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Chaki (茶器) is a Japanese term that literally means "tea implement". In the vocabulary ofJapanese tea ceremony, it broadly means (1) any implement used in the practice ofchanoyu, and more narrowly means (2) the caddy for the powdered green tea (matcha) used in the tea-making procedures, although usually this implies (3) the caddies used in the procedures for making thin tea (usucha).[1] In this article, the term applies to definition 2.
The caddies generally referred to aschaki are relatively small lidded containers, and are not storage vessels. In preparing to perform a tea-making procedure (temae), the host carefully selects the caddy for thematcha that will be used, and, as an important part of the preparations, neatly places thematcha into it. Thechaki is chosen to harmonize with the other equipment used for the occasion, and thechaki is among the items the guests pay particular attention to.
Chaki are classified both by material and shape, as well as by the type of tea preparation (thin tea or thick tea) for which they are used.
Chaki can be divided into two broad categories: those made of ceramic, and those made of wood or bamboo. Normally, ceramicchaki are for use in the procedures to make thick tea (koicha), and are calledchaire (茶入, "tea container")(ja) orkoicha-ki (濃茶器; "implement for thick tea").
Wood or bamboochaki normally are for use in the procedures to make thin tea, and are also calledusucha-ki (薄茶器), "implement for thin tea," often abbreviatedusuki). Commonly these are of the shape category callednatsume (棗, "jujube"), and sousucha-ki in general tend to be loosely referred to asnatsume.
Bothchaire andnatsume are further classified according to country of origin, materials and shape, and in some cases by potter or, in special cases, a name given to the object.
Broadly speaking, anusucha-ki is a wooden vessel with a lid, designed to hold powdered tea for making thin tea. Traditionally,usucha-ki are hand-carved from wood or bamboo, and usually arelacquered. They may also feature designs painted, applied, or carved into them, using for instance themaki-e orraden techniques. Today, cheaper, mass-producedplasticusucha-ki are also available.
The namenatsume comes from thenatsume or jujube fruit, which someusucha-ki are said to resemble. Strictly speaking, the wordnatsume should only be used to refer to vessels which have a slightly convex top and body that gradually narrows toward the base, but in practice anyusucha-ki may be referred to as anatsume.
Sincenatsume are used for thin tea, they are the firstchaki that a tea student learns to use.
A lacquer artist named Haneda Gorō, who lived in the era ofHigashiyama culture and did lacquer work forAshikaga Yoshimasa, is credited as the originator of this style of container for powdered tea which at first, as a rule, was black-lacquered. Records of tea gatherings held bySen no Rikyū reveal that he usednatsume, and that in his daynatsume were used forkoicha (thick tea).[2]
The basic type is the "Rikyū shape" (利休形Rikyū-gata), which comes in three sizes: large (大棗ō-natsume), medium (中棗chū-natsume), and small (小棗ko-natsume). With the orthodoxRikyū-gata natsume, typically finished in plain black lacquer inside and out, the lid fits onto the body at about 7/10 the distance up from the base. There is tremendous variation among the other different types and sizes ofnatsume, however. For example, the diameter of the flat type (平棗hira-natsume) generally is about twice the dimension of the vessel's height.[3]
Koma (独楽) is the name for aspinning top. Originally from southeast Asia, it also became a popular motif. It can be categorised as ashimamono.
Kōdai-ji bun natsume (高台寺文棗) is named afterKōdai-ji in Kyoto and features theimperial chrysanthemum seal and thepaulownia seal of the regentToyotomi Hideyoshi.[4][5][6]
The most important pottery of theCha-no-yu is first theCha-ire and then theCha-wan. It is said that among the military class the most precious possessions were first Tea-caddies, second writings and third swords. For this was the order in which they were presented by the Shogun to one he desired to honour.
The termchaire (茶入) generally refers to a relatively small ceramic jar with a lid, used to hold the tea powder for use in making thick tea (koicha). Historically, the lid, which is custom-made to fit the jar, is made fromelephant ivory with agold leaf underside. This traditional use of ivory links the utensil to contemporary conservation debates and theglobal illegal ivory trade.[8][9] Contemporary lids are usually created from other materials made to resemble ivory.
According to Sadler,chaire were originally used in China in theSong period as bottles for oil or medicine, and were imported into Japan for use as tea caddies up to the end of theAshikaga or start of theTokugawa period.[7]
Chaire can be divided into two broad types:karamono andwamono (sometimes referred to askuniyakimono).Karamono arechaire that originated in or are made to resemble those created inChina, whilewamono are those that originated inJapan. These can be further subdivided by kiln or potter as well as shape.
Karamono chaire are classified by shape:
Wamono chaire are classified by the names of kilns (production centers) and potters. The kilns inSeto, in the old province of Owari (present Aichi Prefecture), are considered the original Japanese kilns to producechaire, and so traditionally thechaire from the Seto kilns do not fall into the category calledkuniyakimono or "provincial ware". Also, the various kilns in Kyoto are not regarded as "provincial ware".[3]
