The sensu carried in tea practice is never opened to move air. It is kept closed and used to mark thresholds: placed in front of the knees when bowing, and set inside the entrance before crawling through. Functionally it draws a line between oneself and the person or space one is addressing.
In practice
A guest places the fan on the mats ahead of the knees when making a formal greeting, and behind when moving. Entering through the low nijiriguchi, the fan goes in first, then the hands. Sizes differ by school and by the user's role, and the fan is part of the standard kit a student assembles early alongside the kaishi paper and the sweet pick.
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
- Tool
Related terms
- Chaki (tea containers, collectively)chaki
The general term for vessels holding matcha, divided into thin-tea containers and thick-tea jars.
- Chasen (tea whisk)chasen
A whisk cut from a single piece of bamboo, used to mix matcha with water; treated as a consumable.
- Chashaku (tea scoop)chashaku
A slender bamboo scoop for measuring matcha, often carved by the host and given a poetic name.
- 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.
- Kobukusa (small silk cloth)kobukusa
A small patterned silk cloth the guest uses to support the bowl for thick tea and when examining utensils.
- Saho (etiquette)saho
The prescribed forms — bows, walking, handling utensils — through which respect is shown.