What host and guest carry into the tea room


Items women take into the tearoom

Clockwise: 

kaichū-shi - paper 'envelope' for the inside  pocket of kimono. Used to store all the other items except the fan, kuromoji and incense pouch. For women, the kaichū-shi is made from seven sheets of hanshi paper folded into half, then into thirds

yattsu-giri - hanshi size paper (35cm x 25cm) cut into eighths. Used for wiping the tea bowl after drinking koicha and for cleaning lacquerware

 

sukiya-bukuro (tea room pouch) - women carry a sukiya-bukuro to store items for the tea room. The women's inside pocket of kimono is much smaller than the men's and necessitates a sukiya-bukuro

 

incense pouch (shino-bukuro) - a guest  takes incense (chips of aloeswood) to a tea gathering and uses them should the host chose to savour incense during a tea gathering

 

fan (suehiro / sensu) - used as a symbol of humility. A fan shows that you are an invited guest, expresses your reverence for the gathering and respect towards the host and other guests. A fan is also used for many practical purposes in chanoyu

 

kuromoji (wooden picks) - used to cut sweets into smaller morsels before eating. Sweets are never 'stabbed' with a kuromoji, they are only used for cutting. The Ueda Ryū uses 4 sun size kuromoji (12.12cm)

 

yattsu-ori - hanshi size paper (35cm x 25cm) folded into eighths. Unfolded into quarters and used for eating sweets

 

fukusa (purifying cloth) - used in place of the host's often elaborate, embodied silk cloth presented to guests for them to use when drinking thick tea. A guest uses their fukusa so not to wear the host's treasured cloth


 

Items the host takes into the tea room (excluding the utensils for the temae)

 

In the host's kaichū-shi is an ōbukusa (large display cloth), several yattsu-giri papers and one yattsu-ori paper. 

 

 

The fukusa is worn in the right side of the obi.


Items men take into the tearoom 

Clockwise:

kaichū-shi - paper 'envelope' for the inside  pocket of kimono. Used to store all the other items except the fan and incense pouch. For men, the kaichū-shi is made from nine sheets of hanshi paper folded into quarters

yattsu-giri - hanshi size paper (35cm x 25cm) cut into eighths. Used for wiping the tea bowl after drinking koicha and for cleaning lacquerware

 

incense pouch (shino-bukuro) - a guest  takes incense (chips of aloeswood) to a tea gathering and uses them should the host chose to savour incense during a tea gathering

 

fan (suehiro / sensu) - used as a symbol of humility. A fan shows that you are an invited guest, expresses your reverence for the gathering and respect towards the host and other guests. A fan is also used for many practical purposes in chanoyu

 

kuromoji (wooden picks) - used to cut sweets into smaller morsels before eating. Sweets are never 'stabbed' with a kuromoji, they are only used for cutting. The Ueda Ryū uses 4 sun size kuromoji (12.12cm)

 

yattsu-ori - hanshi size paper (35cm x 25cm) folded into eighths. Unfolded into quarters and used for eating sweets

 

fukusa (purifying cloth) - used in place of the host's often elaborate, embodied silk cloth presented to guests for them to use when drinking thick tea. A guest uses their fukusa so not to wear the host's treasured cloth


All the items described are a arranged in the kaichū-shi as in the image right. The kaichū-shi is then placed into the front pouch of the kimono. The incense pouch is placed in the obi, or in the right sleeve pocket. The sensu is maily carried or placed in the left side of the obi (in place of the samurai sword left outside the tea room)


Items the host takes into the tea room (excluding the utensils for the temae)

 

In the host's kaichū-shi is an ōbukusa (large display cloth), several yattsu-giri papers and one yattsu-ori paper. 

 

The fukusa is worn in the right side of the obi.