Urasenke Tea Procedure Guidebook 1

by Sōshitsu Sen XVI

This newly published English edition of the Japanese guidebook Urasenke Chadō Temae Kyosoku 1 (Tankosha, 2010) by Urasenke Grand Master Sōshitsu Sen XVI is essentially aimed as an aid for beginning students of Urasenke chadō. Fully illustrated in color, it provides detailed "how to" information covering mannerly deportment in the tea room, basic tea-making procedure elements, the beginner level Bonryaku tea-making procedure, a similarly versatile variant of it called the Chitose-bon procedure, and basic guest etiquette.

Genres: Tea

147 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2017

About the author

Alternate Names:

千　宗之 - Sen Soshi (Soshi Sen)
千　宗室 XVI - Sen Sōshitsu XVI (Sōshitsu Sen XVI)

Reviews

[Manuel Del Río Rodríguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve recently talked about and reviewed several books on the Japanese Tea Ceremony. As I mentioned before, most English-language books available are general introductions to sadō. The more detailed ones usually include photographs illustrating the steps of some basic procedures (temae). Today’s book, however, is a different kind of work altogether, although it does a bit of that. As its title indicates, Urasenke Tea Procedure Guidebook 1 is a guidebook in the strict sense: it is meant as a refresher and visual reference for people who are already studying the Tea Ceremony at Urasenke school classes, allowing them to recall and practice at home what they have learned with their teachers.

After a short introduction, which includes a brief overview of the successive Urasenke iemoto, the book goes straight to the essentials. It begins by presenting the basic items required as a guest, along with the most elementary procedures one must master: how to sit and walk, how to fold the fukusa cloth, how to inspect the chasen (whisk), how to clean a tea bowl, and how to handle the hishaku (water ladle). These actions are both pragmatic and ritualistic.

The next two sections, illustrated with detailed color photographs, demonstrate the performance of the simplest temae: bonryaku and chitose-bon. Both require minimal equipment and are fairly informal. Finally, the last part of the book focuses on etiquette for guests: how to enter and behave in the tea hut, how to drink thin tea, and how to partake of the different types of sweets.

The book is thorough, with clear text and full-color photographs that carefully break down each action and step.

This is probably not the best book for someone completely new to the subject (see my earlier reviews for more suitable first readings). But for what it is (a handbook for learners) it is as good as it gets in English. This volume, together with its two companion pieces, appears to be a translation or abridgment of Japanese originals.

[Ultramarinedream · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent beginner's overview of Urasenke tea ceremony etiquette and procedures. It is a great resource for new students in that you can learn the procedures in your class, and then have a reminder text (with clear photos) to guide you in your home practice.

[Elisa Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful and easy to follow. A great book for beginner, English speaking, Urasenke students.