Tea Ceremony (Tamagawa Enshu-ryu) - Etiquette for the Ladle (Hishaku) during Temae - Fine details not found in the scrolls

⭐ How to handle the ladle according to the four seasons

⭐ Spring, Summer, and Autumn

【Etiquette for hot water】 - In the case of a Furo (portable hearth) kettle -

⭐ When pouring hot water into the tea bowl

・When performing Chasen-toshi (whisk rinsing) or whisking matcha, grasp the handle of the ladle from above and scoop the hot water immediately. ⏫️

⭐ When returning the ladle to the kettle

・When returning the ladle during Chasen-toshi, place it with your thumb on top of the ladle handle and your index finger and below underneath it. ⏫️

⭐ After pouring hot water onto the matcha

・After pouring hot water into the tea bowl to whisk the matcha, when returning the ladle to the kettle, perform the "musubi (knot) pose" (make a circle by touching your thumb and index finger on the upper side of the ladle handle; place your middle finger and below underneath the ladle handle), then release your right hand from the ladle. ⏫️

【Etiquette for cold water】 - In the case of a Furo kettle -

⭐ When the water in the kettle is boiling too much

・Using cold water to adjust the temperature is called "mizu-hishaku" (water ladle).
・When using the water ladle, the handling of the ladle changes slightly. ⏬️

・Grasp the ladle from below with your right hand ①.
・Pull the ladle toward you so that the bowl of the ladle does not rise above the mouth of the Furo kettle.

・Receive the released bowl of the ladle with your left hand ②, catching the joint section at the base of your thumb and index finger ✋.

・While tracing the top of the ladle handle to the end with your right hand ①, change your hand position to the form for scooping water, return from the end to the joint, and grip the ladle firmly. ③
・Scoop water from the water container and pour it into the Furo kettle via the shortest distance to cool the water.

⭐ When adding one ladle of water

・Leaving the water in the kettle (when it is fine for the hot water to take time to reach the appropriate temperature = performed after serving matcha to the main guest) is called "Kiri-hishaku" (cutting ladle).

・After adding one ladle of water from the water container to the Furo kettle, place the ladle on the kettle [without performing Yugai (hot water adjustment)].
・When placing it on the kettle, hold the handle mainly with your right index finger as shown in the diagram above, refer to the red arrows ↑↓, lift it slightly, and then lower it to place it.

⭐ When the tea bowl is returned by the main guest

・Perform the etiquette after adding water to the kettle to rinse the tea bowl using the "three fingers": index, middle, and ring fingers. ⏬️

・To place the ladle, trace the underside of the handle from the node to the end with your three fingers (index, middle, and ring) while showing your palm, then at the end, turn your palm over so that the back of your hand (red) is visible as you place it.

⭐ Movements after adding two ladles of water at the end (Ro and Furo)

・After stirring, use your "right hand" to press the "bowl" (gou) of the ladle face down against the front edge of the Ro or Furo kettle mouth, and while letting the drops fall, raise it vertically into a half-moon shape, and let it rest on the base of the thumb and index finger of your [left hand]. (Revised June 2025)

【Winter - In the case of a Ro kettle】

⭐ When you want to add water from the water container to the kettle

・Grip the ladle from below with your right hand ①.
・Draw the "bowl" (gou) of the ladle toward you, trying not to let it rise above the height of the Ro kettle mouth. ⏬️

• After the movements after adding two ladles of water at the end ⏫️ and the movements for adding water from the water container to the kettle ⏫️, hold the ladle properly in the Ichimonji (straight line) position. ⏬️

・Receive the node part of the drawn-in "bowl" (gou) with the base of your thumb and index finger ✋ as shown in left hand ②.
・With your right hand ①, trace the top of the ladle handle to the end, change your hand shape to the one for scooping water, return from the end to the node, and grip the ladle firmly. ③

⭐ When returning the ladle to the kettle after adding water

・After adding [water] to the Ro kettle, do not stir; place the ladle face down while holding it slightly below the node, and descend while tracing from the node to the end of the ladle handle as shown by the red arrows and red right hand in the diagram above.
《In the case of hot water》⏬️
・The movements of the red arrows and red right hand are not performed.

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