here's a full moon and bamboo chawan from South Silk Road Teas:

[chamekke]

I'd love to see your print... pampas grass is one of my favourite Japanese motifs*, as is the full moon..

But not the crickets, huh?

Oh, I like crickets, too! That's got to be one of the more fetching aspects of Japanese art - the inclusion of insects (which are considered attractive, or at least interesting, rather than repulsive). There's a famous Kyoyaki bowl by Eiraku Hozen, you may have seen it, with a big preying mantis on the side, against a blood-red harvest moon. Very nice. (There's a photo fo it in the book Arts of Japan 2: Kyoto Ceramics; I can scan it if you're curious.) Although I think my favourite insect-in-Japanese-art is probably the hotaru or firefly.

The pic was given to me a long time ago by a previous girlfriend. She purchased it from the NY Museum of Fine Arts. It came unframed and wasn't very expensive. I had it mounted in a natural wood frame carved to look like bamboo. I didn't like the first mounting (unmatted but also uncropped) so I had it redone and added a mat. I'm thinking of redoing it once again, unmatted and cropped right to the pictures edge. I think the bamboo-like frame and no mat would suit this print much better, as it appears that the original is quite old.

The mounting makes a huge difference, doesn't it. I really like taking the time to find the right frame and mat. The glass part can be expensive, but the result is worth it.

I don't own either chawan I've linked to, but FYI here's a couple of them featuring a full moon.

Here's a full moon and pampass grass chawan from chanoyu-teatoys.com:

I own one like this, too - but I hadn't realized (or noticed) that Tea Toys sells the same one. Mind you, mine was purchased second-hand on eBay a couple of years back. (You guys are going to think I'm the queen of eBay. But my big spending days are behind me, I swear!)

[britt]

Oh, I like crickets, too! That's got to be one of the more fetching aspects of Japanese art - the inclusion of insects (which are considered attractive, or at least interesting, rather than repulsive). There's a famous Kyoyaki bowl by Eiraku Hozen, you may have seen it, with a big preying mantis on the side, against a blood-red harvest moon. Very nice. (There's a photo fo it in the book Arts of Japan 2: Kyoto Ceramics; I can scan it if you're curious.) Although I think my favourite insect-in-Japanese-art is probably the hotaru or firefly.

Who but the Japanese would mix shishi and flowers on porcelain (Imari)?

I never saw the praying mantis-harvest moon bowl. If you have the time to scan this, I would appreciate seeing it, but please do this only if you really have the time and at your convenience.

The firefly does seem to be very popular on Japanese tea and dinner ware. Personally, I prefer dragons and shishi but I can also handle fireflys!

The mounting makes a huge difference, doesn't it. I really like taking the time to find the right frame and mat. The glass part can be expensive, but the result is worth it.

By the time I had the picture remounted, I had spent many times the price of the print. In this case, I should have just done what the museum did when they framed it for the catalogue pic. Antique gold frame, no mat; very suitable IMO. The non-glare glass was the most expensive part, but it was worth it.

(You guys are going to think I'm the queen of eBay. But my big spending days are behind me, I swear!)

Uh, okay, I believe you. I've promised myself the same thing, but there's always that chawan or yunomi that Toru of Artistic Nippon or Hidehisa of Magokorodo tempts me with in their webshop updates!

BTW I've added the links to The Art of Tea magazine samples in an additional post over there. Sorry about the oversight.

[chamekke]

I never saw the praying mantis-harvest moon bowl. If you have the time to scan this, I would appreciate seeing it, but please do this only if you really have the time and at your convenience.

Here you go (a little scan from a little picture!):

[britt]

Here you go (a little scan from a little picture!):

chamekke-
Thanks very much for taking the time to scan the bowl. I never saw that one before, or anything quite like it. Very unusual in a good way. I wish more of this type of chawan were available today. It goes very well with my print; grass, insects, and full moon.

I was able to find a rather poor picture of my print online. The artist is Shibata Zeshin who lived in the 1800's. He did laquerware and paintings, and I saw somewhere that he discovered a way to laquer paintings so they could be rolled up without damaging the laquer or the paint (for scrolls?).

Thanks again!