The table he designed, the Tenchaban, is elegant with a black lacquered top, four bamboo legs, and a lower shelf of unfinished cedar. A sumitori rests on the lower shelf. It is a container with what is needed for sumidemae, the charcoal laying process.
There are other types of tables but Tenchaban is the only one that can be used for a chaji, a formal tea gathering. The Tenchaban is suitable for both Western rooms and on tatami.
Misonodana or Imperial Garden Stand is another table. Tantansai Mugensai Sekiso (1893-1964), the 14th Urasenke iemoto, developed it in 1952. It is often used when tea is performed outdoors along with a large picturesque red umbrella, and it is used indoors as our Chicago Urasenke Association did recently for tatezome, our New Years celebration. It consist of two tables joined by a central shelve and is garnished with red cords tied in elaborate knots.
Tantansai’s wife Kayoko designed the first room built for table style tea. It is called Yushin, the Shelter of Newness Refreshed. The floor is tile rather than tatami mats. Kayoko used it to commemorate Tantansai’s 60th birthday.
There is yet another table called Washindana. This was designed by the present 16th Urasenke iemoto, Zabosai Genmoku Soshi Soshitsu. It is three nesting tables that when placed into each other can be used as a side table. There are three styles: a circle, a triangle, and a square. Any of them will seamlessly fit into a modern room and support a lamp, a clock, or a vase.
Each of the above Urasenke iemotos has faced the challenges of a changing world. Gengensai, the introduction of western culture; Tantansai, the disruption of World War II; and Zabosai, the rapid change brought on by social media. They have responded not by isolating themselves but by taking steps to retain the inclusiveness and the beauty of tea.
As translated by Gretchen Mittwer in Rikyu’s Hundred Verses, the founder of tea said, “If unexpected guests come, do temae for them with your heart easygoing but your technical performance of temae prudent”. The three Urasenke iemoto have taken his words to heart and produced beautiful, practical solutions to the world they find themselves in.
March 2017
