* In principle, everything that has a lid can be a 茶器 and can be theoretically used for 濃茶 or 薄茶　(KM26). For 濃茶, you want something more formal or traditional; 薄茶 can be a bit more playful. Where you draw those lines, however, depends on your sensitivity and having a good reason if deviating from the norm.
   * It terms of handling, there are 3 important categories. The lid position is the same for 薄茶 and 濃茶.

^  Category ^ Lid Position  ^
|      茶入 | 3 o'clock     |
|        棗 | 4:30 o'clock  |
|      Rest | 6 o'clock     |

   * KM26 and I figured that whether you do {{ruby|胴拭き|どうぶき}} (the turning of the 茶器 to purify its body) depends on whether the 茶器 came onto the stage in a 仕覆 or not. The 大津袋 allows you to use an item without 仕覆 for 濃茶, but then it doesn't get purified as much. (The 仕覆 really acts as a "beatifying agent" here.) The 四方捌, however, is something reserved for 濃茶.
   * The purifyication of non-茶入 茶器 repends on the shape of the top part. If it has rounded corners, you clean it in a こ way, it not, then with two straight strokes (ニ) (with a few exceptions like the 老松).
   * Cleaning for 拝見, this is my conjecture, has the following rules: If the tea was only scooped for 濃茶, then there's no cleaning of the rim (like in 台天目). For 薄茶, however, the rim is always cleaned (even though you only scoop).

=====茶入=====
   * Traditionally ceramic, but you find them also made from glass. So if you're looking for a fixed definition, you could say: "A 茶入 needs to be fired". A //genealogical// argument, however, might be better suited (//if it's trying to be a 茶入, it's a 茶入//).
   * Some famous shapes:
       * {{ruby|肩衝|かたつき}}, of course, of which [[fumai|不昧]]'s most beloved {{ruby|油屋|あぶらや}} is a good example.
       * {{ruby|槍の鞘|やり　の　さや}}, of which  [[fumai|不昧]] also had one made by the founder of a Seto kiln, としろう I.
       * 大海, of course, named so because the tea when seen through the opening looks like the big sea between Japan and China ((http://www.teeweg.de/forum123/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=39)). It's supposedly what {{ruby|栄西|えいさい}} used to bring in tea seeds from China.
       * {{ruby|米市|よねいち}}, named so by 小堀遠州 and thus a 中興名物, because it looks like a bale of rice straw. The golden brocade carries the name of the 茶入.
   * **Storage**: {{ ::white_dew.pdf |}} explains that the "proper" 茶入 is wrapped in a 'storage' 仕覆, and then in her wood-turned jar ({{ruby|挽家|ひきや?}}, boxes etc; and that they may have different 'display' 仕覆 for 真, 行 and 草.
   * Theoretically, you could use them also for 薄茶, in which case you present them without 仕覆 and 

<WRAP group>

<WRAP third column centeralign>
{{ ::aburaya.jpg?200x200 |}}

{{ruby|油屋|あぶらや}}
</WRAP>

<WRAP third column centeralign>
{{ ::st_yarinosayakatatukis.jpg?200x200 |}}

 {{ruby|槍の鞘|やり　の　さや}}
</WRAP>

<WRAP third column centeralign>
{{  ::yoneichi.jpg?200x200  |}}

{{ruby|米市|よねいち}}
</WRAP>
</WRAP>

<WRAP group>

<WRAP third column centeralign>
{{ ::honnoji.jpg?200x200 |}}

{{ruby|本能寺文琳|ほんのうじ}}, a 大名物 with the あさくら間道
</WRAP>


=====薄茶器=====
   * In want for a better word (because these containers could also be used for 濃茶), I'm listing all non-茶入 茶器 under [[usuchaki|薄茶器]].