<WRAP todo>
   * Here, I want a general template.
   * Possibly, the [[literature|Cadwallader]] book might be worth reading again and summarising
   * For seasonal templates, see the overview under [[seasons]]
   * See [[restricted:record|record]] for 茶事 that I did
</WRAP>

====Template====
   * Decide date (at least a month away) and guests, check for allergies and food preferences. You'd traditionally send the written invitation a few weeks before the 茶事, but for me, it is easiest to send the written invitation directly. This creates additional binding character, and people don't cancel last minute. The letter contains time, address, other guests and, for me, the explanation that the 前礼 can be done by phone.
   * Also book a friend for the general rehearsal about two weeks before.
   * Plan out the 茶事. For me, it works pretty well if I read the Almanac, write out a few seasonal words, decide on the overall structure of the 茶事, and then start to fill in the blanks. The 懐石 book is a good place to find more ideas, as well as my seasonal pages.

^   stage ^ plan                                                                                                                                         ^
|  お白湯 | (plain water if nothing special)                                                                                                             |
|      軸 |                                                                                                                                              |
|      棚 | (if using; then also decide on 蓋置 and 水次)                                                                                                |
|      釜 | (and 風炉 or 炉縁)                                                                                                                           |
|  炭道具 | (香合, 炭斗)                                                                                                                                 |
|  味噌汁 | (some seasonal ingredient that pairs with 味噌)                                                                                              |
|    向付 | (dish, and some light ingredient that makes a good start; usually 刺身 with some accent ingredient)                                          |
|      酒 |                                                                                                                                              |
|    碗物 | (here, I find the 懐石 recipes too odd, so just a stately ingredient that can be cooked with some support vegetable. Citrus peel or 木の芽)  |
|    焼物 | (easy, if you can't think of anything, just do grilled salmon)                                                                               |
|    箸洗 | (if there's nothing that's seasonally particularly suitable, add a few pine nuts or a bit of 梅干)                                           |
|    八寸 | (seasonal apéro nibbles, something from the water is usually harder to find)                                                                 |
|  香の物 | (I like to recycle ingredients from above here)                                                                                              |
|  主菓子 |                                                                                                                                              |
|    中立 | (I don't have a gong, so find something appropriate instead)                                                                                 |
|    濃茶 | (if there's something special)                                                                                                               |
|    茶入 | (I like to make a set of 御銘 with the 茶碗 and the 茶杓)                                                                                    |
|    茶碗 |                                                                                                                                              |
|    茶杓 |                                                                                                                                              |
|    水指 |                                                                                                                                              |
|    建水 |                                                                                                                                              |
|  煙草盆 |                                                                                                                                              |
|  干菓子 | (two types; again, I like to recycle something from the 懐石)                                                                                |
|    薄茶 |                                                                                                                                              |
|  薄茶器 |                                                                                                                                              |
|  薄茶碗 |                                                                                                                                              |
|  薄茶杓 | (with a lighter name)                                                                                                                        |

   * Order the stuff you need, in particular:
         * 箸 (for the guests and for serving)
         * 足袋
         * 茶筅
         * 茶巾
         * any 道具 that might be missing
         * any ingredients that need ordering
   * Start on the pickles if they need a long time
   * Try to have a dry run at least two weeks before
   * Two days before, get out all the 道具 (and their names and makers!), arrange them in the kitchen
   * One day before, clean room, house and garden, do the 灰型 if necessary, then pre-cook what you can:
         * parched rice
         * ...
         * shop ingredients
         * also, look for flowers
   * On the morning before, clean the garden again, then start cooking. For me, it usually takes about 4 hours of preparation; and then I'd like to be still for about an hour. During this time, you can prepare:
         * だし
         * 味噌
         * seasonal ingredient for 味噌汁
         * 向付 (already plated)
         * 碗物 ingredients
         * 箸洗い liquid
         * 八寸 (already plated)
         * 香の物 (already plated)
         * 主菓子 (already plated)
         * 干菓子 (already plated)
         * sieve teas
         * prepare flowers
         * prepare charcoals
   * 45' before the 茶事 starts (and 30' before they arrive), 打水, launch charcoal; start warming ingredients.

^        Them ^ You                                      ^
|      お白湯 | lay starter charcoal; plate 味噌         |
|    香合拝見 | launch rice                              |
|  first tray | plate 碗物                               |
|        飯器 | start 焼物                               |
|        碗物 | plate 焼物, prepare charcoal for 後炭    |
|        焼物 | 打水                                     |
|      香の物 | 煙草盆                                   |
|      主菓子 | prepare 中立                             |
|        中立 | check charcoal, clean room, put flowers  |
|    濃茶拝見 | prepare 煙草盆                           |
|    薄茶拝見 | 打水                                     |

====General====
   * 井伊直弼: after the 茶事, the host should wait at the entry of the 露地 until the guests are out of sight. It would be a pity if the guests saw him close the gate, destroying all that was before. Then, the host shouldn't hurry, but return to the 茶実, and think back of the gathering, and maybe enjoy a bowl of tea himself.
   * Rodrigues in CQ80 gives an excellent account on what's the general procedure.
   * [[literature|CQ82]] describes how the first half of the 茶事, when the food is served, is governed by the //principle of yin// (darkness, secrecy); and the second half, by contrast, when the tea is served, by the //principle of yang//.


====Types====
   * [[yobanashi|夜咄]]


====Preparation====
   * Larry explained in 22 that even though in Japan you can pay people to do it for you; the [[haigata|灰型]] (and cleaning of the toilet) are the minimum things that the host should do himself during a 茶事.

====Shopping List====
   * 足袋
   * 茶巾
   * 茶筅
   * 箸 (for guests, for 焼物, 香の物, 八寸 and sweets)

====Variations====
   * **暁の茶事**: The dawn 茶事, mainly done in 炉, according to the Almanac (though I would've thought that it might be nice to do this in the middle of summer...?). One of the highlights is watching the wet 釜 dry while 懐石 is served. It starts at 0400, so the host stays up all night to prepare.