Charcoal procedure at Hatsugama (first tea ceremony of the year) 2016/01/14

On January tenth, we had Hatsugama at the tea room in Tama hillside, western suburbs of Tokyo. It was cold but fine day and 14 members of small tea sect gathered and enjoyed the ceremony fully.

The host carefully prepared and selected tools for the first ceremony of the year. Silver and gold tea bowls, specially designed kettle and flower arrangement, namely pine and weeping willow which celebrates long life.

I played the host for charcoal procedure which was the opening ceremony of the day.

It is to supply charcoals to a fireplace provided in the center of the tea room by following procedures.

Remove a kettle from fireplace,

Drop beautiful wet sands in fireplace,

Supply charcoals in fireplace,

Put few incenses besides charcoals,

Bring back a kettle to fireplace,

Sweep a kettle, fireplace and tatami mat with a specially designed two kinds of brooms.

Each procedure should be done neatly and elegantly with a beautifully designed tong and brooms made by feathers of hawk eagle.

After above was done, we can enjoy quiet sounds of charcoals and sweet smell of incenses and we are ready to have main tea ceremony performance.