The naka-natsume is the middle of the three natsume sizes and the reference form in the world of thin-tea containers. It is the container most students first handle, and the basic gestures for a natsume — the movement of the hand, the handling of the lid, purification with the silk cloth — are all learned through it.
Origins
Standard proportions were organised in the Edo period around the Nakamura Sotetsu family of lacquerers, with the medium size established as the basic one. The balance of the swell of the body, the construction of the mouth, and the fit of the lid is at its most stable at this size.
In practice
A medium natsume is the right first purchase for a student, and remains usable at any ordinary gathering. The larger and smaller sizes are for particular registers, not upgrades.
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
- Natsume (thin-tea container)natsume
The standard lacquered container for thin tea, named after the jujube fruit it resembles.
- Chaki (tea containers, collectively)chaki
The general term for vessels holding matcha, divided into thin-tea containers and thick-tea jars.
- Usuchaki (thin-tea containers, collectively)usuchaki
The general category of containers for thin tea, of which the natsume is the representative form.
- O-natsume (large thin-tea container)o-natsume
A larger, higher-ranking natsume, used at formal thin-tea sittings and where maki-e is the point.
- Ko-natsume (small thin-tea container)ko-natsume
A smaller natsume, light in feeling and standard in the portable box and basket procedures.
- Hira-natsume (flat thin-tea container)hira-natsume
A low, flattened natsume used to build cool-feeling arrangements for summer thin tea.