Chitosebon
Chitose Bon (literally “thousand years tray”) was created for the 14th iemoto Tantansai by his wife Kayoko for his sixtieth birthday. This usucha temae is named after the specially designed chabitsu, also created by Kayoko, which is utilized. The lid of the original Chitose Bon (see Chitose Bon-dogu) bears a poem written by Kayoko to Tantansai which contains the phrase “one thousand years.” All the utensils used with the exception of the binkake, tetsubin, and kensui are contained inside the Chitose Bon at the start of the temae and are placed back inside at the end. The teishu may enter and exit with the Chitose Bon, or may chose to display it with his or her folded fukusa on top. There are stong similarities between Chitose Bon and Ryakubon. Hence, the lid of the Chitose Bon serves the same role as the marubon in Ryakubon once removed.
Contents
Dogu
The bon
The chitose bon (meaning “thousand years tray”) is a chabitsu (tea container) that was designed by Kayoko, the wife of the 14th iemoto Tantansai. Kayoko also created the temae by the same name for Tantansai’s sixtieth birthday. The chitose bon is made of wood finished in a deep brown lacquer. The edges of the lid, which serves the same role as a marubon in Ryakubon once the chitose bon is opened, is highlighted with red lacquer. The inside surface of the lid of the original chitose bon is adorned with the following poem (translated into English) written by Kayoko to Tantansai:
The pine in the garden
Of color
Which changes not for a thousand years
May
Your life,
Too,
Be as this.
Kayoko