sumiro　隅炉

KEY WORD :　architecture / tea houses

One of several arrangements for positioning the fire-box *ro 炉 or fixed hearth in a small tea ceremony room *chashitsu 茶室. With the positioning called *hongatte 本勝手, sumiro is cut into the front left corner at the narrow end of the host's mat *temaedatami 点前畳. In the reverse position *gyakugatte 逆勝手, sumiro is cut into the front right corner at the narrow end. In the latter position the fire-box is also known as the *mukougiri 向切 type. According to the *NANBOUROKU 南方録, written by Nanbou Soukei 南方宗啓 (?-1624?), Tachibana Souyuu 立花宗有 stated that in consultation with Sen Rikyuu 千利休 (1522-91), they devised a 2-mat room, nijouchashitsu 二畳茶室. Rikyuu stated that a 42cm square fire-box could be made by measuring the distance from the *daisu 台子 to the opposite corner and then cutting it there. CHADENSHUU 茶伝集 (1847) by Soumu 宗務 states that the corner firebox should be installed on the kitchen side, with a 5cm wide board inserted between it and the wall. Without the board it was difficult to grasp the handle of the water ladle *hishaku 柄杓, and the wall might be damaged by the heat from the fire-box. Usually, at least a 4cm wide straight grained board is inserted between the wall and a fixed-hearth. During Sen Rikyuu's lifetime, the expressions migimuki 右向, meaning to face right and hidarimuki 左向, to face left, were commonly used. Sumiro is a more recent usage. See *iriro 入炉. Examples; Myouki'an Tai'an 妙喜庵待庵, Kyoto and Kanden'an 菅田庵, Shimane prefecture.

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*hachiro 八炉

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