The kobukusa is smaller than the fukusa and, unlike it, is usually of patterned brocade. It belongs to the guest rather than the host. For thick tea the guest sets the bowl on it to drink, and it is also used to support utensils during examination so that they are not handled directly.
In practice
Guests carry a kobukusa folded inside the kaishi paper in the breast of the kimono. When thick tea is served the cloth is unfolded and the bowl placed on it; when the tea container or scoop comes round for examination, it is set on the cloth rather than on the mats. Because the fabric is often a fine brocade, guests notice one another's choice, and it is one of the few places where a guest's own taste shows.
Sources
- 古帛紗（世界大百科事典 旧版） / コトバンク
Supports: 古帛紗が本来は唐織・緞子・間道などの名物裂で作られること。主として濃茶か荘りものなどの点前で茶器に添える厚地のものであること
About this article
Edited by the operator of Chaen (a one-person operation) / Last updated:
Tea ceremony descriptions can vary by school and source. Where interpretations differ, this glossary avoids definitive claims and focuses on broadly shared understandings. If you notice an error, please let us know viaContact. To learn about our organization, seeAbout Chaen.
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Related terms
- Fukusa (silk cloth)fukusa
A square of silk used to purify utensils; its colour follows the user's role and, in some schools, their gender.
- Haiken (examining the utensils)haiken
The part of a gathering where guests take up and look closely at the utensils, and ask the host about them.
- Koicha (thick tea)koicha
Matcha kneaded with a little water into a thick paste, traditionally shared from a single bowl; the centre of a full gathering.
- Sensu (folding fan)sensu
A closed folding fan carried by guests and used to mark greetings and boundaries, never to fan oneself.