Tea Scoop Names (Mei) for January

Table of Contents

• What is a chashaku mei?
• Mei inspired by the twenty-four solar terms
• Seasonal themes for January
• Auspicious mei for the New Year
• Mei for mid to late January

What is a chashaku mei?

What does "mei" mean?

The mei of a chashaku is the name given to the tea scoop.

Types of mei

In tea ceremony, mei generally fall into two broad groups:

1. Seasonal poetic names

- Names that express flowers, birds, wind, moon, and seasonal feeling - Names chosen to suit each month from January through December

1. Zen phrases or non-seasonal names

- Names drawn from Zen sayings, Chinese poetry, or classical sources - These are often used for koicha

How is a mei chosen?

A mei may come from several elements:

• Shape and appearance: a name suggested by the form of the chashaku
• Background: when, where, and by whom it was made
• Wordplay and refined association: wit, seasonal words, or literary references
• Zen and classical literature: Buddhist teaching, poetry, or old texts

Why does a mei matter?

The purpose of a mei is to:

• Express the character of the utensil
• Reflect the feeling of the owner
• Create shared feeling with guests
• Add depth and meaning to a tea gathering

A mei is not just a label. It expresses the feeling, season, and sometimes the philosophical meaning held within the chashaku. In general, seasonal words are not used after their proper time has passed.

Mei inspired by the twenty-four solar terms

Shokan (小寒 / Lesser Cold)

• Around January 5
• Also called kan no iri (寒の入り), the entrance into the coldest season
• A time when the winter cold begins to deepen

Daikan (大寒 / Greater Cold)

• Around January 20
• The coldest period of the year
• This season suggests clear air, frozen water, and a bright moon in the cold

Seasonal themes for January

Hatsugama (初釜 / First Kettle)

• The first tea gathering of the New Year
• A word that carries the fresh, celebratory feeling of beginning tea practice for the year

Wakamizu (若水 / First Water)

• The first water drawn on the morning of New Year's Day
• A mei that suggests purity, freshness, and the beginning of life

Horai (蓬莱 / Isle of Immortals)

• A mythical island or realm associated with immortality and good fortune
• Often connected with New Year decorations and auspicious imagery

Auspicious mei for the New Year

Hatsuharu (初春 / First Spring)

• A word for the New Year, literally "first spring"
• It celebrates the first hint of spring while winter is still present

Chiyo (千代 / A Thousand Ages)

• A word meaning a very long span of years
• Suited to a New Year tea gathering that wishes for longevity and prosperity

Matsu no Uchi (松の内 / New Year Pine Period)

• The period during which New Year pine decorations are displayed
• A mei that carries the formal atmosphere of the New Year

Shochikubai (松竹梅 / Pine, Bamboo, and Plum)

• The auspicious combination of pine, bamboo, and plum
• Pine stays green through winter, bamboo grows straight, and plum blossoms early

Tsurukame (鶴亀 / Crane and Tortoise)

• The crane and tortoise, symbols of longevity and good fortune
• A bright, celebratory mei for a festive tea gathering

Takarabune (宝船 / Treasure Ship)

• The treasure ship associated with the Seven Lucky Gods
• A New Year mei that suggests good dreams and incoming fortune

Obuku (大福 / Great Good Fortune)

• A name with the feeling of inviting great good fortune
• Easy to use for hatsugama or a New Year tea gathering

Fukuju (福寿 / Fortune and Longevity)

• A word wishing for happiness and long life
• Well suited to a calm and auspicious New Year setting

Nanakusa (七草 / Seven Herbs)

• Refers to the seven herbs eaten as nanakusa-gayu (七草粥) on January 7
• A mei with a clean seasonal feeling as the New Year gradually returns to daily life

Jurojin (寿老人 / God of Longevity)

• One of the Seven Lucky Gods, associated with longevity
• A mei that wishes for long life and New Year blessings

Isuzugawa (五十鈴川 / Isuzu River)

• The clear river that flows by the Inner Shrine of Ise Jingu
• A mei that suggests New Year pilgrimage and purification

Sumiyoshi (住吉 / Sumiyoshi Shrine)

• A name connected with Sumiyoshi Taisha, known for sea protection and waka poetry
• It adds the feeling of a bright New Year shrine visit

Mei for mid to late January

Matsugasane (松重 / Layers of Pine)

• A name suggesting layers of pine
• It carries both the lingering New Year atmosphere and the strength of evergreen pine

Takasago (高砂 / Takasago Pines)

• Associated with the paired pines of Takasago, a symbol of longevity and harmony
• A graceful mei that keeps an auspicious feeling after the New Year

Yukima no Kusa (雪間草 / Grass Through Snow)

• Grass appearing through gaps in the snow
• A mei that finds the first sign of spring within deep winter

Kakusei (鶴声 / Crane's Cry)

• The voice or cry of a crane
• A clear and auspicious sound imagined in the still winter air

Zuiun (瑞雲 / Auspicious Cloud)

• An auspicious cloud that appears as a good omen
• A bright mei that keeps the celebratory mood of the New Year

Sennen no Midori (千年翠 / Thousand-Year Green)

• The green of pine that remains unchanged for a thousand years
• A dignified mei that wishes for longevity and lasting prosperity