Photo courtesy of Nikkei Centre
In an upcoming workshop, Maiko Behr, a Japanese culture and art consultant, explains the role charcoal plays within the context of the Japanese tea ceremony.
The Japanese tea ceremony, or Chanoyu, is about much more than just the tea itself. Every element matters – even the charcoal used to heat the water.
Charcoal in Chanoyu
Maiko Behr, expert in Japanese art and culture.| Photo courtesy of the Maiko Behr.
Chanoyu, is a choreographic ritual involving the preparation and serving of Japanese green tea, called matcha. The objective is to create a relaxed communication between host and guests. A host or hostess spends hours to ensure the perfect and smooth flow of the occasion.
As an art, Chanoyu is appreciated through the simplicity of the tea room’s design, the feel of the tea pot in one’s hand, the company of friends, or simply as an occasion for entertainment.
“The basic utensils include a kettle, bowl, whisk, tea caddy, tea scoop, cold water jar and waste water jar. The room is also decorated with a scroll and flowers,” says Behr.
Charcoal is used to heat up the tea, an element of the ceremony called sumi-demae.
“There is an entire additional set of utensils used for preparing the charcoal fire: basket, coal, feather broom, fire chopsticks/tongs, incense, incense holder, and other items,” says Behr.
Unique Japanese charcoal
The charcoal used in Chanoyu is different from the regular types used for cooking or barbecues, which often come from sawdust or wood scraps. On the other hand, charcoal used for Chanoyu comes exclusively from the wood of the kunugi tree, known as the Sawtooth oak. Behr says that there are both practical and aesthetic reasons for this choice.
“In charcoal form, this wood dries in a beautiful star-shaped pattern radiating out from the centre in a cross-section. When it burns, the heat concentrates in the centre of the coal and is directed along the length of it toward the bottom of the kettle,” says Behr.
Furthermore, she stresses that the wood used for Chanoyu is very effective in heating-up the kettle in the right amount of time, as well as creating a beautiful look when the charcoal is red-hot in the hearth. Other types of wood in charcoal form cannot serve this practical and aesthetic requirement.
The charcoal deriving from the kunugi tree is indispensable for the ceremony, which is why it must be imported.
“Because the size, shape, and function of this charcoal is specifically designed for the tea ceremony and is made specifically for this purpose, it can only be found in Japan,” says Behr.
Behr explains that charcoal used for Chanoyu also comes in different shapes and sizes.
“The shapes are short and wide, long and narrow, full rounds or split half-rounds, and very thin branches. Each type has a different function. Some are meant to heat up quickly, some are intended to last longer; some are placed close together and some are spread further apart to allow air flow to keep the fire going,” says Behr.
This is because such diverse shapes and sizes are used to supplement the practical and aesthetic requirements of the ceremony.
“By combining these different shapes of charcoal, we are able to create a fire that is practical for heating the water in the kettle, but also that will offer a pleasing atmosphere and look at the centre of the tea room”, says Behr.
Various pieces of charcoal (sumi) used during a tea ceremony| Photo courtesy of the Japanese Tea Ceremony.
Behr will hold a workshop on April 12 in Burnaby to demonstrate the process of sumi-demae.
For more information about this or Chanoyu in general, visit
www.centre.nikkeiplace.org/japanese-tea-ceremony-english/
