Re: [chado] Digest for chado-way-of-tea@googlegroups.com - 10 Messages in 3 Topics

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Elizabeth Plotnick

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Nov 24, 2009, 11:49:34 AM11/24/09
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I've found you can remove matcha granules from a fukusa with one of those putty-like art erasers.  Wearing rubber or latex gloves, wash the fukusa in cool water and soap, but add white vinegar to the water to preserve the dye.  You don't want to come into contact with the red and orange dyes used in silk--probably a lot of cadmium there--bad for the kidneys.

On Sat, Nov 21, 2009 at 5:26 AM, <chado-wa...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
  Today's Topic Summary

Group: http://groups.google.com/group/chado-way-of-tea/topics

 Topic: Gomei
    Ahmad <saqfa...@gmail.com> Nov 20 04:44AM -0800
     
    I have decided to help by at least transferring each month's gomei
    from the scanned form to a digital one.
     
    So, here is the first batch of December's list in Kanj, Romaji, and
    their meanings in English.
     
    There are three readings I couldn't get so far, and one I am not sure
    about.
     
    The English translations found between brackets may not be precise.
     
    Any corrections are welcome.
     
     
    十二月　December
     
    冬木立　(fuyukodachi) Barren Trees in Winter
    窓の雪　(madonoyuki) (snow piling up on windows)
    立雪　　(----------------) (piled up snow)
    埋火　　(----------------) (sleeping fires)
    雪峰　　(----------------) (snowy peeks)
    蓑虫　　(minomushi)　Bagworm moth
    冬籠　　(fuyugomori)　Hibernation
    千秋楽　(senjyuuraku) Final day of festivals (sumo tournament)
    冬夜　　(touya) Winter Night
    寒空　　(samuzora) Wintry Sky
    さざれ石　(sazare-ishi) Pebble(s)
    残菊　　(zangiku) Late Chrysanthemums
    雪の朝　(yukinoasa) Snowy Morning
    早梅　　(soubai) Early Plum
    松明　　(taimatsu) Torchlight
    冬の月　(fuyunotsuki) Winter Moon
    寒月　　(kangetsu) (winter month/wintry moon)
    冬ざれ　(fuyuzare) Playful Winter
    雪空　　(yukizora) Snow-laden Sky
    初氷　　(hatsugoori) The First Freeze of the Year
    氷の花　(koorinohana) Flowers of Ice
    冬の山　(fuyunoyama) Wintry Mountain
    枯野　　(kareno) Barren Field
    寒燈　　[(kantou) (cold light)]
    煤払　　(susuharai) End of Year Cleaning
     
    To be continued..
     

     

    Ahmad Saqfalhait <saqfa...@gmail.com> Nov 21 07:26PM +0900
     
    You're welcome. :)
     
    In almost all of my keiko, I have been asked for haiken, so the "gomei" has
    always been an embarrassing part of the temae for me, until I got this list.
     
    I will try to fill in the missing pages whenever I can, and ask my teacher
    about the unknown readings.
     
    All the best,
    Ahmad
     
     
    By the way, I think you duplicated June by mistake.
     
    2009/11/21 Marius Frøisland <muhi...@gmail.com>
     

     

    Ahmad Saqfalhait <saqfa...@gmail.com> Nov 20 08:37PM +0900
     
    Thanks for the tip.
    I already got a new one for formal use.
     
    I guess I will leave the current one as it is, because if it loses a lot of
    colour, then it will probably look worse than its current state.
     
    By the way, does the thickness of the fukusa indicate any level of
    formality, or just a personal preference?
     
    Thanks again,
    Ahmad
     
    2009/11/20 Marius Frøisland <muhi...@gmail.com>
     

     

    Aaron <abry...@gmail.com> Nov 20 11:08AM -0800
     
    Hello,
     
    As far as I know, which might not be too far, thickness has no
    relevance to level of formality(I'll try to read something about it).
    Price may or may not be a relevant gauge, merchants might simply
    charge more for more therefor thinner fukusa are usually cheaper;
    however, if quality, not formality, is based on price we can infer
    that the better ones are thicker. The nicest fukusa I ever had, while
    thicker, folded and layed so nicely it actually felt thinner than it
    was. I too believe that a thicker fukusa folds and lies nicer, and a
    better quality thick silk does the job even better. A thick but rough
    silk can sometimes not fold well but overall I still like thick over
    thin. Thin fukusa have their place as well of course, if you need to
    tie something up in one as in tsutsumibukusa, or perhaps if folding
    the fukusa in shin or gyo seems difficult with one more thick.
    Generally I use a thick one but during a chaji with tsutsumibukusa I
    might opt for a thin one, just to make it look nicer while tied around
    the natsume.
     
    I have purposefully put fukusa in water to equalize the color after
    getting raindrops on them or after a student pom pommed one into the
    kensui. You lose a bit of color but the less time you let it soak the
    less color you will lose. You can wring them out to get most of the
    water out and then just let them hang to dry and iron them
    afterwards. I think the ironing does more to change the fukusa than
    the swim so once I didn't wring out the water and it seemed to work
    out alright. I think it's better to have a lighter colored keiko
    fukusa than one that might look stained. Luckily the purple ones
    don't show tea stains like the red ones, sorry girls. :)
     
    Aaron

     

    Ahmad Saqfalhait <saqfa...@gmail.com> Nov 21 05:57PM +0900
     
    Thanks Marius and Aaron, you both have been very helpful.
    I am learning so much from this group.
     
    Have a nice weekend,
    Ahmad
     
     
    2009/11/21 Aaron <abry...@gmail.com>
     

     

    "Marius Frøisland" <muhi...@gmail.com> Nov 21 10:35AM +0100
     
    thin. Thin fukusa have their place as well of course, if you need to
    > the fukusa in shin or gyo seems difficult with one more thick.
    >
     
     
    I was told the same thing about gyo folding by my sempai in Japan, but when
    I talked to Kimura-sensei (London branch) about it he totaly dissagreed, and
    told me to use a thick fukusa for this too. So thats what I have been doing
    since he told me.
     
    --
    mvh
     
    Marius Frøisland
    - http://www.linkedin.com/in/mariusfroisland
    - http://wiki.chado.no
    - http://mfro.blogspot.com/

     

    Aaron <abry...@gmail.com> Nov 20 11:11AM -0800
     
    No kidding, hit those markets hard and early in the morning. Never
    know what you might find.
     
     
     

     

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naturegirl

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Sep 4, 2016, 12:29:26 PM9/4/16
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On Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 11:49:34 AM UTC-5, naturegirl wrote:
I've found you can remove matcha granules from a fukusa that is used only for okeiko -- with a (putty-like) soft kneaded erasers.  If you want to launder a fukusa for okeiko, wear rubber or latex gloves, add a cup of white vinegar to cool water and soap. Add white vinegar to the water to preserve the dye.  You don't want to come into contact with the red and orange dyes used in silk--probably a lot of cadmium there--bad for the kidneys. However, in my experience the fukusa does not lose a noticeable amount of color. 
This is only for okeiko -- for a real temae, of course, only a fresh fukusa would do. 

Barbara Nostrand

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Sep 6, 2016, 5:22:26 PM9/6/16
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Hi.

I am much more inclined to agree about a fresh chasen for chaseki than a fresh fukusa. While a fresh fukusa may be nice especially for chaji, I really don’t believe that they are necessary. For okeiko, my sensei in Tokyo never even hinted at any need for fresh fukusa. Rather, I treasure the one that they gave me when I began with them.

As for thickness. It is generally easier to work with thicker fukusa than thinner fukusa.

Barbara Nostrand

John Larissou

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Sep 6, 2016, 7:23:23 PM9/6/16
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If you are inviting guests for a chaji it is suggested that you have new
chakin, chasen, hishaku and fukusa. Certainly they should look new. But the
feeling you have, using the best for your guests, is an essential part of
the way.

Fukusa's "drape" will change with age, older are easier to use, and for
lighter colored fukusa there can be unsightly tea spots. The purple of men's
fukusa hides allot.

While I certainly agree that "thicker is better" some Omotesenke
practitioners have difficulty getting the thickest fukusa to "snap".

The thin synthetic ones are just garbage.

Someone mentioned that it is hard to get the thick ones to tie for
tsutsumibukusa. I certainly have had that experience.

Also I have run into two different measuring systems, one where #1 is the
thickest and the other where it is the thinnest.

Experiences and opinions vary, do what is right for you, appropriate at that
moment.

JLL

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