The season of hearth opening, celebrating the New Year for tea masters
In November, the tea ceremony "Ro-biraki" is held. This is a seasonal event in which the hearth in the tea room is opened, switching from the "furo" (wind stove) used during the summer to the "ro" (fireplace). For those who enjoy the tea ceremony, this is a special day that is also known as the "New Year for tea practitioners." With the arrival of this Ro-biraki, preparations for tea are finally complete for winter, and it is a time to express gratitude and joy for the end of the year and the coming of the new year.
**The Kuchikiri Tea Ceremony Begins with the Opening of the Roof** During the ro-biraki season, there is another special ritual: the moment when the seal of the tea jar is opened, called "kuchikiri." The tea jar is where new tea is carefully stored, and in the old days, when refrigeration facilities were not common, tea leaves picked in May were carefully stored and packed into the tea jar, where they were left to rest until the seal was opened at the ro-biraki in November. With the arrival of the new year, the tea jar is opened to reveal the new tea, and the fragrant, beautifully colored tea leaves can be ground in a stone mill and enjoyed as matcha. This tea jar contains separate tea leaves for thick tea and thin tea. First, the tea leaves for thick tea are wrapped in a paper bag, with the tea leaves for thin tea packed naked on the outside. When the tea jar is opened, the rich aroma of that year's new tea wafts into the air, and the true joy of the "kuchikiri no chaji" is grinding the tea leaves on a stone mill in a solemn atmosphere and tasting the first matcha. In the past, people knew that matcha's flavor deteriorates over time, so they deliberately preserved it and cherished the joy of grinding and tasting the new tea at the end of autumn. If there was a long period of extreme heat, the previous year's tea would deteriorate by the end of summer, and tea masters would look forward to the hearth opening in November just as children look forward to the New Year.
**Opening the hearth and preparing for winter** The ro is opened and a warm fire is lit in the tea room, giving a sense of the changing seasons of the tea ceremony. A ro is made by cutting a square hole in the center of the tatami mat, placing charcoal there and placing a kettle over it to boil water. Unlike a furo, the gentle warmth of a ro is perfect for the coming cold season. At this time of year when preparations for winter begin, lighting a fire in a tea room has long been associated with the hope of preventing fires. The ro opening ceremony in November is often held on the day of the boar in the boar month, as a prayer for fire protection. Since wild boars were believed to serve the fire god, people in the past prayed for fire prevention and the safe use of the ro. One of the joys of the hearth opening ceremony is the preparation of "Inokomochi" (rice cakes) while praying for the safety of the fire. Enjoying Inokomochi with new tea in a relaxing time in the teahouse is an exceptional experience.
**The joy of savoring the seasons** Robiraki is not simply a ceremony to change the utensils used. For tea masters, it is also a spiritual event to enjoy the change of seasons. By changing the hospitality, utensils, and setting with each season, you can enjoy a special time away from your daily routine. The aroma and color of matcha, as well as each and every tea ceremony, make you feel the transition from autumn to winter.
As the hearth-opening season arrives again this year, why not immerse yourself in the warmth of the tea ceremony while quietly feeling the onset of winter?
