| This is a brief glossary of terms related to Cha-no-yu, the most common form of tea ceremony using macha or powdered tea. While there are many traditions of Cha-no-yu, they derive from the chasen ("meeting over tea") betwen the Abbot of a Zen monastery and senior monastics introduced by Yosai zenji and Dogen zenji in the Kamakura era. There is another form of tea ceremony which uses sencha or loose leaf tea which is more in line with the earlier Chinese tranditions of gongfu cha (stylish tea) but which came to Japan during the Tokugawa era.
Chabako -- Literally tea box, which contains all the tea utensils, except the waste-water jar, necessary for the ceremony.
Chabana -- The special floral arrangement (ikebana) for the alcove of the tea room.
Chado -- The Way of tea.
Cha-e -- The early name for the tea ceremony, later evolved to the more popular name, Cha-no-yu.
Chakin -- A white piece of linen used for cleaning the tea bowl, before and after tea is served.
Chasen -- The bamboo tea whisk used for kneading or stirring the powdered tea after near boiling water has been poured into the bowl. (A different word than the "chasen" in the above introduction.)
Chashaku -- The thin bamboo ladle used for scooping powdered tea from the caddy into the bowl.
Chashitsu -- Literally, the "tea room."
Fukusu -- A square piece of expensive silk used to clean the tea caddy and the tea scoop before tea is made.
Hachi -- A shallow or deep container in which food and sweets are placed, either made of wood or porcelain.
Kaishi -- A small piece of thin tissue paper used for holding sweets.
Kama -- The kettle used for boiling water.
Kakemono -- The hanging scrolls of works of art or calligraphy that decorate the tea room alcove.
Mizusashi -- The water jar used for the tea ceremony.
Nijiriguchi -- The small raised guests' entrance to the tea room through which the guests have to crawl.
Temae -- A ceremonial way of preparing and serving tea according to set standards.
Tokonoma -- The alcove where hanging scrolls are placed and floral arrangements are displayed.
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