Taketori Monogatari?

[Chip]

Taketori Monogatari? For what is it used?

Have seen them used as lid rests somewhere?

[brandon]

It is actually a resting point for the business end of the bamboo water scoop - Chamekke will be along shortly with the correct name. Some folks rest the scoop upside down on the kama, but it can also be rested on the short bamboo stalk you show here, with the handle at a 45 degree angle towards the tatami.

[brandon]

http://www.samovartea.com/html/lounge/teatv.cfm#top

If you watch "A Tea Gathering at San Francisco's Urasenke Society" here, you will see this in use.

[Chip]

Thanks, Brandon. I appreciate the information.

[Space Samurai]

Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

[Drax]

Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

THANK YOU!!

I kept wondering, why would they call these cups "Story of the Bamboo Bird"

取り　not 鳥 (both "tori")

*sigh*....

[chamekke]

Taketori Monogatari? For what is it used?

Have seen them used as lid rests somewhere?

You are thinking of futaoki - futa meaning "lid" and oki meaning "rest". They are indeed made out of pieces of bamboo. However, I suspect that the pieces in your Taketori Monogatari photo above are purely for decoration. They are very long, they are cut on an angle, and there is no visible septum at or towards the top, as there normally would be in a futaoki.

This is what bamboo futaoki look like (photo at right):



The one on the left, with the node right at the top, is for use with the furo (brazier) used in the warmer months. The one on the right, with the node partway down on stem, is for use with the ro (sunken hearth) in the winter months.

[Chip]

Thanks everyone. So, I can still drink and enjoy matcha w/o one?

[chamekke]

Thanks everyone. So, I can still drink and enjoy matcha w/o one?

Sure

Can I ask where you found the photo? I'm really curious now to find out what your picture is about. From the inset, I'm suspecting that the bamboo is supposed to glow in the dark, in the same way that the bamboo glowed when it was concealing the moon-princess Kaguya-hime. But that's really just a guess.

[Chip]

Kaburagien, scroll down towards the bottom. But not much info there, maybe there is more on the site. Please let us know what you find out.

[Drax]

From the inset, I'm suspecting that the bamboo is supposed to glow in the dark, in the same way that the bamboo glowed when it was concealing the moon-princess Kaguya-hime. But that's really just a guess.

Nice call, that does look like the reason. Makes it seem like the bamboo is plastic or something. If not, then they soaked it (or painted it) in some sort of luminescent paint (either way, I hope it's safe to store edibles in......)

[chamekke]

For those who are curious, the Javascript popup on Kabagurien's listing says:

No.1130-3 new sale of can Taketori Monogatari large size (name of ancient Japanese novel) Shining in night.
Its is a technique for the fist time to cut slantingly the can and make a cap from 1 pieces of tinplate moreover the can shine green and it recall the tale of Kaguya princess. It is good for bring up the subject and good for new year season.

I was wondering if the "bamboo" was supposed to echo the kadomatsu decoration used at Japanese New Year, since the bamboo for that is cut at an even more dramatic angle. Maybe not.

Here's a Hello Kitty version of Taketori Monogatari. This "netsuke" comes with a little battery so that the whole thing lights up when you push the button at the back:


From the blog Japan Regional Hello Kitty (scroll to the bottom to see a description).

[Shelob]

Chamekke, Thanks for the 'info' post.
That Hello Kitty is adorable