Tea Scoop Names (Mei) for June

Table of Contents

• What is a chashaku mei?
• Mei inspired by the twenty-four solar terms
• Seasonal themes for June
• Mei for early June
• Mei for mid to late June

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

Boshu (芒種 / Grain in Ear)

• Around June 6
• The time for sowing grains with awns, such as rice and wheat
• It connects naturally with rice seedlings, river life, ayu, and boats on the water

Geshi (夏至 / Summer Solstice)

• Around June 21
• The time of the longest daylight of the year
• It suits mei that suggest clear water and coolness within strong summer light

Seasonal themes for June

Tsuyu (梅雨 / Rainy Season)

• The long rainy season that defines June
• It makes mei such as hydrangea, snail, and sheltering from rain feel natural

Nagoshi no Harae (夏越の祓 / Midyear Purification)

• A purification rite held on June 30
• It connects with Chinowa and Nagoshi, suitable for late June tea gatherings

Hotaru (蛍 / Fireflies)

• Fireflies glowing near water and grasses in early summer
• A theme that suggests evening coolness and clear streams

Mei for early June

Ajisai (紫陽花 / Hydrangea)

• A representative flower of the rainy season
• A mei that deepens in feeling when imagined wet with rain

Katatsumuri (蝸牛 / Snail)

• A snail slowly moving over leaves on rainy days
• A quiet, approachable mei for the rainy season

Amayadori (雨宿 / Shelter from Rain)

• Pausing under shelter during a sudden rain
• A soft mei that captures a small scene of the rainy season

Hotaru-gari (蛍狩り / Firefly Viewing)

• Going out to see fireflies
• A refined mei with the coolness of evening and water

Ukai-bune (鵜飼舟 / Cormorant Fishing Boat)

• A boat used for cormorant fishing
• A mei with river surface, torchlight, and summer night atmosphere

Nobori Ayu (登鮎 / Climbing Ayu)

• Ayu fish swimming upstream
• A lively mei for clear streams and youthful early-summer energy

Mei for mid to late June

Seoto (瀬音 / Sound of the Rapids)

• The sound of water running through shallows
• A cool mei heard through the ears

Himeyuri (姫百合 / Small Lily)

• A small, graceful lily
• A delicate floral mei as the season moves toward summer

Suimei (水明 / Bright Clear Water)

• Water appearing clear and bright
• A mei that joins summer solstice light with the purity of water

Sanae (早苗 / Young Rice Seedlings)

• Young rice seedlings planted in the fields
• A mei tied to Boshu, water fields, and the expectation of harvest

Chinowa (茅の輪 / Ring of Cogon Grass)

• The grass ring passed through during Nagoshi no Harae
• A mei for purification and entering summer with a clean heart

Nagoshi (夏越 / Passing Through Summer)

• A word associated with the June purification rite
• A mei for the turning point at the end of June

Himuro (氷室 / Ice House)

• A place where ice was stored in former times
• A strongly cooling mei as the season turns toward heat

Asukagawa (飛鳥川 / Asuka River)

• A river known in classical poetry
• A refined mei with the coolness of flowing water and classical resonance