Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-05-05
JAPANESE HIGH TEA.
An ELABORATE AFFAIR THAT 70
OFTEN VERY COSTLY.

To invite a few friends To come and
drink cup OF tea Is by no means sim
Pile matter among the Japanese. Such an
invitation necessitates room built spe-
sally for these occasions, a whole para
phernalia Of costly utensils and a most
elaborate ceremonial. The famous Ameri-
can high tea,' with its hot cakes, chick
ems, ham, pirs, custarsls and jams. bears
no comparison In point Of extravagant
preparation. shoguns and mobiles ruined
themselves giving tea parties Warriors
and knights forgot their high vocation
and princes abdicated their thrones that
they might devote themselves to daily tea
ceremonies. which grew more and more
costly until immense sums were spent and
great fortunes dissipated upon these enter
| tainments.
The cha-no-yu ceremonies are 600 or 100
years old, and have passed through three
distinct stages
The largest tea party In the world was
given by Hideyoshi In the pine grove of
kitano. He issued nn etfict In which all
the tea votarics In the empire were hidden
20 come to this grove, bringing with them
any tea curios they might possess. and the
prince promised to drink tea at every
booth. All who failed to present them
selves were forbidden ever to take part Ia
htlE IHA~A0-yN NkatBs ntn kfatitA ElAtEl~
tainment, Mt which noblemen and peasants
alike were welcome. lasted ten days and
was great success. The edict itself Ii
still In existence. But dissensions arose
among the members Of the tea cult, and
one party thought the ceremonies should
| be performed In such n manner, and an
other party considered their own particn-
lar method the proper one, 20 Hideyoshi
called all the various schools 10 his castle
of lruchini, and under him Sen-no-Rykyn
gathered together, simpiified and arranged
4 the rules, and It Is these rules which gov
ern the cha-no-yu today.
It's principal characteristic Ii a most eiab-
crate and affected simplicity. The vari-
GUS utensils are frequently OF plain Corean
ware, but OF enormous value, for their AN
tiquity Is great. The room Is as plain as
possible. though often OF very expensive
and valuable woods. The invitations are
usually either for noon or o'clock p. m.
There are two distinct modes. one for sum-
mer and the other for winter.
/ In the cold season the garden Is thickly
strewed with pine needles. which give forth
a pleasant aromatic perfume. The visitors
retain their geta, or outside footgear, and
the tea Ia made over o square flreplace
built In the floor. In summer the garden
In gay with flowers and curiously twisted
little dwarf trees. In this mode the visit
ors remove their geta and n portable bra
zier Is used.
The guests do not come directly TO the
house-there would be an abruptness
about sslch n proceeding not at all con-
! sistent with the solemnity OF the occasion
+ but go TO n pavilion, machia-ai, In the
midst Of the garden, and wait till all are as
sembled. Then the principal guest strikes
the wooden tablet or bell TO announce their
arrival. Generally the host has been await
ing this summons and appears immcdia
ly, but sometimes a servant answers IL In.
stead The entrance to the tearoom Ii
curious enough--it In simply a square hole
three feet each way. The guests creep In
one after another. Ia order OF precedence.
and after them the host. who In the mean.
time has knelt beside the entrance until
the last visitor has gone in. The guests
then seat themselves in semicircle, and
the host approaches the door Of the side
room where the utensils are kept and says;
II rejoice that you have condescended tc
come and thank you for Il. will now
make up the fires"
All the gestures and speeches are always
the same and are never left TO the discre.
tion OF the participants. The folding d
the hands, whether the right shall b.
clasped ON top or the left open, Is settled
By strict etiquette. The host brings i'm ths
sumitori, or charcoal basket, each piece oil
a certain length and of camellia wood, q
mitsu-ba brush of three feathers, n pair ol
tongs like great iron chopsticks, the ket
tie stand, Iron handles FOR the kettle, 9
lacquer box containing incense and some
little rolls OF paper. II it IL summer tbs
incense box should be of earthenware. Hs
next brings vessel for ashes and littls
spoon shaped shovel 10 remove them. Ths
charcoal is lighted and incense burned u
destroy the smell OF the fumes.
In stereotyped phrases the guests ask
permission TO examine the incense box
which IN always curlo. or at least has
some historical interest attached 10 IL
Each visitor receives it In turn, and thu
last one returns IL 20 the host, who mean
while dilates upon its antiquity or it's his
toric origin. The first part OF the ceremony
is now over and the visitors and the hosi
retire TO the garden.
During the second part dinner Ia served
and the tea made. With a little square Of
purple cloth the host wipes each utensn
then with the bamboo spoon, cha-shake, Z
little tea Ii taken out OF the jar, cha-ore, and
hot water dipped from highly embellished
iron kettle with q dainty dipper and poured
upon the tea In the bowl. This mixture II
then whipped 20 n froth, and boy carries
IL to the guests. IL requires considerable
practice to produce a froth quickly and
without splashing; the instrument used L
whisk made OF a piece OF bamboo. split
into shreds at one end until IL resembles
somewhat q paintbrush with q hollow
center. The tea IN light green I'm color and
finely powdered. 80 that the bowl Of tes
looks very much like a sort of thick green
cream.
In the frat part OF tho ceremony the tes
Is koicha. or very thick. and during tbs
last part IL Ii usu-cha, thinner II costs
from Ave dollars TO six dollars a pound,
and cannot be kept long Very few En-.
ropeans can drink IL without feeling very
unhappy. for In the first place the taste l.
| not agreeable, and then IL IN no intensely
strong that II Is sure to disagree with
them II they do manage TO swallow It,
The utensils used ia tho second part Of
the ceremony are carried In by the host,
each separately and In the following order:
| l. An iron kettle ON stand. q The daIsu.
a table of mulberry wood, about two feet
high. B Two eha-ire. or tea Jars, I'm bro
cade covers 4 The mizasachi, or poe for
fresh water, which Is stood under little
table. >. The eha-sen, bamboo whisk; the
fuknsa. or little cloth: the cha-shaku, or
caddy spoon, and lastly the little wooden
dipper. shaku.
II there In only one guest the contents OF
the howl should be swallowed In three
gulps. After this guests have each drank
tie empty bowl ~ passed from hand -