ホモテナシ

  • Here, I want a general template.
  • Possibly, the Cadwallader book might be worth reading again and summarising
  • For seasonal templates, see the overview under seasons
  • See record for 茶事 that I did

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 (don't forget to include the phone number).
  • 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.

Because of how my flat and the garden are arranged, I'm flipping the two 待合s! Normally, they are in a different order

stage plan
morning before 📞 Make sure to explain the 待合, that they should wait outside and arrive between 15' and 0' minutes early.
day before Sweep garden, tidy house; clean . Pre-cook what can be pre-cooked. Arrange 道具.
night before steep kombu
待合 煙草盆 or hand-warmer
お白湯 (plain water if nothing special)
(if using; then also decide on 蓋置 and 水次)
(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)
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:
    • (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.
  • 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

Preparation

  • Larry explained in 22 that even though in Japan you can pay people to do it for you; the 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
  • (for guests, for 焼物, 香の物, 八寸 and sweets)

Variations

  • 暁の茶事: The dawn 茶事, mainly done in , 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 dry while 懐石 is served. It starts at 0400, so the host stays up all night to prepare.

正客

  • In the 待合, prompt the 詰 to inform the 亭主 that everyone has arrived. Initiate bowing for everyone (ご一緒に)together when the cups have arrived; the 詰 will distribute them. Initiate leaving by saying お先に, the 詰 will gather the cups, close the door with a sound. 正客 goes outside, and prepares sandals for the next guest.
  • Go to 腰掛待合 (fan in hand), put 煙草盆 away, and prepare the seats. The top one is flipped, and the others are just spread. Everyone stand up, step forward, and greet the 亭主 with a silent bow. When you can't see them anymore, return. 正客 then stands up, お先に and put the 円座 towards the wall. The 詰 will put them down again, and then gather them up again and lock with the 煙草盆. Go to the つくばい.
  • 亭主 appears at the door, and everyone bows. Then 正客 sais: どうぞお入りを. Everyone greets the host, then the 正客 again speaks and asks about the things seen in the 待合, comments on the 打水 and, lastly, asks about the scroll.
  • : All bow at the entrance. When the first feather begins, お先に and go to see the . If it's 盆香合, ask for 拝見 only once the 香合 is back on the . In that case, get it immediately, otherwise get 香合 when 灰器 leaves. All bow at the end.
  • お敷: Slide forward a bit, and receive the tray with two hands. Bow while holding it. Then say お先に. Say 「ちょうだいします」, and all bow. Pass down the 盃台, drink. When offered rice, refuse to be served; but give the soup bowl (turning it).
  • 煮物碗: Bow to receive it; then simultaneously lift the lids. Receive the sake, having closed the lid of the soup.
  • 焼物 etc.: Bow to receive it, pass it down.
  • Receive third rice; but refuse the third soup. Ask the host to join (but they can't). After eating, all bowls etc. should be with the 詰, except for the 盃台, that needs to be with the 正客.
  • 箸洗い: Bow to receive.
  • 八寸: 正客 receives sake, and 海の物. Same for everyone, then 亭主 comes back and the 正客 or 亭主 (I'm not sure) sais「お流れを」, then 正客 「べっぱい盃 お持ち出しを」. 亭主 will say 「なにとぞ拝借を」, 正客 will clean his cup to give it to the 亭主. Put some nibbles on a 懐紙 (with the corner folded) and give it to the host while the next guest pours them sake. Turn the 八寸盆 again so the host can continue. The host then will ask if he can borrow the cup to drink with the next guest, and after having done so, will place 山の物 for both first and second guest. Then the 千鳥の盃 continues, the 詰 pours twice and then the host will return to the first guest. They will have one more exchange (first guest, then host), then the first guest says 「どうぞおさめ盃を」, the host leaves with the cup (おさめ盃させていただきます).
  • Then, to indicate that you've finished with the sake, say 「お湯をいただきます」. Clean the lids of the 箸洗い. Clean everything with the water and pickles, then initiate the chopstick sound. The host should say how inadequate everything was, and everyone says how great it was. Slide forward to return the tray, and bow.
  • After the 縁高 is served, the host should announce 中立, and the 正客, normally, says to ring the bell when the time is right.
  • When the gong is sound, stand up and kneel, then return. Then when the time is right, initiate the going to the つくばい, then go into the tea room, inspect everything, temporary seat, final seat.
  • 濃茶: if it comes with a 古帛紗, it is initially to the 茶碗's L, take 茶碗 in front, 古帛紗 to the R inside; then 茶碗 between you and the next guest, and bow together. Say to the 亭主 「古帛紗拝借 いたします」. Clean on 古帛紗. Ask for 拝見, the 詰 will separate, clean, and return them separate; again with 古帛紗 to 茶碗's L. 拝見 separately, then return them to the host; 古帛紗 on the 茶碗’s R now, with the fold pointing away from it.
  • 続き薄茶: After the first rinsing of the 茶碗, say that the charcoal is burning well and that we'd like 続き薄茶. Host will leave with 茶碗, and bring out 煙草盆, 干菓子 and maybe cushions. When the host takes the 茶杓, both first and second guest take sweets. The second guest will お先に to the first guest. First guest will take the first bowl, and give it to the second guest. When they drink, ask for 茶入 and 仕覆. They take back the bowl to the host, and the first guest fetches the 道具. The second bowl will be fetched by the second guest, but given to the first guest. You put it between yourself and the second guest, and ask them if they'd like to have it. The second guest will ask to 拝見 the 茶碗. Then, ask for 茶杓 and . Make the set complete on your side, then 拝見 it all and return as set.
  • Say ciao ciao with the fan. All bow, then say 「おみおくり ごむよう に」(please don't see us off). Inspect the room, then leave. Bow silently with the host.