http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Tea PASSAGE Forum en http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=70#70 70@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Cleaning and maintenance Message: I thought it might be a good idea to have a cleaning and maintenance thread, especially since I imagine most of us acquire items second hand.  So my first question is about those typical koshiguro (black and red) mizutsugi yakan.  I have quite an old one.  Besides wiping the outside with a damp cloth, does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning it? Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:33:19 -0700 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=69#69 69@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: A strange question Message: Very true, although that doesn't explain why the furo doesn't have the unintended effect of heating up the room. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:46:49 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=68#68 68@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: A strange question Message: Hi Nick! Nick wrote:There are three reasons why this isn't the case. I think that you missed a fourth reason. The ro would be open for general use such as room heating during the cold months while it would not be in such use during the warm months. Basically, the ro is an architectural feature found in places other than tea huts. Since the ro is closed during the warm months, a furo is brought into the room expressly for making tea. These considerations apply even if the room is dedicated to tea and not used generally. Why? Because, the tea room is descended from or emulates a mountain hermitage. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:19:01 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=67#67 67@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: How to clean a chagama??? Message: Hi Sweet Persimmon sweetpersimmon wrote:NEVER STORE IRON IN CLOTH OR PAPER!!! It absorbs water vapor and releases in the confines of the box, causing automatic catastrophe. No matter how it comes, unless you live in Death Valley, DO NOT STORE IRON WITH ANYTHING ABSORBENT IN THE BOX! Why do you say this? Every kama, tetsubin, &c that I've bought has come with a saffron colored cloth to wrap it in inside its wooden box. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:07:21 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=66#66 66@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: A strange question Message: Hi  Nick,Thank you very much for your detailed info !Kind regards,George R. Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:02:09 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=65#65 65@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: A strange question Message: There are three reasons why this isn't the case.  First, the furo is portable, so it can be placed as far as possible from the guests.  In high summer, it's moved to the  very left of the host, as far as it can be from the guests, and it's gradually moved a little closer as winter approaches.  The ro, in contrast, is as close to the guests as the heat source gets, and it can't be moved.  Second, if you're using charcoal in the ro, then the guests gather right around the fire at certain points in the tea ceremony, ie: when you're laying the charcoal before the kaiseki and before usucha.  And third, the fire is actually larger in a ro, because the charcoal is bigger than that used for furo. Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:08:28 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=64#64 64@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: A strange question Message: Hi everyone,In contrast to the US/CAN. it is now spring (with a taste of summer)in Australia, I live in the south (Melbourne) where we have 4 seasons.According to the rules, RO is used in the winter and FURO in the summer. During a discussion a friend asked the question: Should it not be the other way around ?  Does the FURO sitting on the floor not radiate warmth to the guests in summer and therefore make the RO below floorlevel more suitable ?Appreciate all answers/corrections . . .Novice George Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:04:26 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=63#63 63@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Seasonality Message: The idea of tea is really not about strict, unbending and blind adherence to the "rules" and to traditions based on what others have done (although it can seem that way sometimes), but rather using the knowledge you acquire to adapt to each given situation.  The whole point of seasonality in tea is to reflect, enjoy and appreciate nature and the changing of the seasons.  We should do that according to where we find ourselves when we're doing tea.  It would be silly, if you lived in Australia, to wear a lined kimono, use a tsutsu chawan, and have your guests gather around the ro in December (the height of summer) just because it's the "right time" for those things. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:31:09 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=62#62 62@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: How to clean a chagama??? Message: I just wanted to add that it's best to avoid touching chagama with your bare hands because the oils on your skin can damage the finish.  You can buy cotton gloves in drugstores that you can wear when you need to handle your kama without using the kan.  After use, ideally you would insert the kan and carry the kama to the mizuya, then ladle the hot water from inside over the exterior of the kama, and tip out the remaining liquid before placing the kama back on the heat to let it dry.  If you store it in a box, use your gloves to transfer it. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:03:52 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=61#61 61@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Differences between Omotesenke and Urasenke. Message: One consideration might be the relative difficulty of finding Omotesenke teachers outside Japan.  In large US cities you may have less trouble, but in general Urasenke has spread more.The differences between the schools are quite small really.  Besides some of the other things mentioned above, some other differences include the way you rise from a seiza position; which foot is used to enter and leave the tea room; and how the fukusa is handled and folded.  All other things being equal (foremost being access to a teacher), I don't think it particularly matters which style you choose to study, since the basic purpose of tea is the same, and only the small details differ (and even then, often they don't differ very much). Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:59:24 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=60#60 60@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: BagEmpire Cheap Purses Message: BagEmpire com  sell name brand handbags whoelale and retail.choose your purses and save: Website: www.BagEmpire.com Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:28:23 -0700 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=59#59 59@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: How to clean a chagama??? Message: Hello John, Some rust in an iron chagama is inevitable.  If there is not a lot of rust you can probably get way with boiling water in it and making sure that it is dry (put back on the burner on low until all the moisture has evaporated). Here is a quote on care from TeaToys.com C. Metal and water In Chanoyu, almost all metal is used in some connection with water: kettles, flower vases, kensui and futaoki, and sake servers. (Exceptions: hibashi, haisaji) Bronze and brass mizusashi also exist. Thus, most metal utensils are provided with a patina by their maker which protects the piece from the worst damage but with use, ths patina may become thin or dissapear and the alert Chajin must take good care of his/her utensils. 1. Iron kettles and tetsubin: Once a kettle or tetsubin is cast, it is coated on the outside with a patina called ohaguro, "tooth-black" and the inside is coated with lacquer or some synthetic. To "cure" a new iron kettle or tetsubin, fill it close to the brim with fresh, filtered water, especially if the water in your area is high in minerals. You'll have to have a source of such water anyway, since minerals change the taste of the tea. To this water you may add Japanese sake and/or green leaf tea, old matcha, even black tea as a last resort, and boil for several days or until the funny smell and taste goes away. You must boil the kettle for several hours at a time, replenishing it with pure water to keep the level topped up. After this treatment be sure to do one treratment of just pure water lest you find a soup when you go to make koicha. (Yes I did this once too) DO NOT BOIL DIRECTLY ON A GAS BURNER!!! Rust is the oxidation of iron. Oxygen in the water vapor in the gas fire will rust the bottom of kettle just as fast, maybe faster than leaving it out in the rain. Trust me. Best case is boiling over sumi, charcoal but who has sumi to burn these days? I do not know if barbeque charcoal would be a good substitute. So if all you have is gas, put an iron plate or something in between so that the gas does not get near the kettle. Some new kettles have a glass-like inner coating on them which is supposed to prevent rust. Nevertheless it is only a good cautionary practice to rinse and boil even these kettles once or twice before making tea in them for Guests. Iron sake pourers, called kannabe or choshi, should be cured once before using. During the chaji, the kannabe should be heated with hot water just before the sake is poured in. When the kannabe comes back, the sake should be poured into something else and the vessel filled with hot water until needed again. After the chaji, try to dry the kannabe on sumi. Avoid keeping kettle or kannabe near food being cooked. Any oil, or soup stock or any kind of splash will show up on the kettle's surface and "ruin" its appearance. NEVER STORE IRON IN CLOTH OR PAPER!!! It absorbs water vapor and releases in the confines of the box, causing automatic catastrophe. No matter how it comes, unless you live in Death Valley, DO NOT STORE IRON WITH ANYTHING ABSORBENT IN THE BOX! Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:34:51 -0700 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=58#58 58@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: How to clean a chagama??? Message: I have just returned from the past two months in Japan (I'm a professional potter...there related to that).  While there, I managed to find a nice antique iron chagama for my tearoom here in the USA.  In general it is in very good shape and the price was right since I was "out in the boonies" when I found it.There is a SMALL amount of rust in the inside bottom.  I need to clean it for use in boiling water for tea.How do you suggest I should clean this out?  Appreciate any suggestions from "folks who know".best,.............john Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:56:30 -0700 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=57#57 57@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Anyone Interested in Tea in Central New York? Message: There are a number of people in central New York doing Urasenke tea. There will be a tea conference at Dai Bosatsu Zendo in the Catskills in June (information about it is on the Tea Passage website), and several New York tea people will be there. I will try to find out if someone is in or near Syracuse. Thu, 09 Apr 2009 22:43:05 -0700 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=56#56 56@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Seasonality Message: We could always follow Rikyu and change to the furo when the yamabuki blossom and back to ro when the yuzu turns yellow.... Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:10:34 -0700