usuchaki　薄茶器

KEY WORD :　architecture / tea houses

Also abbreviated usuki 薄器. A container for weak-flavored tea. Early usuchaki had a cylindrical shape, but most are jujube-shaped, with a round top and bottom. The bottom is slightly smaller than the top. Usually, they are about 7cm in diameter and height. However, there is a hiranatsume 平棗 which has a larger diameter and is more shallow. *Natsume 棗 are usually lacquered and finished with a gold and silver design. These are not to be put in a special bag, shifuku 仕覆, but in a wooden caddy natsume, with a matching lid. Most have a black or red lacquer finish. The red lacquer usuchaki is sometimes treated with a special technique called tamenuri 溜塗. Other usuchaki are made of bamboo, plain wood showing the grain, kiji 木地, and usually left uncoated. Some tea containers are coated with gold or silver dust *makie 蒔絵, and others are ceramic. The six containers used for weak tea are called oshiroitoki 白粉解; chaoke 茶桶; fubuki 吹雪; sungiri 寸切; mennakatsugi 面中次 ;and saiki 菜器.

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*chaki 茶器.

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