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=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=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=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 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=55#55 55@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Seasonality Message: I think we all had a wonderful time this weekend at the opening of the show at the Uribe Gallery in Santa Rosa.  Tea-related works by John Chambers, Michiko Kinoshita, and Marc Lancet were on display, and some of them were used in temae done by several of us for the benefit of those who came to the opening.A seasonal issue appeared, however, that I do not believe has been formally addressed before this event.The electrical cord that should have powered the ro (there was not enough power to add even one more plug, and eventually all the power to the temae demonstration failed) needed to be taped up under the table for esthetic reasons: but the duct tape kept giving way, dropping the cord to visibility and the ground.  Several of the ladies worked very hard to make it stick, but it would not.Back stage (our mizuya) we realized that, surely, there must be appropriate colors of duct tape for this emergency.Had we been performing koi cha, the solution would have been easy.  Shiny black (shin nuri) duct tape would have been not only available, but ideal.But we were doing usu cha!  What would be the appropriate seasonal colors of duct tape for such an occassion?I think we concluded that white (like snow) would be good for winter, but what about the other three seasons?Please, feel free to contribute views on this new and possibly less than important topic. Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:47:17 -0700 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=54#54 54@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Seasonality Message: One of the things that provides some esthetic conflict in the accomplishment of temae is the notion of seasonality.  There are two basic problems here.First, the seasons in Japan may be different from the seasons in other parts of the world.  (I am guessing that there are a lot of already prepared solutions for people in the Southern Hemisphere.)  The place where I live is not humid and green like Kyoto in the summer, it is hot and dry like Athens.Second, there have been changes of perception in the nature of the Seasons over the past hundred years or so.Old style calendars, in both Japan and Europe, were lunar.  New fangled solar calendars insist on placing the beginning of seasons at the Solstices and Equinoxes, instead of the traditional and more logical placement in between.  In researching these matters I discover that in Japanese tradition, Spring begins on February 4th, Summer begins May 6th, Autumn begins August 8th, and Winter begins November 7th.This means that this year my camellias may become an early Summer flower!Such general conflicts are well enough, but I now observe a particular of which I had never thought until this week.Boy's Day is May 5th.  Summer begins May 6th.How does this relate to the change over from Ro to Furo?I have always assumed that Boy's Day was done with Furo.  Girl's Day is certainly done with the Ro.  But am I mistaken?  I can, of course, ask my sensei.  But I am fascinated by just how the shift between seasons affects our perceptions of how we conduct our temae.I mean, if our food should be seasonal, how can we justify grapefruit and avacado as a summer offering, when both those are winter crops?I don't think I am expecting solid answers so much as discussions like floating islands, illuminating philosophical ideas. Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:57:16 -0700 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=50#50 50@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Differences between Omotesenke and Urasenke. Message: Hello Barbara,I have at various times heard from you on various forums, and it is nice to meet you.  Lucky for us the internet affords a virtual forum like this.   I enjoy a large tea community in Portland Oregon, and I feel for you doing tea in the "wilderness".  Please stop by my blogsweetpersimmon1.blogspot.comAnd if you would like to contribute as a guest blogger about chado, Japanese culture, or anything that comes to mind, please contact me.Margie Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:32:25 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=48#48 48@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Tatami or no? Message: Hi!Well, wabi and sabi suggests that we should be evoking rusticity. This can be achieved in lots of ways. If possible, you should study tea on tatami. However, as I recall, tea has been performed on red felt cloth. I perform tea demonstrations in rather odd places and do not have the benefit of tatami. I have performed tea on cheap roll up straw mats in a camp ground. I have performed tea on a blue military surplus wool blanket in an armory, a church basement, or a small exhibit building at a county fair grounds. &c. But, I still teach people about how to walk on tatami while your legs are asleep. Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:31:24 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=47#47 47@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Differences between Omotesenke and Urasenke. Message: Hi! sweetpersimmon wrote:I was there about 12 years ago. At that time you had to be referred by your sensei, and then go through an application process that took about a year.  The application process includes a personal essay, 3 community recommendations, visa application and other requirements.   You had to provide your own airfare and transportation from the Osaka or Nagoya, as Kyoto has no international airport. I have at various times dreamed of attending the tea school, but have grown old and there is no tea community within 5 hours of here in Syracuse, NY. Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:20:49 -0800 http://www.tea-circle.com/forum/view_topic.php?pid=46#46 46@http://www.tea-circle.com/forum Topic: Differences between Omotesenke and Urasenke. Message: Hi.Historically, both Omotesenke and Urasenke were started by the same man. Omotesenke was started first, and after the founding iemoto retired, he gathered together a group of close students and others and founded Urasenke. Stylistically, there are rather odd differences between the two schools. For example:The handling of kaishi (paper for sweets) while eating okashi (sweets).Which way you fold your hands in your lap.Whether and when you snap your fukusa (a thick silk cloth square which functions as a dust rag) during particular temae (tea making procedures).To complicate things further, both schools have evolved. So for example, where you place the futaoki (lid rest) in respect to a daisu (a kind of table) or a nagaita (a long lacquer ware board) has changed over time within the Urasenke school. Or, so I was taught by my various sensei. Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:14:20 -0800