This is the only short oryoki-instruction video I've found that clearly shows how to tri-fold the napkin. If you don't put it away correctly, it doesn't flow back into your lap next meal! Every step has a purpose...!
Yep, just hot water, but not so hot that it cracks the bowls' finish. Meals are all vegetarian (& often entirely plant-based) so this cleaning technique could keep the bowls clean and sanitary for up to two weeks. the setsu (cleaning) stick in particular gets messy. Things are relatively casual here in the West, so you could probably get a new cotton setsu cover, or even wash your bowls with dish soap in the kitchen sink during a break (when the tenzo and servers are also not busy in the kitchen).
Ben Roshi, I don't recall putting utensils away handle-first. Does it matter? I would have guessed that we'd avoid handling the eating-end of a utensil with our fingers. Not trying to be a nit-picky pedant; just curious. It could be a matter of habit for us both, now, like the way we tie our shoes (which I've learned is "inefficient" but I don't really care to fix my ways. :-D ) Also, as long as we wash our hands before meals, I'm not sure how it would matter. Yet, 800 years ago in Japan...? Bows!
![[EN] Life of Zen](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/s29lZ2wtoUg/mqdefault.jpg)
![[EN] Life of Zen](/img/tr.png)
Thanks for a great tutorial. I especially love your emphasis on sincerity over perfection and your reflections on tying the knot!
This is the only short oryoki-instruction video I've found that clearly shows how to tri-fold the napkin. If you don't put it away correctly, it doesn't flow back into your lap next meal! Every step has a purpose...!
Thanks Ben, this was a great reminder of how to use the bowls.
Thank you for this!
Very interesting. Love the simplicity. Clean with water only?
Yep, just hot water, but not so hot that it cracks the bowls' finish. Meals are all vegetarian (& often entirely plant-based) so this cleaning technique could keep the bowls clean and sanitary for up to two weeks. the setsu (cleaning) stick in particular gets messy. Things are relatively casual here in the West, so you could probably get a new cotton setsu cover, or even wash your bowls with dish soap in the kitchen sink during a break (when the tenzo and servers are also not busy in the kitchen).
Ben Roshi, I don't recall putting utensils away handle-first. Does it matter? I would have guessed that we'd avoid handling the eating-end of a utensil with our fingers. Not trying to be a nit-picky pedant; just curious. It could be a matter of habit for us both, now, like the way we tie our shoes (which I've learned is "inefficient" but I don't really care to fix my ways. :-D ) Also, as long as we wash our hands before meals, I'm not sure how it would matter. Yet, 800 years ago in Japan...? Bows!
I was wondering the same. In Jan Chozen Bays’ video she appears to put the utensils in “food side” first.