ホモテナシ

Tea is made in a new tea bowl that is set on an unlacquered wooden stand called 貴人台. Sweets are served on a pedestalled tray called 高杯 (with かいし paper folded noticeably), and when the tea is ready, the assistant for the host brings the bowl to the personage. When there are two 貴人 as guests, the assistant serves the first bowl to the first 貴人, then brings a second bowl from the preparation room. After the host makes tea in the second bowl, the assistant brings it to the second 貴人. It is a rule to serve tea in an independent bowl in both the case of 濃茶 and 薄茶.

It is the first of the 小習, and while it is against the spirit of 侘び茶, it is useful to learn the importance of consideration for the guest (CQ57). My interpretation is to learn deference by contrast (貴人 🆚 normal person), and then carry that same deference towards everyone.

• Theoretically, 茶碗, 台 and all bamboo 道具 are new.
• The 点前 are directed towards the outer corner of the 炉. It always closes 本仕舞い
• All bows, if possible, are 真 (says CJ)
• We always did all of them with 棚, but I'm not sure if it needs to be that way. CQ28 says it is usually done in a large room, and 棚, 長板 and 台子 is usually used. With Miya we did it without 棚 in VI 25.

• Always touch first with R, then L (but can come quite naturally); and let go in reverse.
• If there's not enough room to hold from the side, hold at 3 or 9, respectively, and 6; then shift to 3 and 9 while lifting or putting down fluidly.
• Don't hold at the rim (since it might break off), but well within the inside of the plate.
• When walking, hold 茶椀 with four fingers (for 台天目, it's three)
• Wide grain indicates front side.
• When taking 茶椀 from the 台 (or returning it), it is always assisted with a straight hand. (However, it is not assisted when discarding water into 建水, or when adding water to it.)

• Sweets are served on a special stand, on paper folded slightly (top layer goes towards R. If you get this wrong, you're serving sweets to a dead person.)
• Lift the stand by holding the plate with both hands, then the L goes down to hold the stem (so you conceptually still hold it with both hands at the rim).
• They are brought in by the host, not by the assistant.

• I think 無事（ぶじ）is a good 御名, since it references the 禅語 「無事是黄人」.
• If there are multiple guests, they get their sweets individually, and each of them gets their own bowl of 濃茶.

• Everything is normal: Since you have the 清次, you don't need a はんと. Bow at the door (because it's 貴人), then prepare 濃茶, but only scoop the tea (like in 重茶碗).
• When you serve the tea, you scoot back. The first “normal” guest will get the 茶碗 for the 貴人, who will place it L inside. Everyone 総礼 here. Then 台 to the R inside, and 茶碗 into the hands.
• until the 貴人 has taken their first sip. Then (from the back) you inquire about the かげん. When the 貴人 is content, you go on to make the 2^nd 濃茶. (In 薄茶, here you'd say 「お共の方にもさしあげます」). Scoot forward, then turn towards the 建水 and leave with it. Meanwhile, the guests will ask to 拝見 the 貴人茶碗, and the last guest will return it.
• Open door, come in with 共茶碗 and 建水.

➡️ This 建水 can either be the same as before, or it can be a different one. As for the 共茶碗, it can be 楽 or something else. Since the 貴人茶碗 is new, it stands above the 一楽二萩三唐津.

• The 千鳥茶巾 goes to the back of the 釜 lid, and stays there (unlike 薄茶, where you might need it still).
• Second 茶筅通し is raised only once, and then when finishing it's just サラサラ・コツン・の字.
• For the 共茶碗, it's お先に amongst the normal folk (just like in 重ね茶碗). No need to include the 貴人, they've had their tea.
• When the 貴人茶碗 returns, everyone bows, and you say 「お仕舞い」once (unlike 薄茶, where the normal folk might want to continue to drink tea).
• Because the 茶杓 is also used for normal people, no need to put it on the 仕覆 here.

• Maybe using the black 利休棗 isn't particularly suitable for this 点前.
• 半東 brings everything to host, bowing every time

• When shifting back from the 貴人 (after sweets or bringing tea), shift back an alot!
• The rest below is from CQ57.
• Open door, bow with 茶椀 on 茶椀台, pick up 茶椀台, then stabilise and walk. Place down, shifting L to 6 of the 茶椀台. Get 棗 from 棚; or if not using a 棚, come in with 棗 and 建水.
• When 柄杓 is put on 蓋置き, 半東 opens the door, bows, slides in, turns by 180°, closes the door in winter, pivots again, directed at the 貴人, and places the hands on the floor. (Make sure to keep wrists straight here.)
• L stabilises the 茶椀 from the top when doing 茶筅通し.
• When tea is prepared, pick up 台, then shift. Then put R at 12, L at 6 (in the air), turn, and turn again; and put down (shifting L). Shift back, rest hands on 畳.
• 半東 stands up, sits down at about 30° from 茶椀 as not to intrude too much into the 貴人's space, but turns it on the 畳. Put's it in front of the guest, slides back, bows, and returns.
• Bow when guest says お点前ちょだい, then hands back on the 畳. When he's taken the first sip, pick up 帛紗 with L if it was used to close 釜.
• 半東 stands up, sits in front of 貴人, bows, picks up 茶椀, and returns it.
• Clean, and after closing 水指 lid, guest will ask to see the 道具; bow.
• After cleaning 棗 for 拝見, take 帛紗 on L, shift towards 棚, pick up 茶杓 and put it on 帛紗, securing it with the thumb. Place down, turn again to face 棚. 半東 places 道具 in front of 貴人, shifts back and bows, then sits in the 畳 beside the ふみこみ畳 so the host can exit.
• Guest takes 道具 inside his 畳, separating 茶杓 and 帛紗; only looks at the 道具 when host has taken 建水 and 台, and replenished 水指. The host leaves the door open for these steps, and closes door in winter after replenishing, keeping the 水次 in front of him when closing it.
• 半東 returns 道具 (帛紗 and 茶杓 remain separate), the host converses, then takes 帛紗 back, take 棗 and 茶杓 and shifts towards 棚. Put 茶杓 on 水指, 棗 on 棚, then take 茶杓 again (R, L just below node, then R again in the middle).
• Leave, bow, close door.

This is a 点前 for serving a nobleman and his attendants. The point is to make a distinction between the nobleman and his attendants, so a separate tea bowl, whisk, 茶巾, sweet container, smoking set etc. are used.

• This is the only 点前 where we get to use a smoked bamboo 茶筅 called 煤竹（すすだけ）
• It's always performed with 棚
• Placement of 茶筅 like in 和巾

There are some cues when what needs to happen:

• 2nd guest has taken the 1st sip: 「お茶銘は。。。」
• when the 帛紗 is picked up and / or the 茶巾 is being refolded: 「ご準備を。。。」
• when the 帛紗 makes the 表千家 sound: ask for 拝見
• when サラサラ, 拝見 begins / return the 2nd bowl
• for the 2nd bowl: おさきに

• Used only in 炉
• Invented by Gengensai, so maybe he's a good one here for 茶杓's maker.
• If it has a 花押（かおう）, the side the 花押 is on is upside (and closer to the body when carried in the 着物); if it has another design, it's the other way round.