Tea Ceremony Saijiki

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Tea Ceremony Saijiki 茶道の歳時記

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a cup of tea
in my small room -
insects of autumn

Gabi Greve, 2005

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Explanation

The Japanese Tea Ceremony (chadoo　茶道, cha no yu 茶の湯) has many seasonal events.



茶の湯の銘大百科

季節の言葉に見られる美しい日本語　。。。［稲畑汀子］

Great Dictionary about the Tea Ceremony
One of the authors is Inahata Teiko, the Haiku Master.
http://tankosha.topica.ne.jp/special/bookfair/2005_07/book1.html

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Sasaki Sanmi, "Chado: The Way of Tea -- A Japanese Tea Master's Almanac",
translated by Shaun McCabe and Iwasaki Satoko, foreword by Shen Soshitsu XV
(Tuttle, 2002)

The book is very pricy, but for those interested in both chado and haiku, it is a very worthwhile investment. The book is highly idiosyncratic, but gives a good idea of how a spcecific tea-master's mind worked (1893-1969), and includes lengthy sections on foods and other
seasonal items, month by month. He was also a recognized haiku master, and the book includes many haiku, with somewhat awkward translations.

Unlike the Japanese book cited above, this one is less concerned with universals of chado, more with one specific person's approach to it all.



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The Japanese tea ceremony is usually celebrated is a separate room or house, the Tea Ceremony Room, chashitsu 茶室.



This tea room of the temple Ginkaku-Ji in Kyoto is said to be the first of its kind in Japan.

I love
My hut
At the foot of the Moon-awaiting Mountain
And the reflection
Of the sinking sky

Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490) ... and more about this place.

銀閣寺, 同仁斎


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Each Month with its tea-related kigo
From a Japanese Saijiki

一月 Januaray
二月 Feburary
三月 March
四月 April
五月 May
六月 June
七月 July
八月 August
九月 September
十月 October
十一月 November
十二月 December

© 2000-2004 sadoukaikan
http://www.sadoukaikan.com/tea/saijiki.html

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Tools used in Summer

『桑小卓（くわこじょく）』

『平茶碗（ひらちゃわん）』

『平建水（ひらけんすい）』

『平水指（ひらみずさし）』

http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~chaka/cha/ct03.html

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Homepage of the Urasenke 　裏千家のＨＰ
http://www.urasenke.or.jp/textm/headq/soke/

© Urasenke Homepage Canada

　 裏千家の家元、千宗室
Interview with Sen Soshitsu (Sen Sooshitsu) 　 Present Iemoto

"Chanoyu: an Anthropological Approach to Tea,"
Jennifer Anderson 　

... ... ...


Yabunouchi Tea School 藪内流 WKD


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Teacups chawan 茶碗 are very important in the tea ceremony.

Here are some from Raku Kichizaemon XV
樂 吉左衛門

　楽茶碗 Tea Cups in the RAKU style WKD

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The rain stayed away
This night was hot and moonie
Raku is the best

--Sarah M. and Natalie C.



Read more here:
　©　Annual Raku firing with Ellis students
-- tea ceremony and haiku

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Lid stand (futa oki, futaoki　蓋置き)
To keep the lid of the water kettle off the floor.
This small item made of various materials, including porcelain, bamboo or carved wood.
To give it a seasonal touch, in winter a pine cone is used, in summer a butterfly.

CLICK for more LINKS !

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Worldwide use

China

Gongfu Cha

The place of tea time in England, tea ceremony in Japan, gongfu cha in China... show that tea is more than a drink. It's a social activity. One that let's us exchange and share a common feeling with friends, family or even strangers.

Chinese Tea Masters
External LINK by Stéphane Erler

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Germany

Jahreszeiten im Teeweg , Jahreszeitenworte

by Gerhardt Staufenbiel, Urasenke Teelehrer (Teamaster)

Read the German explanations here:

Jahreszeiten im Teeweg, by Gerhardt Staufenbiel

"Was ist der geheime Hintergrund für die Verwendung des Furo im Sommer und des Ro im Winter?"
"Ruf im Sommer das tiefe Empfinden einer kühlen Frische und im Winter das einer geborgenen Wärme hervor.
Leg die Holzkohle so, daß sie das Wasser richtig erhitzt und bereite einen Tee, der erfreut - das ist das ganze Geheimnis!"
Sen no Rikyû

The German text is found here:
http://www.teeweg.de/de/kisetsu/jahreszeiten.html


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12 Months in the Tea Ceremony

一月 Ichigatsu - JANUARY

茶入 Chaire - Behälter für den dicken Tee - Containers for thick tea
来福 Raifuku
初草 Hatsu Kusa

茶杓 Chashaku - Teelöffel - Tea Scoops
蓬莱山 Horai San (hoorai san)
千代の光 Chiyo no Hikari

..... Link to a Japanese page about the making of tea scoops

With all the names used during the 12 months.
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-a3v8wyQ2eqSU5.1Q0PAElUprETGA?p=49


茶碗 Chawan - Teeschalen - Tea Bowls
雲海 Unkai, Sea of clouds
瑞雲 Zuiun


Hatsugama　初釜
"First use of the kettle". First tea ceremony of a new year. also Tatezome.


Obukucha おぶくちゃ　
First tea ceremony of the new year. Using the first well water (wakamizu) and heating the hearth for the first time. A quiet ceremony for the tea master and his family.


Tenarai hajime : Raku family of tea ceramics 手習始め. 楽家.
Introducing the Raku Family.


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二月 Nigatsu - February

茶入 Chaire - Container for powdered tea
山の神 Yama no Kami, God of the Mountains
暮雪 Bosetsu, Much Snow

茶杓 Chashaku - Tea scoop
籬の雪 Magaki no Yuki
春の水 Haru no Mizu, water of spring
洗心 Sen Shin senshin

茶碗 Chawan
雪国 Yukiguni, Snow country
夜寒 Yosamu, Cold Night
東雲 Shino Nome
宿の梅 Yado no Ume, Plums at the resthouse

Akatsuki no chaji 暁の茶事
A tea ceremoniy held in the coldest season of the year. It starts at 4 a.m. and the participants enjoy the dawn of the new day.

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三月 Sangatsu - March

Rikyu Ki 利休忌
Memorial ceremony of the death day of Sen Rikyu.

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五月 Gogatsu - May


新茶 shincha, new tea, fresh green tea

茶摘み chatsumi, picking tea leaves
茶摘歌 chatsumi uta, song of the tea pickers
In olden times, girls dressed in special kimono and headgear would go out to pick the tea leaves.
Click HERE to look at photos.

山門を出れば日本ぞ茶摘うた
sanmon o dereba nihon zo chatsumi uta

outside the temple gate
it's Japan again!
the song of tea pickers

Read a discussion of this haiku:
Tr. Gabi Greve

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六月 Rokugatsu - June

Ryô Ichimi 涼一味 ryooichimi . Coolness
The head of the Urasenke Tea Ceremony, Sen Soshitsu (Sen Sooshitsu)　 裏千家の家元、千宗室, talked about ways to stage the coolness, for example using a large fresh green leaf as cover of the water container (habuta　葉蓋) or wringing the little linen cleansing cloth in a way it produces the fresh sound of clear water (arai jakin 洗い茶巾). The intention is to create an aesthetically cool feeling, not to physically cool anything.
Read more:
Sen Soshitsu about Stageing of Coolness in the Tea Ceremony.

meisuidate　名水点 Using famous well water for the tea
tsurube mizusashi つるべ水差し square cedar box water container

Esai-ki 英西忌 Memorial Day of Eisai
Korin-ki 光琳忌 (Koorin) Memorial Day
Kenchû-ki 剣仲忌 (Kenchuu) Memorial Day

Ômi-jingû Schrein Kencha 近江神宮献茶 (Oomi Jinguu)
Oribe-ki 織部忌 Oribe Memorial Day
Chôandô-ki (Chooandoo)

Rokugatsu no harae 六月の戒
..... Summer Purification Ceremony (nagoshi)　

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七月 Shichigatsu - July

flowers arranged taking turns turn, mawaribana まわりばな 廻り花、回り花
Each participant has to put one flower in the vase for a flower arrangement. The vase is then placed in the tokonoma. The flower arrangement has to match the hanging scroll theme. The vase is usually made of bamboo with a cut at the top.

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八月 Hachigatsu - August

Hassaku-gama 八朔釜 Tea kettle used at the Hassaku ceremony.
Hassaku Harvest Festival, Hassaku sai, Hassaku no Iwai Japan


Kado-cha 門茶


Asa chaji 朝茶事
Tea ceremonies held in the cool hours of the early morning, beginning at 6, before the heat of day begins. Light refreshments are served with the tea.

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九月 Kugatsu - September

Naka-oki 中置
Furo-nagori

Kôgetsu ki 月江忌 (Koogetsu) Memorial Day
Uji no Cha-matsuri 字治の茶祭, Tea Festival at Uji
Bashô-ki 芭蕉忌 (Bashoki, Bashoo Ki) Basho Memorial Day (Basho-Ki) Japan

Yasukuni-jinja Kencha 靖国神社献茶, Ceremony at Yasukuni Shrine

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十月 Juugatsu - October

Nagori no chaji 名残の茶事
At the end of October, the furo 風炉 is put away and replaced by the ro 炉.
A special tea ceremony is held to part with the hearth for the next half year.

Ichio-ki (around October 19)
A tea ceremony on the anniversary of the death of the tea master Sen Ichio Soshu, the fourth generation from Rikyu. He was the founder of the tearoom Kankyuan 官休庵(Kankyuu-An).

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十一月 Juuichigatsu - November

Robiraki　炉開き
"Opening the hearth"
The hearth 炉 is opened for the first time since April. Tea for this cereomny is prepared with tea powder made from leaves freshly picked that summer.
This hearth, ro, will be used from now until the following April.


Kuchikiri no chaji 口切の茶事
Tea leaves picked in early summer are packed inside jars and mature until November. Now the when the jars are opened (kuchi kiri : open the mouth of the jar). The leaves are then ground into powder for powdered matcha. At this tea ceremony, the tea is prepared using the first fresh powder.

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十二月 Juunigatsu - December

Kotohajime 事始
Preparations for welcoming the new year begin. Greetings for the year end are made on this day. Around December 11.


Joyagama 除夜釜
On New Year's Eve (joya), the family and close students of a tea master drink the final tea of the year in the tea master's home. The fire built at this time is used for the first Obukucha the following year on the next morning. Thus the tradition is continued from one year to the next.


Yobanashi no chaji 夜話の茶事
"Talking at nightfall"
Tea ceremonies are held in candlelight from nightfall until evening. Food is served and the cold and maybe snow can be enjoyed.

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Things found on the way

Daruma san, だるまさん　達磨さん、 the Indian Monk Bodhidaruma, practised Zazen for long hours. When he got sleepy, he cut off his eyelids and threw them away. Later he found a plant had grown out of them. He collected the leaves and brewed the first tea ... says the legend.

Daruma is closely related to tea for this reason !!!

Here is a special online museum for Daruma san only.
Daruma Museum Japan by Gabi Greve

CHA 茶　＜＞　The world of Tea
..... Photo Gallery, Teapots, Teacups
..... Kyusu 急須 ― tea pots
..... Chatsutsu, chazutsu 茶筒 ― containers for leaf tea
..... Yunomi 湯のみ― Teacups with Daruma
..... Short History of Drinking Tea in China
..... Sencha


Mini-Encyclopedia about Daruma


The Old Tea Road from Yunnan to Lhasa .. Pu Erh Tea and Salt
茶葉古道（ちゃばこどう)


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More external LINKS

English and German
CHANOMIYA - GREEN TEA HOUSE



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HAIKU

「茶の湯俳句会」 Tea Ceremony Haiku Meeting
In Ogaki City, in memory of Matsuo Basho and Furuta Oribe
大垣市芭蕉生誕360年祭
http://www.e-oribe.info/OribeHP/02awards/06winner4th/ceremony03.html
http://www.ginet.or.jp/nisimino/sinctop/200409/

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clear mind
viewing the garden
drinking tea

Gabi Greve, 2005
Inside the Zen gardens of Shunmyo Masuno

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autumn solitude -
I share my cup of tea
with ALL of you !


Isn't the Internet a great place !
Click HERE to see my teapot philosophy !
Gabi Greve, September 2006　　　

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Geert Verbeke, January 2006
http://users.skynet.be/geert.verbeke.bowls


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late spring -
the old kettle
still shines

Gabi Greve, April 2007
short history of the tea kettle


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Related words

Saijiki of Buddhist, Shinto and other Ceremonies and Events of Japan


The Old Tea Road from Yunnan to Lhasa
茶馬古道（ちゃばこどう) Chaba Kodoo


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http://worldkigodatabase.blogspot.com/