The oro is a hearth larger than the standard — about 55 cm square rather than 42 — used only in the deep cold of February, in particular tea rooms including Urasenke's Tototsusai and Yuin. It takes fire and warmth in abundance to receive guests in the coldest part of the year.
Timing
The large hearth is used for the single month of February, with the normal hearth returning in other months. It is a seasonally limited conceit taking breadth and warmth as its subject, in deliberate contrast to the wabi proportions of the small room since Rikyu.
What changes
Large kettles, large charcoal, and iron kettles with a forceful surface are chosen. Procedures are frequently performed in reverse orientation, and having the handedness inverted gives guests something fresh — a device that works precisely because everything else in the practice is so fixed.
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.
Term info
- Category
- Seasonal
Related terms
- Okashi (sweets)okashi
The sweets served with tea, divided into moist omogashi and dry higashi, and eaten before the tea arrives.
- Nagori (regret at a season's end)nagori
The October theme of taking leave of the brazier season, using utensils worn by half a year of use.
- Tsurigama no koro (the hanging-kettle season)tsurigama no koro
The March period when the kettle hangs from the ceiling on a chain, its slight movement suggesting spring wind.