October 30, 2011

Naming ones tools

   For a few years now I have been browsing Rikyu, a website dedicated to all aspects of antiquities for Chanoyu. In the wooden tool section I have realized that each tool has a dedicated name, carefully selected by the artisan. When I first started to look It never clued in that these beautifuly etched kanji were names.
  But now I am aware of them, thus I seek names for my chasaku (my best one as I have three) and chasen .
   Finding a name itself is difficult. Just as is finding a holder for it like this one on the side. Traditionally a tea master carves their own chasaku, I am not a tea master but I wish to use my artistic skills to create one just the same. Having this duality between Teasist and Artist makes it interesting. For some the idea of spending ones time carving a tool for tea is time better spent on learning. Though tea should be learned, in my view, through all methods. Learn about how a bowl is made, learn how zisha clay is used, learn how to pick the right leaf size, etc. All feeds into the study of the leaf. Just takes decades to learn, I am short over 5 years of missing experiences for the first decade of study. What will one learn in the next?
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