Studio: international art (48.1910)

Nature Subjects in Japanese Design

SWORD GUARD WITH SCENIC DESIGNS CARVED IN METAL
BY SHIGEYOSHI U MET AD A

the famous Tea Professor, at the beginning of the
Tokugawa era, have been handed down to this
day. He named a tea caddy Ochibo (Fallen Rice
Ears), because of the graceful simplicity of its
shape and colour. One may find it difficult to
see why fallen rice ears are associated with the
idea of graceful simplicity. The following is the
explanation. Among the many noted poems by
Narihira Ariwara, an illustrious versifier of old,
there is a love song which reads :—

Uchiwabite ochibo hirouto kikama seba
Ware mo tazura niyukamashi mono wo.

This verse may be literally translated : " As I hear
that she is gathering in solitude (uchiwabite) fallen
ears of rice, I wish I too could go to the field
to enjoy her company." That Chano-yu master
obviously derived from the above verse the name
of Ochibo, which calls forth by association the
idea of uchiwabite (lit. solitude) or simplicity-
This name sounds all the more significant, as it
recalls one's mind to the rural scene suggested in
the verse. Another tea caddy was christened
Yanagi (willow) by the same Chano-yu master, in
this case, however, not in reference to its shape
and colour. An interesting story is told of this
Chano-yu ware. Once when this master was
travelling from Kyoto to Yedo, he caught sight
from his palanquin of an exquisite tea caddy which
stood on a shelf in a way-side house. He got out
of the palanquin to look at it more closely. Much
impressed by its artistic beauty, he instantly named

it Yanagi. At that moment he must have recalled
the following old poem in the Shin-kokin-shu :

Michi nobe no shimizu nagartirii yanagi kage
Shibashi tote koso tachi tomari tsure.

Literally translated: " In the cool shade of a
willow tree (Yanagi) which stands near a crystal
stream by the road-side, let me halt and rest if
only for a moment." Because the motive which
prompted him to stop and inspect that ware
coincided with the sentiment of this verse, the
Chano-yu master gave it, by association of ideas,
the name of " Willow." The two instances above
cited illustrate what are called Uta-mei (poetical
names) given to Chano-yu utensils. The under-
standing of the allusions of such poetic appellations
presupposes a knowledge of the verses and their
applications; and indeed participants in the
Chano-yu are presumed to have information of this
kind and to possess this accomplishment. The tea
ceremony with all its historic traditions and canons,
is Greek to those who have not been initiated,
even among the Japanese. It may seem absurd for
the present purpose to draw illustrations from the

PORCELAIN "KUGI KAKUSHIS" BY NINSEI NOMURA

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