|
||||||
katanakake 刀掛 | ||||||
KEY WORD : architecture / tea houses | ||||||
A single
or double rack usually found at the outside left of a tea house entrance
to hold the swords of warriors. Part of the code of the tea cult was that
the tea ceremony was a place where, ideally at least, the cares, disputes,
and hostilities of the outside world were momentarily forgotten. Thus, even
warriors left their weapons outside. See *souan 草庵. Exactly when the sword rack was devised cannot be ascertained. However
at Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 豊臣秀吉 magnificent tea gathering at Kitano 北野 (1587)
in Kyoto, Sen Rikyuu's tea ceremony hut, 4 1/2 mats *yojouhan 四畳半 had a single shelf
hung out side for warriors swords. When a double rack was provided for both
long and short swords, the upper rack was larger (about 90cmX30cm), and
the lower rack was smaller (about 70cmx30cm). Sen Rikyuu 千利休 (1522-91) preferred
cedar wood while Sen Soutan 千宗旦 (1578-1658) favored bamboo. Usually the
rack was of the hanging shelf style *tsuridana 釣棚, but some were hung under the eaves rather than attached to the wall.
Sometimes the katanakake was placed above a window *shitajimado下地窓,
in which case the lower shelf was narrower than the top and held in place
by support posts. Large two-tiered stones *katanakake-ishi 刀掛石, were often placed below the katanakake to make them easy to
reach. Customarily, a feathery broom was hung near by. Example: Urasenke
Yuuin 裏千家又隠 in Kyoto. Another type of katanakake is found at Yourin'an-no-chaseki 養林庵の茶席, Uji 宇治 in Kyoto (1601). It has bamboo posts into which bamboo pegs
are mounted in a V-shape at regular intervals. The swords are laid into
the V-shaped holder or into five hooks which have been attached to the cross
members. When carrying swords was outlawed, sword racks became unnecessary,
but their presence is preserved in order to remind tea participants of the
importance of peace in the tea ceremony house. |
||||||
a) katanakake 刀掛 b) *katanakake-ishi 刀掛石 Uraku'en Gen'an 有楽苑元庵 (Aichi)
|
||||||
REFERENCES: | ||||||
EXTERNAL LINKS: | ||||||
NOTES: | ||||||
(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System. No reproduction or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。 |
||||||