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【重要文化財】浜松図真形釜(15世紀) 東京国立博物館蔵 / ColBase

Tea Ceremony Utensils

Items used to perform the tea ceremony. In the tearoom, participants appreciate both the function and beauty of these utensils

    The implements used in tea ceremony are divided into the following broad categories:

• Ornamental items

  The scroll hanging in the alcove

  The flower vase in the alcove

• Items used to make the tea

  The kettle

  The tea bowl

  The tea scoop

• Items used for the simple meal before tea

  Plates

  Bowls

  Sake cups

• Washroom utensils

  A water bucket

  A water ladle

As one can see, a great variety of handcrafted items are used as tea ceremony utensils, and these items are made from all sorts of materials: ceramics, metal, wood, bamboo, lacquer, dyed cloth, paper, etc.

       During the Kamakura period (1180-1333) when the Song manner of appreciating tea was introduced to Japan, all sorts of tea implements were also brought over. Tea implements made in China during the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1279-1368), and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties, called Kara-mono (Chinese ware) in tea ceremony circles, are most prized even today.

       With the spread of tea ceremony culture in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), kilns like those in Seto and Mino started imitating Chinese tea ceramics and calling what they produced Wa-mono (Japanese ware). In due time, Sen no Rikyu's austere tea culture (wabicha) became the fashion in tea circles, and with this development, tea bowls called Korai-mono (Korean ware), from private kilns on the Korean peninsula, became the main type of tea bowls used in Japan. Separately, Japanese ware tea implements also changed to conform to the aesthetic of austere tea culture, developing in ways unique to Japan.

       So that the tea ceremony becomes a heightened aesthetic experience, participants are encouraged not just to use tea implements in the tearoom, but also to appreciate them in their use and for their beauty. Moreover, careful consideration is also given to which tea implements to use together on a particular occasion. The tea master first considers the theme of the tea gathering and selects a particular hanging scroll for the alcove. Then he selects tea implements, tea bowls, a tea scoop, and so on, making sure that they go together in color and artistic design.

Related People, Things and Events

Books

Related Works

Kakemono (hanging scrolls)

Kama (kettles) and furo (portable braziers)

Chaire (tea caddies)

Usuchaki (tea caddies for weak tea)

Chawan (tea bowls) (China)

Chawan (Korean Peninsula)

Chawan (Japan)

Chashaku (tea scoops)

Mizusashi (fresh water containers)

Futaoki (lid rests) and kensui (rinse-water receptacles)

Hanaire (flower containers)

Kogo (incense containers)

Other items

Videos

Past Exhibitions

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Institutions Holding Related Materials

  • As Japan’s representative museum, Tokyo National Museum collects, preserves, displays, and researches the cultural properties of Asia with a focus on Japan, and also provides educational programs.

  • Kyoto National Museum collects, preserves, displays, researches and provides educational programs focusing on cultural properties from Heian- through to Edo- period Japan, when the capital was located there.

  • 東急電鉄の創始者・五島慶太が蒐集した日本・東洋の古美術品を収蔵する私立美術館。国宝・重要文化財を含む約5千件の所蔵品は、墨跡、古筆、茶道具などで構成されている。茶道具類は館蔵展などで展示。

  • 三菱財閥の岩﨑彌之助と岩﨑小彌太の父子二代によって設立された美術館。国宝・重要文化財を含む、約6,500点の東洋古美術品を収蔵。年間4~5回開催される展覧会では、中国・南宋時代の国宝「曜変天目」をはじめとする所蔵品をテーマ別に公開。

  • 近代数寄者・畠山一清(即翁)が収集した、日本・中国・朝鮮の古美術品を展示公開する私立美術館。茶道具を中心とした収蔵品約1,300件には、国宝・重要文化財も含まれる。庭内には即翁の好みによる5つの茶室が点在。

  • 三井家伝来の約4千件の美術品を収蔵。国宝・重要文化財に指定された名品を含む茶道具類が収蔵品の約半数を占める。展示室内に三井家ゆかりの茶室「如庵」(国宝)の室内が再現され、茶道具の取り合わせを展示するほか、企画展にあわせて収蔵品を公開。

  • 石川県内の伝統的工芸品全36品目をすべて展示する施設。常設展示では、金沢漆器、山中漆器、大樋焼、茶の湯釜など、石川県の伝統工芸の技で作られた茶道具を展示している。

  • 尾張徳川家伝来の大名道具を収蔵・展示。「名品コレクション展示室」内、「第2展示室 大名の数寄ー茶の湯ー」「第3展示室 大名の室礼ー書院飾りー」では、尾張徳川家伝来の茶道具の名品を鑑賞できる。

  • 裏千家センター内にある茶道を総合的に学ぶことができる施設。掛物、茶碗、花入などの茶道具や関連の美術工芸品、文献史料など、茶の湯に関する資料を展示。2階陳列室には、茶室「又隠(ゆういん)」(重要文化財)の写しが設けられている。

  • 千家十職の一つ「茶碗師」を務める窯元・樂家に隣接する美術館。樂歴代の作品を中心に、茶道工芸、美術品、古文書など樂家に伝わる資料を収蔵・展示。

  • 千家十職の一つ「釜師」を務める、大西家伝来の茶釜や茶道具を展示。京釜の伝統と歴史を学ぶことができる。

  • 表千家不審庵が運営。茶の湯の道具の意味、歴史、見どころなどを詳細に解説。

  • 裏千家今日庵が運営。茶席で必要な道具類を初心者にも分かりやすく紹介。

References

  1. 茶道資料館 編,淡交社