A tana is a wooden stand placed in the host's area to hold the tea container, water jar, and other utensils. It governs both the formality of a procedure and the order of its movements. Procedures using a stand differ from carrying procedures, where utensils are brought in as needed: the stand is itself part of the display, showing the guests the host's selection from the outset. There are several dozen types, each with its own sequence and conventions.
History
The line begins with the daisu. Rikyu devised and organised simpler stands — marujoku, kuwakojoku — and these are the ancestors of the modern repertoire. Edo-period head families added many designs of their own, including shihodana, tsurezuredana, and yoshinodana, each taking a defined place in a school's system. New stands are still being made.
Types
Large stands — daisu, naga-ita, and the full-sized odana — belong to formal gatherings. Medium stands such as shihodana, tsurezuredana, yoshinodana, and kokodana serve both thin and thick tea. Small stands — marujoku, kuwakojoku, sanjudana, kanundana, suehirodana — suit lighter occasions and thin tea.
In practice
Utensils are taken from the stand, used, and returned to it, and that cycle forms the skeleton of the procedure. Each stand has its own rules about what goes on the top board, what goes on the middle shelf, and what is set toward the guests, so learning a stand begins with learning its name and its conventions. The choice of stand is itself a statement of the host's intent.
Sources
- 棚（改訂新版 世界大百科事典） / コトバンク
Supports: 「茶の湯の隆盛にともなって、茶道具を置く棚も各種のものがつくられた」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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