Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,
"Finding coolness (ryoo o mitsukeru)" in the classical Japanese tea ceremony during summer isn’t an easy task, but there are several ways to stage the coolness for example using a large fresh green leaf as cover of the water container (habuta) or wringing the little linen cleansing cloth in a way it produces the fresh sound of clear water (arai jakin). The intention is to create an aesthetically cool feeling, not to physically cool anything.
Using fresh water from one of the many famous wells in Kyoto (meisuidate) was also enjoyed in summer. After a sip of clear cool water, thick tea (koicha) was served to the guests. The water from the well was carried to the tea house in a special square cedar box (tsurube mizusashi ), purified by a rope with white Shinto paper strips (shimenawa).
During the old times without airconditioning, people had to live with the seasons as they where and try to enjoy them as best as they could.
I thought "will take another approach this time", so I started with the Tea Ceremony in Summer. Tea drinking is an art, but when it's a hot summer's day then it is hard to be a tea master, where those he find coolness?
A wonderful picture of a tea master making tea in Summer, how will he feel cool? Maybe a fan or one of the ways as described above, but this picture inspired me to the next haiku:
tea water boils
no way to find coolness
not even a fan
This Summer day the Tea Master hasn't taken his fan with him and so he shall have one very hot day today, but he will do his best ... as a real Japanese Tea Master. Another haiku in which I relate the coolness to tea.
water of Kyoto
washes away the Summer heat -
thick tea served
I love to share another approach ... a haiku written by Jane Reichhold with 'coolness' in it:
between boards
shadows on a sunny porch
a slender coolness
(c) Jane Reichhold
seeking for coolness
in the desert of the heart -
Summer romance
Summer romance
laying in the shadows of the pines
cooling down
Well ... Suzushi ... a lot of emotions bubbling up ... I love it ...
This prompt will stay on 'til June 12th 11:59 AM (CET) and I will post our next episode, Samidare (midsummer rain), later on today around 10:00 PM (CET). Well ... have fun, be inspired and share your creativity with us here on Carpe Diem.
Namaste
Using fresh water from one of the many famous wells in Kyoto (meisuidate) was also enjoyed in summer. After a sip of clear cool water, thick tea (koicha) was served to the guests. The water from the well was carried to the tea house in a special square cedar box (tsurube mizusashi ), purified by a rope with white Shinto paper strips (shimenawa).
During the old times without airconditioning, people had to live with the seasons as they where and try to enjoy them as best as they could.
I thought "will take another approach this time", so I started with the Tea Ceremony in Summer. Tea drinking is an art, but when it's a hot summer's day then it is hard to be a tea master, where those he find coolness?
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| Source: Wikipedia |
no way to find coolness
not even a fan
washes away the Summer heat -
thick tea served
shadows on a sunny porch
a slender coolness
(c) Jane Reichhold
 |
| Source: shadows on the porch |
in the desert of the heart -
Summer romance
laying in the shadows of the pines
cooling down
Wonderful prompt. and marvellous haiku Kristjaan,,,
ReplyDeleteI loved this one. I drink tea all day every day and it is so refreshing.
ReplyDeleteLovely haiku Kristjaan. You complimented Jane's so well.
ReplyDeleteI've missed you all so much but my creativity has been absent with depression. But I'm going to try and re-kindle and I hope you don't mind me trying daily with you, apologies for quality issues.
ReplyDeleteperfect for these hot summer days
ReplyDeleteWonderful haiku Kristjaan! Great prompt!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see more and more Kristjaan...I have a feeling next year this will be one of the most visited sites - you deserve it.
ReplyDelete